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Saturday 9 december 2017
Jones makes game-saving INT, Falcons beats Saints 20-17

By PAUL NEWBERRY ing to force one at the end. wasn’t Ryan’s fault.
AP Sports Writer On the opening possession, The ball went through the
ATLANTA (AP) — With the New Orleans lost half of its arms of tight end Austin
season potentially hang- dynamic 1-2 punch in the Hooper, rolled up on his
ing in the balance, Deion backfield when rookie Alvin back and was intercepted
Jones leaped high in the Kamara took a shot to the by Chris Banjo, setting up
air, about as high as he helmet and staggered off the 1-yard scoring pass to
could go. with a concussion. Thomas.
He reached even higher, Mark Ingram was left On Atlanta’s next posses-
snatching the ball away to carry the load as the sion, Ryan guided the Fal-
before it could reach the “Boom and Zoom” duo cons to the New Orleans 9.
intended target. became simply “Boom.” On third down, he attempt-
Holding on for dear life with He was held to 49 yards ed to force a pass into the
both arms, the Atlanta Fal- on 12 carries as the Saints end zone for Julio Jones
cons linebacker landed largely abandoned one of only to be picked off again
flat on his back in the end the league’s top rushing at- by Marcus Williams.
zone, the ball secured tacks. Michael Thomas had It was the second time this
tightly against his chest. 10 catches for 117 yards season and ninth time in
No way he was letting go. and a TD . his career that Ryan has
Jones made a leaping in- With Atlanta trying to drive thrown three interceptions
terception in the end zone into position for a tiebreak- in a game.
with 1:25 remaining and ing field goal in the waning INJURY REPORT
the Falcons held on for a seconds of the opening It was a brutal night for the
crucial 20-17 victory over half, Ryan threw a terrible Saints, which is sure to raise
the New Orleans Saints on pass that was picked off by more questions after the
Thursday night, setting up a rookie Marshon Lattimore, health risks of playing on
three-way race for the NFC Atlanta Falcons linebacker Deion Jones intercepts a pass from who was back in the lineup Thursday nights.
South title. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees intended for tight after missing two games In addition to Kamara’s in-
“It was all about the ball,” end Josh Hill, not seen, in the end zone late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. jury, New Orleans lost an-
Jones said. “I just opened of an NFL football game Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, in Atlanta. Lattimore returned it 33 other offensive guard and
up my eyes, and all my Associated Press yards to the Atlanta 29 with three starters on defense.
brothers were right there, end zone. meet again in the next- 4 seconds remaining, set- Guard Senio Kelemete, fill-
standing over me. It was Jones had other ideas. to-last week of the regular ting up Wil Lutz to boot a ing in for injured starter An-
great.” “When it takes a while to season at the Superdome. 47-yard field goal as time drus Peat (groin), left with
Matt Ryan shook off three land, you know you’re up The Carolina Panthers (8-4) expired. But the Falcons a concussion. That forced
interceptions to guide the there,” Falcons coach Dan also are right in the thick of caught a break when the the Saints to go with Josh
Falcons to Matt Bryant’s 52- Quinn said. “He definitely things. Saints failed to have sev- LeRibeus, the backup cen-
yard field goal with 3:49 to went up and reached for Ryan had three intercep- en blocked on the line of ter.
go. The Saints (9-4) were in it.” tions in a stretch of nine scrimmage, and the penal- On defense, the Saints lost
position to pull out the vic- The Falcons (8-5) climbed plays at the end of the first ty resulted in a mandatory linebacker A.J. Klein in the
tory, driving to the Atlanta within one game of the half and the beginning of 10-second runoff that end- first half with a groin injury.
11 after Drew Brees con- division-leading Saints with the second. But he tied ed the half with the score Starting defensive end
verted on fourth-and-1 with three weeks to go, as New the game with an 8-yard tied at 10. Trey Hendrickson left with
a quarterback sneak, as Orleans squandered a touchdown pass to Mo- MATTY PICK an ankle injury and strong
coach Sean Payton passed chance to build a three- hamed Sanu with 9:55 re- After getting picked off on safety Kenny Vaccaro was
on attempting a tying field game lead on the defend- maining , finishing 15 of 27 Atlanta’s last play of the sidelined with a groin injury.
goal. ing division champs. Atlan- for 221 yards. first half, Ryan went to the “A lot of different guys go
On second down, Brees ta is back in the race and Brees was 26 of 35 for 271 air again on the first play of down,” coach Sean Pay-
attempted to hit tight end gets another crack at New yards and two TDs. Yet he the second half. ton said. “That became
Josh Hill in the back of the Orleans when the teams was kicking himself for try- Same result, though it challenging.”q
Chiefs’ Peters fined $24,309 for penalty flag toss

By The Associated Press the penalties frustrated Pe- Chiefs safety Daniel So-
NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas ters, who picked up one rensen was docked $18,231
City Chiefs cornerback of the flags and tossed it for roughing the passer on
Marcus Peters was fined into the seats at MetLife New York’s Josh McCown.
$24,309 by the NFL on Fri- Stadium. Peters was penal- Kansas City defensive tack-
day for throwing a penalty ized for unsportsmanlike le Bennie Logan avoided a
flag into the stands against conduct, and he headed fine after he was penalized
the New York Jets. straight to the locker room for unnecessary roughness
Peters also was suspended thinking he had been when he hit the helmet of
one game by Chiefs coach ejected. long snapper Thomas Hen-
Andy Reid earlier in the He wasn’t, though, and nessy on Chandler Catan-
week for his antics last Sun- quickly re-emerged from zaro’s 21-yard field goal in
day in the 38-31 loss. the locker room without the fourth quarter. The pen-
During the Jets’ go-ahead socks on. He ran back alty kept New York’s drive
drive in the fourth quarter, onto the Chiefs’ sideline to going before the two calls Teammates of Kansas City Chiefs’ Marcus Peters, left, try to
the Chiefs were called for watch as Kansas City’s last- later in the possession on prevent him from leaving the field after a penalty during the
three penalties to prolong ditch comeback attempt the Chiefs’ Steven Nelson second half of the team’s NFL football game against the New
the possession. The last of fell short. — and, then, Peters.q York Jets, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017, in East Rutherford, N.J
Associated Press