Falcons Beat Winless Saints in Monday Night Football

BY ESPN

Tevin Coleman rushed for three touchdowns, Matt Ryan passed for two TDs, and Deion Jones returned an interception 90 yards for a score to help the Atlanta Falcons beat the winless New Orleans Saints 45-32 on Monday night.

The game was played nearly 10 years to the day after the Saints' memorable return to the Superdome on Sept. 25, 2006, 13 months after Hurricane Katrina. But there would be no reprise of New Orleans' dominant and emotional 23-3 triumph a decade ago.

The Saints' depleted defense struggled to slow down Devonta Freeman, who rushed for 152 yards and caught five passes for 55 yards. Coleman also was effective in the passing game out of the backfield, with three receptions for 47 yards to go with his 42 yards rushing.

Ryan finished with 240 yards passing for Atlanta (2-1) which did not turn the ball over and moved into sole possession of first place in the NFC South.

Drew Brees put up his usual big numbers -- 376 yards and three TDs passing -- but his interception for a touchdown on a tipped pass early in the fourth quarter gave the Falcons a 45-25 lead that proved too much for New Orleans to overcome.

The loss dropped the Saints (0-3) in last place -- a far cry from their 3-0 start in 2006.

SPECIAL TEAMS BLUNDER

A cruel irony for the Saints was the way they lost the early momentum on -- of all plays -- a Falcons punt. A decade earlier, the Saints seized the early momentum on Steve Gleason's block of a Falcons punt that was recovered for a touchdown.

On Monday night, New Orleans had raced to a 7-0 lead and forced a Falcons punt on a sack, only to turn the ball over when punt returner Tommylee Lewis was run into by teammate De'Vante Harris. After the collision knocked Lewis to the ground, the ball came down right on him, bounced away and was recovered by Atlanta on the 11, setting up Coleman's first TD.

Former Cowboys' Hardy Arrested on Cocaine Possession

Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy, who remains unsigned after a tumultuous 2015 season revolving around his domestic violence case in North Carolina, has been arrested on a cocaine possession charge in Texas.

Jail spokesman Tim Weed in the Dallas suburb of Richardson said Hardy was arrested early Monday and booked on a charge of possession of a controlled substance. He was released on $5,000 bond Monday afternoon.

The 2013 Pro Bowl player was pulled over late Sunday night for failure to signal a left turn, and a search of his vehicle revealed what police said was cocaine and an item containing marijuana remnants, according to police documents.

Hardy told police he didn't know what was in a bag that police said contained cocaine, and Hardy said somebody gave him the bag at a party the previous night.

Police said a substance that tested positive for cocaine was found in his wallet, but Hardy said he had been passing his wallet around at the party "because he was paying for everybody and that must have been when the baggie was put in his wallet,'' according to the police report.

Hardy's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, declined to comment. The NFL didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Thursday, September 29 Schedule (Time Central)

Miami at Cincinnati, 7:25 p.m.

Sunday, October 2 Schedule (All Times Central)

Indianapolis at Jacksonville, 8:30 a.m.

Tennessee at Houston, noon

Cleveland at Washington, noon

Seattle at New York Jets, noon

Buffalo at New England, noon

Carolina at Atlanta, noon

Oakland at Baltimore, noon

Detroit at Chicago, noon

Denver at Tampa Bay, 3:05 p.m.

Los Angeles at Arizona, 3:25 p.m.

New Orleans at San Diego, 3:25 p.m.

Dallas at San Francisco, 3:25 p.m.

Kansas  City at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, October 3 Schedule (Time Central)

New York Giants at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.