Win over Falcons keeps Saints’ hopes alive

New Orleans Saints:

Quarterbacks: Most people will talk about Drew Brees’ ability to come through in a tough game on the road. This person will talk about the fact that the game wouldn’t have even been close if not for Brees’ continued poor decision making. 21 interceptions is entirely too much.

GRADE: C+

Halfbacks: Pierre Thomas rushed for more than 50 yards, stretching the chains several times in critical fourth quarter drives. He needs the football more n much more.

GRADE: B+

Wide Receivers: The Saints’ receivers did their best to punish the Falcons’ secondary when Brees had time to throw. Is there a better story in the league this year than Jimmy Graham? What a steal!

GRADE: A-

Offensive line: Picking up a blitz is basic offense. The Saints’ offensive line cannot pick up a blitz. You do the math.

GRADE: D

Defensive line: The Falcons make their money running the football to set up short yardage situations. The Saints had no part of that, keeping Michael Turner off track all night n including a big-time turnover on the goal line.

GRADE: A

Linebackers: Jonathan Vilma and Marvin Mitchell each recovered a fumble on the game n one recovery set up Saints points, the other took away a Falcons’ scoring opportunity.

GRADE: B+

Defensive backs: When Ryan had time to throw the football, he made a few things happen. The passing yards for the Falcons are small, but also misleading because of a few pass interference penalties.

GRADE: C+

Special Teams: As much grief as Garrett Hartley got earlier in the season, guess what? His 52-yard field goal was the difference in the game.

GRADE: B

Coaching Staff: Why does it take Sean Payton three and a half quarters to realize that it’s legal to run the football in this game? The Saints’ offense is pretty easy to predict when it’s one pass after another. I know we say it every week, but the fourth quarter proved it true n the Saints are close to unbeatable when they play balanced football. Sometimes they just choose not to.

GRADE: C

OVERALL GRADE: The Saints had some good breaks (a fumble on the 1-yard-line) and some bad ones (a pick-6), but they overcame it all and won in a place where visiting teams just don’t win. It’s very unlikely the Falcons will lose to Carolina at home, so the win ultimately doesn’t mean a ton in the giant playoff picture, but it’s still good for confidence, because you never know n the Saints and Falcons just might have a Part III n what a game that would be.

TEAM GRADE: A-