For the first time in more than a month, the New Orleans Saints couldn’t outmaneuver the math.<\/p>\n
The mixture of a lost fumble, punt blocked, missed 56-yard field goal attempt, an interception and an offensive pass interference penalty in the end zone to negate a touchdown \u2014 stirred in with a lengthy list of missing offensive players \u2014 provided more hurdles than the Saints could clear in a 19-17 loss to the Falcons in the season finale at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.<\/p>\n
But it wasn’t because the Saints (6-11) didn’t try, and it didn’t dampen the prevailing optimism that surrounds the franchise entering the offseason.<\/p>\n
While attempting to win their fifth straight game, the Saints stalked the Falcons (7-9) until time and opportunity evaporated on the 2025 season, which concluded with New Orleans holding fourth place in the NFC South Division while Carolina (8-9) claimed the crown.<\/p>\n
The Saints got another strong, poised performance from their rookie quarterback (Tyler Shough<\/a> completed 23 of 35 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown, with the interception, and three carries for 34 yards and a touchdown).<\/p>\n And they received the final installment in an eight-game string of stout defensive performances \u2014 49 rushing yards allowed on 25 carries and 208 yards allowed total, 10 tops in 14 third-down attempts, an interception (edge Carl Granderson<\/a>), four sacks (Granderson and Chase Young<\/a> 1.5 each, Cameron Jordan<\/a> one), nine tackles for loss and eight passes defensed).<\/p>\n The Saints allowed 15.4 points per game over the final eight as they won five of them, and went 5-4 in games Shough started.<\/p>\n “Our guys battled,” Saints first-year coach Kellen Moore said. “I thought the defense played some outstanding football out there, we just weren’t able to quite get it done. We were close. A bunch of guys took advantage of some opportunities out there. Overall there’s a little bit of reflection in the sense that we’re really proud of this group, the way they’ve stuck together and battled each and every way, all the way down to the very end of this game.”<\/p>\n New Orleans never led or tied, but nipped at the Falcons’ heels for four quarters despite entering the game without its top five receivers, top three running backs, starting left guard and starting center. They also lost left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr.<\/a> and jack-of-all-trades Taysom Hill<\/a> during the game.<\/p>\n The Saints forced a punt on the opening possession (Granderson and Young shared a sack on third down), but the defense soon was back on the field when Juwan Johnson<\/a> fumbled during a 19-yard catch-and-run, with Atlanta safety Xavier Watts recovering and returning it five yards to the Saints’ 39-yard line.<\/p>\n The defense responded again; Atlanta drove to the 12 in seven plays where, on first-and-10, Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins eyed a screen pass to the right that Granderson detected and made a diving interception of the short throw at the 14.<\/p>\n The teams traded punts, then the Falcons blocked Kai Kroeger’s punt on fourth-and-8 from the Saints’ 13-yard line, with Atlanta recovering at the 5. After a 10-yard penalty and incomplete pass, Cousins connected with Drake London on a 15-yard touchdown for a 7-0 Falcons lead.<\/p>\n