Skip to main content
New Orleans Saints
Advertising

Saints News | New Orleans Saints | NewOrleansSaints.com

Halftime Update

Presented by

Halftime update: New Orleans Saints 17, Atlanta Falcons 17 | 2023 NFL Week 18

Falcons will get the ball to start the second half

With both teams' playoff hopes on the line, the offenses took center stage in the first half of Sunday's New Orleans Saints-Atlanta Falcons game at the Caesars Superdome as the teams fought to a 17-17 tie.

The Falcons (7-9) used big plays (two of more than 50 yards) to score their touchdowns while the Saints (8-8) used methodical, clock-controlling drives (seven, 16 and eight plays) to score. The Falcons scored first on a 15-yard pass from quarterback Desmond Ridder to tight end Jonnu Smith. The Saints struck back on an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Derek Carr to A.T. Perry. Atlanta then quickly added a 71-yard touchdown pass from Ridder to rookie running back Bijan Robinson. New Orleans tied the score at 14 on 3-yard touchdown run by rookie running back Kendre Millerand then added a 24-yard Blake Grupe field goal with 56 seconds to play. Atlanta kicker Younghoe Koo made a 30-yard field goal to tie the score going into halftime.

Carr finished 14 of 18 for 136 yards with a touchdown and the Saints dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for more than 20 minutes. Ridder had an effective half, completing 14 of 16 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns.

With Saints star running back Alvin Kamara out with an ankle injury Miller, Jamaal Williams and Taysom Hill divided the carries. Miller had seven carries for 38 yards while added eight yards on seven carries while Williams had eight carries for 10 yards. Hill had four carries for 19 yards and caught four passes for 28 yards.

The Falcons lost linebacker Kaden Elliss to a knee injury.

The Falcons will get the ball to start the second half.

Check out the game action shots from the New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18 of the 2023 NFL season.

Advertising