Dee Alford intercepted Tyler Shough at the Atlanta 20 and returned the ball 59 yards with 3:14 left, setting up Zane Gonzalez’s fourth field goal of the afternoon as the Falcons held off the Saints 19-17 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The win completed Atlanta’s season sweep of New Orleans and, as a byproduct, handed the NFC South title to Carolina, which edged the Falcons and Buccaneers in a three-way division tiebreaker on record within the conference. Falcons owner Arthur Blank fired head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot that same evening, ending back-to-back 8-9 seasons under the second-year staff.
Table of Contents
Final Score
Team
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Final
New Orleans Saints (6-11, 3-6 Away)
0
7
3
7
17
Atlanta Falcons (8-9, 4-4 Home)
7
3
3
6
19
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | Attendance: 69,512 | Broadcast: FOX | Week 18, 2025 NFL Season
Scoring Summary
Qtr
Time
Team
Play
Drive
Score
Q1
3:02
ATL
Drake London 15-yd TD pass from Kirk Cousins (Gonzalez kick)
2 plays, 5 yds, 0:16
ATL 7–0
Q2
10:19
ATL
Zane Gonzalez 40-yd FG
8 plays, 31 yds, 3:54
ATL 10–0
Q2
4:31
NO
Tyler Shough 1-yd rush TD (Smyth kick)
10 plays, 65 yds, 5:48
ATL 10–7
Q3
8:50
ATL
Zane Gonzalez 51-yd FG
6 plays, 41 yds, 2:13
ATL 13–7
Q3
2:15
NO
Charlie Smyth 29-yd FG
14 plays, 56 yds, 6:35
ATL 13–10
Q4
10:43
ATL
Zane Gonzalez 38-yd FG
13 plays, 45 yds, 6:32
ATL 16–10
Q4
2:52
ATL
Zane Gonzalez 38-yd FG
4 plays, 7 yds, 0:22
ATL 19–10
Q4
1:11
NO
Ronnie Bell 16-yd TD pass from Shough (Smyth kick)
7 plays, 65 yds, 1:41
ATL 19–17
The Q1 Atlanta score covered only five yards in two plays after Jammie Robinson blocked a Kai Kroeger punt, with Feleipe Franks recovering for the short field. The Saints’ four-game winning streak was effectively snapped by Alford’s interception in the final quarter, which came on a pass intended for Dante Pettis with New Orleans at the Atlanta 20; Alford returned it 59 yards to the Saints 27 and Gonzalez converted from 38 yards two plays later. Kevin Austin Jr. had an apparent third-quarter touchdown reception overturned by an offensive pass interference call; the Saints settled for a field goal on that drive. After Ronnie Bell’s late touchdown cut the margin to two with 1:11 left, Kyle Pitts recovered New Orleans’ onside kick to close out the game.
Team Stats
Stat
New Orleans
Atlanta
Total Yards
340
208
Total Plays
65
61
Yards per Play
5.2
3.4
Passing Yards (net)
232
159
Completions / Attempts
23/35
18/32
Yards per Pass
5.9
4.4
Interceptions Thrown
1
1
Sacks – Yards Lost
4–27
4–21
Rushing Yards
108
49
Rushing Attempts
26
25
Yards per Rush
4.2
2.0
1st Downs
16
14
Passing 1st Downs
10
11
Rushing 1st Downs
5
2
Penalty 1st Downs
1
1
3rd Down Efficiency
5/16 (31.3%)
4/14 (28.6%)
4th Down Efficiency
3/3
1/1
Red Zone (Made–Att)
2/3
1/3
Penalties
6–40 yds
5–42 yds
Turnovers
2
1
Fumbles Lost
1
0
Time of Possession
31:19
28:41
Total Drives
11
12
Passing
Player
C/ATT
YDS
AVG
TD
INT
SACKS
QBR
RTG
Tyler Shough, NO
23/35
259
7.4
1
1
4–27
60.8
85.3
Kirk Cousins, ATL
18/32
180
5.6
1
1
4–21
26.1
69.8
Yards listed are gross totals before sack yardage deducted; net passing figures appear in Team Stats above. Cousins played through a confirmed flu diagnosis.
