NEW ORLEANS — Kirk Cousins passed for 199 yards and two touchdowns in his second start this season, and the Atlanta Falcons ended a five-game skid with a 24-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Taking over under center because of Michael Penix Jr.’s season-ending knee injury, Cousins completed 16 of 23 passes, highlighted by his 49-yard scoring pass deep down the middle to former Tulane standout Darnell Mooney in the fourth quarter.
The play gave Atlanta (4-7) a 24-10 lead with 11:04 left — a comfortable cushion on a day when the Falcons prevented the hapless Saints (2-9) from scoring an offensive touchdown.
New Orleans’ only TD came on Justin Reid’s 49-yard interception return in the second quarter on a pass that was tipped by Kool-Aid McKinstry. Reid’s first TD since his rookie season in 2018 briefly pulled the Saints within 10-7.
Saints rookie Tyler Shough, making his third start and first in the Superdome, completed 30 of 43 passes for 243 yards, but was often under pressure and was sacked five times. The lone interception he threw on a deep pass in the final seconds was inconsequential, but his botched handoff to Alvin Kamara in the first quarter was recovered by Dee Alford and led to the game’s opening points on Zane Gonzalez’s 56-yard field goal.
David Sills, a 29-year-old who has spent much of his career on practice squads, scored his first career touchdown on a 9-yard pass from Cousins, giving the Falcons a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.
New Orleans’ Blake Grupe missed two field goals inside of 50 yards in the first half. The first, from 38 yards, came after Mason Tipton had returned a kickoff 75 yards to the Atlanta 16. The second, from 47 yards, sailed wide right with 56 seconds left in the second quarter.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver David Sills V (87) catches a pass for a touchdown against New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (1) in the first half of an NFL football game,Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in New Orleans. Credit: AP/Butch Dill
The Superdome filled with boos after the second miss, and there was audible grumbling in the stands after Cousins quickly drove the Falcons for Gonzalez’s third field goal of the game to make it 16-7 at halftime.
The Saints had a chance to close within a field goal early in the fourth quarter, but on third-and-goal, a direct snap to Taysom Hill was high, forcing Hill to run the ball down and throw it away. He was flagged for intentional grounding, and the Saints settled for a field goal to trim Atlanta’s lead to 16-10.
The Falcons rushed for 121 yards, 70 by Bijan Robinson, who also had 37 yards receiving on two catches. Mooney finished with 74 yards on three catches.
Chris Olave caught nine passes for 70 yards for the Saints.
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, left, is tackled by New Orleans Saints safety Justin Reid (21) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in New Orleans. Credit: AP/Gerald Herbert
Injuries
Falcons: Safety Xavier Watts appeared shaken up after making a touchdown-saving tackle on Shough near the goal line early in the fourth quarter. But he returned in time to make a late interception.
Saints: Kamara left with a knee injury after being pulled down awkwardly along the sidelined by Atlanta linebacker and former Saints teammate Kaden Ellis in the first quarter.
Up next
Falcons: Visit the New York Jets next Sunday.
Saints: Visit the Miami Dolphins next Sunday.
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