Saints lose 45-24 to Falcons at Superdome on 20th anniversary of ‘Domecoming’
The New Orleans Saints were beaten 45-24 by the Atlanta Falcons at the Superdome on Monday night during events marking the 20th anniversary of the stadium’s reopening after Hurricane Katrina. A day of commemorations ended with boos and early exits after Atlanta’s decisive victory.
The game was framed around the club’s landmark 23-3 win over the Falcons two decades earlier, when Steve Gleason’s blocked punt and Curtis Deloatch’s recovery set the tone for the original ‘Domecoming’. Retired players Drew Brees, Scott Fujita, Scott Shanle, Deuce McAllister, Devery Henderson and Deloatch joined Gleason — now in a wheelchair because of ALS — on the field to lead the crowd in the ‘Who dat!’ chant, while Irma Thomas reprised her role singing the national anthem. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell travelled to New Orleans; he attended the 2006 game as well, and earlier in the day mayor Helena Moreno presented Gleason with a key to the city. Gleason also shared a moment with former Falcons punter Michael Koenen at the ‘Rebirth’ statue outside the dome that memorialises the famous punt block.
Three plays into the contest Falcons running back Bijan Robinson scored on a 59-yard touchdown that quelled the Superdome’s early energy. Atlanta finished with 45 points — their most since a 48-33 victory over Carolina in 2016 — and did not punt after the first quarter, scoring touchdowns on five of their last six full possessions.
Saints quarterback Tyler Shough completed 286 passing yards and wide receiver Chris Olave had eight catches for 116 yards, but New Orleans managed to score on only one of its five first-half series and trailed 24-7 at the break. After settling for a 27-yard field goal on their opening drive of the second half, the Saints conceded a nine-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that put Atlanta ahead 31-10.
“It’s extremely disappointing,” Shough said. “It’s embarrassing. I can’t say enough good things about fans showing up, the entire process, what this game meant and we fell short as a team … we’ve got to do better on all fronts.” The night was the Saints’ first nationally-televised, night-time home game in nearly two years and the Superdome began to empty after Atlanta increased its lead.
Playing without injured defensive end Carl Granderson, linebacker Kaden Elliss and running back Travis Etienne, among others, New Orleans produced 50 rushing yards on 19 carries as the team largely abandoned its ground game after falling behind. Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson finished with 145 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and Brian Robinson Jr added three scoring runs.
Second-year coach Kellen Moore described the mood in the Saints’ camp. “We’re all frustrated, all disappointed with where we’re at,” Moore said. “We’re going to have to learn from this one and move forward.” New Orleans (1-3), which secured a breakthrough victory at Baltimore two weeks ago, has now lost two straight home games.
The defeat leaves the Saints a game behind NFC South co-leaders Atlanta and Carolina. “We squandered an opportunity but we’ve got more opportunities,” Shough said. “You’ve got to kind of take it on the chin and we’ll see them again.”