Rushing
New Orleans Saints
Player
CAR
YDS
AVG
TD
LONG
Audric Estime
21
63
3.0
0
9
Tyler Shough
3
34
11.3
1
29
Evan Hull
2
11
5.5
0
8
Team
26
108
4.2
1
29
Atlanta Falcons
Player
CAR
YDS
AVG
TD
LONG
Bijan Robinson
15
33
2.2
0
12
Tyler Allgeier
7
16
2.3
0
5
Kirk Cousins
3
0
0.0
0
2
Team
25
49
2.0
0
12
Receiving
New Orleans Saints
Player
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LONG
TGT
Juwan Johnson
3
61
20.3
0
28
5
Dante Pettis
5
60
12.0
0
26
5
Audric Estime
5
43
8.6
0
19
5
Kevin Austin Jr.
4
37
9.3
0
15
9
Taysom Hill
3
32
10.7
0
13
3
Ronnie Bell
2
23
11.5
1
16
4
Samori Toure
1
3
3.0
0
3
3
Team
23
259
11.3
1
28
34
Atlanta Falcons
Player
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LONG
TGT
Drake London
4
78
19.5
1
37
8
Kyle Pitts
6
58
9.7
0
15
9
Darnell Mooney
3
20
6.7
0
10
7
David Sills V
1
11
11.0
0
11
1
Bijan Robinson
3
10
3.3
0
12
3
Tyler Allgeier
1
3
3.0
0
3
2
Team
18
180
10.0
1
37
30
London’s 78-yard, one-touchdown performance moved him to 306 career receptions, passing Jim Mitchell for sole possession of eighth place on the Falcons’ all-time list.
Defense
New Orleans Saints
Player
TOT
SOLO
SACKS
TFL
PD
QB HTS
Carl Granderson
10
5
1.5
3
1
3
Chase Young
6
3
1.5
2
1
2
Demario Davis
6
1
0
0
0
0
Alontae Taylor
4
4
0
1
0
0
Cameron Jordan
4
3
1.0
2
0
2
Quincy Riley
4
3
0
0
2
0
Jonah Williams
4
1
0
1
0
0
Kool-Aid McKinstry
3
3
0
0
4
0
Danny Stutsman
3
3
0
0
0
0
John Ridgeway III
3
0
0
0
0
0
Taysom Hill
2
2
0
0
0
0
Terrell Burgess
2
2
0
0
0
0
Isaac Yiadom
2
1
0
0
0
0
Pete Werner
2
1
0
0
0
0
Jonas Sanker
2
1
0
0
0
0
Chris Rumph II
2
0
0
0
0
0
Isaiah Stalbird
2
0
0
0
0
0
Jordan Howden
1
1
0
0
0
0
Jaylan Ford
1
1
0
0
0
0
Audric Estime
1
1
0
0
0
0
Khristian Boyd
1
1
0
0
0
1
Jonathan Bullard
1
0
0
0
0
0
Justin Reid
1
0
0
0
0
1
Davon Godchaux
0
0
0
0
0
1
Team
67
37
4.0
9
8
9
Atlanta Falcons
Player
TOT
SOLO
SACKS
TFL
PD
QB HTS
Dee Alford
9
5
0
1
2
0
Divine Deablo
8
1
0
0
1
0
Xavier Watts
7
4
0
0
1
0
C.J. Henderson
7
3
0
0
2
0
Kaden Elliss
6
2
0
0
1
0
David Onyemata
6
1
0
0
0
0
Kentavius Street
4
3
1.0
1
0
1
A.J. Terrell Jr.
4
3
0
0
0
0
LaCale London
4
1
1.0
1
0
1
James Pearce Jr.
3
2
2.0
2
0
2
Jessie Bates III
3
2
0
0
0
0
JD Bertrand
3
1
0
0
1
0
Mike Ford Jr.
