This one was on Drew Brees.
In the biggest regular-season game the Saints have played in the last four years, the highest-paid player in NFL history produced a stinker for the ages. A week after throwing two pick-6s in New Orleans’ loss to San Francisco, Brees made that performance look like a Hall-of-Fame outing by comparison.
He threw not one, not two, not three, not four but a career-high five interceptions as the Falcons beat the Saints, 23-13, on Thursday night at the Georgia Dome. And that doesn’t even count Brees' biggest blunder. With New Orleans trailing 17-7 and facing a second-and-goal at the Atlanta 5-yard line in the final minute of the first half, he inexplicably let about 30 seconds run off the clock as the Saints huddled up with no timeouts, then threw a check-down to RB Darren Sproles for a 2-yard gain. The Saints could not get another play off before the half ended.
That was the most bizarre sequence in a bizarre game. Atlanta went ahead 17-0 early in the second quarter, then did not pick up another first down until near the end of the third quarter against the NFL’s lowest-ranked defense. The Saints pulled within 17-13 despite a litany of mistakes before Brees threw three interceptions on their last four possessions. Even when a pick was nullified by an offsides penalty, he tossed another one on the next play.
The loss put the Saints (5-7) on life support in their quest for the playoffs. They’ll have to win their last four and get some help.
The Falcons (11-1) remained on pace for home-field advantage in the NFC but did nothing to convince anyone they are a Super Bowl favorite, winning by 10 when they had a 5-1 advantage in turnovers.
When the game turned: With the Saints trailing 17-13 but possessing all the momentum while facing a second-and-5 near midfield in the third quarter, Brees tried to throw against his body to WR Devery Henderson and never saw safety William Moore, who stepped in front of the pass for an easy interception and returned it to the New Orleans 41. The Falcons kicked a field goal for their first points since early in the second quarter and benefitted from Brees’ generosity the rest of the way.
Highlight moments: Falcons QB Matt Ryan threw a picture-perfect pass over the middle to TE Tony Gonzalez for a TD to give the Falcons a 14-0 lead in the first minute of the second quarter, beating former Falcons’ LB Curtis Lofton’s tight coverage. Who knew the Falcons would go almost two quarters before making another first down? … Atlanta safety Thomas DeCoud made a nice recovery to pick off a deep post pass Brees threw to WR Marques Colston in the end zone on the Saints’ first series. Colston was open early, but not late. … The Brees dump-off to Sproles at the end of the half had to be seen to believed. … Atlanta’s Matt Bryant, who had missed from 22 yards last week vs. Tampa Bay, drilled a 55-yard field goal to seal the victory with 4:25 left.
Top-shelf performances:
- Saints WR Lance Moore -- 9 catches, 108 yards
- Falcons RB Michael Turner --12 carries, 83 yards, 1 TD
- Falcons S William Moore --10 tackles, 2 interceptions
What they said:
- Saints interim coach Joe Vitt on the team's postseason hopes -- “The future as far as the playoffs goes looks bleak right now.”
- Saints QB Drew Brees on his five interceptions -- “I felt as good coming into this game as I had about the passing game all season really."
The streak is over: Brees’ NFL-record string of 54 games with a TD pass ended in ignominious fashion. He may not have the mark for long. New England’s Tom Brady has thrown a scoring pass in 43 straight games.
Egg-cruciating performance: Several members of the Saints tweeted that their bus was egged by Hartsfield International Airport employees when they got on their team bus after they arrived in Atlanta on Wednesday. But it was Brees who left the Georgia Dome with egg on his face.
Numbers you should know: Brees has thrown an NFL-high 16 interceptions. … The Falcons rushed for 71 yards on their opening drive after gaining 46 on the ground for the entire game vs. the Saints three weeks ago. Then Atlanta had only 53 rushing yards the rest of the way. … Since 2008, the Falcons are 28-3 against the rest of the NFL at the Georgia Dome and 2-3 vs. the Saints.
Injury updates: Falcons -- CB Asante Samuel left in the first half after aggravating a right shoulder injury. He missed out on the picks parade. Saints -- OT Zach Strief started after missing three games with a groin injury, but he was bothered by cramps at one point in the fourth quarter.
Going forward: Saints -- New Orleans' playoff hopes aren’t totally over, but all signs point to a loss at the New York Giants on Dec. 9 and the unofficial end to this painful season without suspended coach Sean Payton. If Brees doesn't get out of his funk, a loss is a certainty. Falcons -- They may be the least-respected 11-1 team ever. Still, after a trip to Carolina on Dec. 9, they return to the Georgia Dome to face the Giants in a game that could cement their status as the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Follow Saints reporter Guerry Smith on Twitter @CBSSaints.