Falcons CB C.J. Henderson intercepted Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett to secure Sunday’s win.

The Atlanta Falcons overcame a slow start against the Arizona Cardinals to escape with a 26-19 road victory, improving to 6-9 for the season. Sunday’s win was obviously too little, too late for a Falcons team that was eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago.

Nonetheless, Atlanta showed up and got the job done for the second week in a row. It wasn’t the prettiest win, but there was plenty to like about the Falcons’ performance in Week 16. Here are five takeaways from Sunday’s victory over the Cardinals.

Falcons offense bounces back after slow start

The Falcons quickly found themselves down by double digits in the first quarter. After Kirk Cousins threw an interception, the Cardinals scored a touchdown to take a 10-0 lead. While things looked grim, the team hung around and outscored Arizona 23-9 over the final three quarters. Cousins bounced back with 197 yards and three touchdowns (one rushing) to lead the Falcons to victory.

C.J. Henderson goes from practice squad to MVP

Henderson was signed to the active roster on Saturday and helped seal Sunday’s win with a clutch interception in the final seconds. The former top-10 pick has spent most of the season on the Falcons’ practice squad. Henderson stepped up with Mike Hughes ruled out and A.J. Terrell getting injured midway through the game. It was a nice redemption story for Henderson, who should remain on the roster going forward.

Kyle Pitts train keeps rolling

Kyle Pitts continues to be a major factor on offense. After scoring three touchdowns a week ago, Pitts recorded another to tie the game up at 16 before halftime. The fifth-year tight end is making a strong case to return next season. He finished Sunday’s game with seven catches for 57 receiving yards and a score. Pitts now has 80 receptions for 854 yards and a career-high five touchdowns this season. He needs 173 more yards to set a new season high.

Red-zone defense thrives, offense delivers

The Falcons executed in the red zone while the Cardinals struggled and that might have been the difference in the game. Atlanta’s offense went 3-for-3 in the red zone and converted two fourth-down attempts. Arizona went 0-for-2 in the red zone. While the Falcons were down a couple of defensive backs, they still held together with the game on the line despite giving up some big plays.

What’s next for the Falcons?

In Week 17, the Falcons will return home for a Monday Night Football showdown against the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams are 11-4 and coming off a 38-37 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night. Those extra days off gives head coach Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford more time to prepare for Atlanta’s defense. Stafford is arguably the favorite for league MVP with 40 touchdown passes this season. The game starts at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN on Monday, Dec. 29.