Watch: Falcons Force Big Fumble vs. Saints

Originally posted on FanNation Falcon Report
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated 11/7/21

The Atlanta Falcons have played their best defensive game of the season today against the New Orleans Saints.

The Falcons have kept the Saints out of the red zone all game, and the exclamation point came early in the fourth quarter when pass rusher James Vaughters, called up from the practice squad earlier this week, strip sacked Saints quarterback Trevor Siemian to force the fumble.

The fumble was recovered by linebacker Steven Means and ran back down inside the Saints' 10-yard line. The recovery is Means' first in his nine-year NFL career.

Means would have scored a touchdown, but Saints wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith slingshotted from his spot in the offense to hunt him down before he could reach the end zone.

On the next play, quarterback Matt Ryan found wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus for a 6-yard touchdown, his second of the day.

The touchdowns mark Zaccheaus' fourth and fifth touchdowns of his career and first since Week 3 against the New York Giants. It's also his first multi-TD game of his three-year NFL career.

The fumble marked the fourth of the Falcons' season and the seventh turnover overall, returning the Falcons to a -3 turnover differential through eight games this season.

For a team that has struggled to force turnovers all season long, having success in this department on the road should certainly give the Falcons defense a lot of confidence moving forward in the second half of the season.

The Falcons lead 24-13 over the Saints midway through the fourth quarter.

This article first appeared on FanNation Falcon Report and was syndicated with permission.

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