Derek Carr threw a season-high four touchdown passes and the host New Orleans Saints defeated the Atlanta Falcons 48-17 to keep their Wild Card hopes alive on Sunday afternoon.
Carr passed for 264 yards while Kendre Miller had his biggest workload of the season in the absence of injured Alvin Kamara and rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.
The Saints (9-8) tied Tampa Bay for first place in the NFC South, but the Buccaneers won the division in a tie-breaker.
Desmond Ridder, starting in place of injured Taylor Heinicke (ankle), passed for 291 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for the Falcons (7-10). Bijan Robinson rushed for just 28 yards, but he caught seven passes that went for 103 yards and a touchdown.
The first possession of the second half ended when Alontae Taylor intercepted Ridder, giving the Saints a first down at the Falcons’ 25. Two plays later, Carr threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Chris Olave to give New Orleans a 24-17 lead.
The Saints pushed the lead to 31-17 when Carr threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Rashid Shaheed.
Atlanta had a chance to make it a one-score game, but on fourth and goal from the 2, Ridder threw an incompletion, leaving the Saints with a 14-point lead entering the fourth quarter.
Blake Grupe kicked a 24-yard field goal after a 92-yard drive, then Carr threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to A.T. Perry and Jamaal Williams rushed 1 yard for a touchdown to close the scoring outburst in the fourth.
On the Falcons’ first possession of the game, Ridder’s 56-yard completion to Scotty Miller set up his 15-yard touchdown pass to Jonnu Smith for a 7-0 lead.
The Saints answered on the ensuing possession when Carr threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Perry.
Two plays later, Ridder threw a short pass to Robinson, who broke free for a 71-yard touchdown reception and a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Miller’s 3-yard touchdown run tied the score before Grupe kicked a 24-yard field goal and Younghoe Koo kicked a 30-yard field goal at the gun to produce a 17-all tie at halftime.
–Field Level Media
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