Bijan Robinson put the Falcons ahead early Monday night, scoring on a 59-yard rushing touchdown in the opening drive against the Saints. Robinson added a 4-yard touchdown run later in the first quarter, giving Atlanta a 14-0 lead with the first quarter barely complete, per the game thread. The Saints are hosting the matchup to mark the 20th anniversary of their Hurricane Katrina return.
The defensive side of the game saw injury concerns early. Za'Darius Smith, the Falcons' defensive end, was questionable to return after taking a knee to the head with 12:57 remaining in the first quarter. The Falcons entered Monday's contest with momentum after quarterback Michael Penix Jr. returned to action in a win over the Packers last week. The Saints came in winless in conference play, matching the Falcons' 1-2 record through three weeks.