Alford's pick saves Falcons' win over Saints, giving NFC South title to Panthers

ATLANTA — Dee Alford's red-zone interception stopped a potential go-ahead drive by New Orleans, and the Atlanta Falcons beat the Saints 19-17 on Sunday to give the NFC South title to the Carolina Panthers. By closing the season with four consecutive wins, the Falcons (8-9) finished in a three-way tie with Carolina and Tampa Bay for first place in the NFC South. The Panthers won the tiebreaker with the best record within the division. The Falcons completed a season sweep of the Saints (6-11), who had their four-game winning streak end. Saints first-year coach Kellen Moore said he was "really proud of this group, the way they stuck together and battled each and every way, all the way down to the very end of this game." Tampa Bay stayed alive with a 16-14 home win over Carolina on Saturday. The Buccaneers needed a win or tie by the Saints on Sunday to win the division. The Panthers made the playoffs for the first time since 2017 and won the division for the first time in a decade. Trailing 16-10, the Saints drove from their 25 to the Atlanta 20 before Alford returned his interception of Tyler Shough's pass intended for Dante Pettis 59 yards to the Saints 27 with 3:14 remaining. The play set up Zane Gonzalez's fourth field goal, a 38-yarder, to extend Atlanta's lead to nine points. Slough said Alford's interception "was just an unbelievable play. ... Alford knew exactly what (the receivers) were doing in quarters. Just a great job by him ... Credit to their defense, credit to him, great play in that crucial moment." Shough answered with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Ronnie Bell with 1:11 remaining, but Atlanta's Kyle Pitts recovered an onside kick. While the NFC South winner had the most to gain from the result, the Saints and Falcons played the opening quarter as if determined to show why they had long been eliminated from postseason contention. On the Saints' first play from scrimmage, tight end Juwan Johnson fumbled after a 26-yard reception and Xavier Watts recovered for Atlanta. The Falcons then gave the ball back when defensive end Carl Granderson, who already had a sack, intercepted a pass from Kirk Cousins. Later in the opening quarter, Falcons safety Jammie Robinson blocked a punt by Kai Kroeger, and Feleipe Franks recovered to set up Cousins' 15-yard touchdown pass to Drake London. Gonzalez's 40-yard field goal increased Atlanta's lead before Shough's 1-yard scoring run in the second quarter. Shough completed 22 of 35 passes for 259 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also ran for a score. Penalty costs the Saints a TDThe Saints were denied a touchdown on an apparent 1-yard scoring pass from Shough to Kevin Austin Jr. in the third quarter when Austin was called for offensive pass interference. The Saints settled for Charlie Smyth's 29-yard field goal. Morris expecting to returnFalcons owner Arthur Blank attended second-year coach Raheem Morris' postgame news conference and gave the coach a hug following the session. Blank listened when Morris was asked if he expects to return after his second straight 8-9 finish. "You know, my expectation is always to be back, right?" Morris said before looking at Blank and adding, "I'm going to coach this football team as long as he allows it." Rookie edge rusher Jalon Walker said Morris did "a great job of keeping the culture here strong. I commend him. All of our trials and tribulations this season, we've found a way, we've made a way." Falcons hit by the fluCousins played after testing positive for the flu this week and acknowledged he was "a little weaker than normal." "I walked in today with a briefcase, my suitcase, and a Kleenex box," Cousins said. "So I knew what kind of day it was going to be, but adrenaline takes over and you feel pretty good." Inside linebacker Ronnie Harrison did not play due to the flu. Defensive tackle David Onyemata played after testing positive for the virus. Sacks recordRookie James Pearce Jr. sacked Shough on back-to-back plays in the third quarter. It gave the Falcons four sacks in the game and a team-record 57 for the season. The Falcons entered the weekend second in the league with 53 after finishing next-to-last with 31 last season. Pearce finished with 10 1/2 sacks to lead NFL rookies. Injury reportSaints: LT Kelvin Banks Jr. (left ankle) was ruled out after he was carted to the locker room in the second quarter. QB/TE Taysom Hill left with a right shoulder injury. Falcons: CB Cobee Bryant (concussion) was knocked out of the game late in the first quarter. ... DL Brandon Dorlus (hamstring) and CB Clark Phillips (triceps, illness) were held out. Up nextSaints: New Orleans will look forward to the NFL draft. The Saints entered the week holding the No. 8 overall pick. Falcons: Atlanta heads into the offseason with uncertainty surrounding the futures of Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot.