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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Morten Andersen rediscovered his accuracy
just in time for the struggling Atlanta Falcons.
After missing four of six field goal attempts going into the
game, Andersen connected twice in the fourth quarter as the
defending NFC champions rallied for a 20-17 victory Sunday over the
New Orleans Saints -- their first win of the year.
|  | | Saints running back Ricky Williams cuts back to elude Falcons linebacker Keith Brooking. |
"It feels good to get back on track a little bit and hit the
ball the way I know I can hit it," Andersen said. "It was good
medicine for me and certainly the win was great medicine for the
team."
Andersen hit a 36-yarder to tie the game at 17 early in the
final period, then hit a 44-yarder with about six minutes left to
give Atlanta (1-4) a lead it wouldn't give up. He holds the NFL
record for game-winning kicks with 26.
With the victory, their ninth in a row against the Saints (1-3),
the Falcons avoided matching the worst start by a Super Bowl team.
The 1987 New York Giants went 0-5, but that came during a strike
season, and three of the losses were with replacement players.
"It feels a whole lot better when you win, that's for sure,"
Falcons quarterback Tony Graziani said. "I'm on cloud nine."
Not that Atlanta has regained its Super Bowl form. Beating New
Orleans, which has one of the worst offenses in the NFL, was a
struggle because of the Saints' defense and the Falcons' own
blunders.
Atlanta, which trailed 17-7 at the half, gained just 251 yards
while collecting nine penalties for 68 yards, fumbling three times,
losing two, and converting on just three of 12 third downs.
Graziani, filling in for the injured Chris Chandler, completed
11 of 20 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown. He was also sacked
three times.
The Falcons, who have won five of their last six in the
Superdome, drove 76 yards on 11 plays on their opening possession
and scored on Terance Mathis' 22-yard reception to go up 7-0. They
were Atlanta's first points in the first quarter this season.
"We were tremendously disappointed in our performance the last
four weeks," Andersen said. "We just haven't put it together and
today was a step in the right direction."
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GAME NOTES |
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Terance Mathis' 18-yard catch in the third quarter was his 500th
career reception.
Doug Brien missed a 28-yard field goal, his first miss under 40 yards since Sept. 29, 1996.
Atlanta had started the season 0-4 for the third time in four years.
Injuries:
Falcons -- LB Keith Brooking, right knee; LB, Jessie Tuggle, left knee. Saints -- QB Billy Joe Hobert, neck; LB, Vinson Smith, right
hamstring; TE, Cam Cleeland, left knee; C, Jerry Fontenot, neck.
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Ken Oxendine, who had only 33 yards coming into the game, ran
for 30 yards on Atlanta's opening drive. He finished with 57 yards
on 20 carries.
New Orleans came back when Doug Brien hit a 42-yard field goal
early in the second quarter and the Falcons made both of the
Saints' Billy Joes -- Hobert, then Tolliver -- look like All-Pros.
First, Hobert unleashed a 90-yard touchdown pass to Eddie
Kennison -- the longest in the team's 33-year history -- to put New
Orleans up 10-7. Then Tolliver stepped in after Hobert left the
game with a neck stinger with four minutes left in the half.
Tolliver completed five passes for 81 yards, including a 23-yard
touchdown throw that Brett Bech caught with a leaping, one-handed
snare to put the Saints ahead 17-7.
Bob Christian pulled Atlanta to 17-14 with a 1-yard touchdown
run in the third quarter, setting the stage for Andersen's
fourth-quarter heroics.
Tolliver finished 13-of-26 for 185 yards and a touchdown; Hobert
was 9-for-14 for 153 yards and a score. Saints rookie Ricky
Williams rushed for 53 yards on 19 carries.
It was the third straight loss for New Orleans, which has not
scored a point in the fourth quarter this season and for the third
straight time blew a lead in the fourth quarter.
"I'm aware of it," Hobert said. "You'd have to say it's an
embarrassment, not scoring in the fourth quarter. Putting teams
away when you're ahead is totally a mind-set."
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
New Orleans Clubhouse
Week 5 wrap-ups
Week 5 infirmary report
TJ's Take: Call it a Rampage
Week 5 PrimeTime Players
Week 5 stats leaders
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