2
2
0
0
0
0
Jalon Walker
2
1
0
1
0
0
Khalid Kareem
2
0
0
0
0
0
Elijah Garcia
2
0
0
0
0
0
Josh Woods
1
1
0
0
0
0
Kyle Pitts
1
1
0
0
0
0
Cobee Bryant
1
1
0
0
0
0
Jammie Robinson
1
1
0
0
0
0
Natrone Brooks
1
1
0
0
0
0
Leonard Floyd
1
0
0
0
0
0
Ruke Orhorhoro
1
0
0
0
0
0
Team
79
36
4.0
6
8
4
Pearce Jr.’s two sacks in this game gave him 10.5 for the 2025 season, the most among NFL rookies. Atlanta finished the regular season with a franchise-record 57 sacks, up from 31 in 2024. Granderson and Young each finished with more than 10.0 sacks on the year, the first pair of Saints pass rushers to hit that mark in the same season since 2013.
Interceptions
Player
Team
INT
YDS
TD
Carl Granderson
NO
1
0
0
Dee Alford
ATL
1
59
0
Fumbles
Player
Team
FUM
LOST
REC
Juwan Johnson
NO
1
1
0
Xavier Watts
ATL
0
0
1
Johnson fumbled on the first play from scrimmage after a 26-yard reception; Watts recovered for Atlanta at the New Orleans 25.
Kicking
Player
FG
PCT
LONG
XP
PTS
Charlie Smyth, NO
1/2
50.0%
29
2/2
5
Zane Gonzalez, ATL
4/4
100.0%
51
1/1
13
Gonzalez’s four field goals: 40, 51, 38, 38 yards.
Punting
Player
NO
YDS
AVG
TB
IN 20
LONG
Kai Kroeger, NO
4
203
50.8
0
1
55
Bradley Pinion, ATL
4
229
57.3
0
2
69
Averages reflect gross yardage. One Kroeger punt was blocked by Jammie Robinson in the first quarter; Feleipe Franks recovered for Atlanta.
Return Stats
Kick Returns
Player
Team
NO
YDS
AVG
LONG
TD
Evan Hull
NO
3
78
26.0
28
0
Deven Thompkins
ATL
2
42
21.0
25
0
Dylan Drummond
ATL
1
31
31.0
31
0
ATL Team
3
73
24.3
31
0
Punt Returns
Player
Team
NO
YDS
AVG
LONG
TD
Dante Pettis
NO
2
17
8.5
14
0
Nyheim Hines
NO
1
11
11.0
11
0
NO Team
3
28
9.3
14
0
Deven Thompkins
ATL
3
26
8.7
15
0
Injuries
New Orleans Saints
Player
Position
Injury
Notes
Chris Olave
WR
Not disclosed
Out pre-game
Alvin Kamara
RB
Not disclosed
Out pre-game
Bryan Bresee
DT
Not disclosed
Out pre-game
Kelvin Banks Jr.
LT
Left ankle
Carted off, Q2
Taysom Hill
TE/QB
Right shoulder
Did not return, Q4
Ronnie Harrison
ILB
Flu
Did not play
Atlanta Falcons
Player
Position
Injury
Notes
Brandon Dorlus
DL
Hamstring
Did not play
Clark Phillips
CB
Triceps/illness
Did not play
Cobee Bryant
CB
Concussion
Out late Q1
Kirk Cousins
QB
Flu
Played through
David Onyemata
DT
Flu
Played through
Officials
Role
Official
Referee
Ronald Torbert
Umpire
Barry Anderson
Down Judge
Frank LeBlanc
Line Judge
Brian Bolinger
Field Judge
Ryan Dickson
Side Judge
Keith Washington
Back Judge
Courtney Brown
New Orleans closed Kellen Moore’s first season at 6-11, playing the finale without Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara, and Bryan Bresee, and held the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Atlanta’s second consecutive 8-9 finish under Morris prompted owner Arthur Blank to begin simultaneous searches for a new head coach and general manager immediately after the final whistle.
I'm Sean L. Garcia, a Swedish-born American journalist based in Washington with over six years of experience reporting across local publications and digital media. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and have spent the better part of my career covering the full spectrum of news, from breaking world affairs and domestic politics to sports analysis, consumer technology, automotive industry developments, the business of entertainment, celebrity culture, gaming, health, and the cultural moments that define how people actually live. I launched Daily Info Magazine on April 05, 2026, because I wanted to build one publication where readers never have to go elsewhere, a destination backed by real reporting, proper sourcing, and an editorial team that takes accuracy seriously across every beat we cover. I serve as Editor-in-Chief and continue to report, write, and publish alongside our team of writers, researchers, and editors every single day.
