The New Orleans Saints defeated the Atlanta Falcons 20-17 on Sunday, but running back Alvin Kamara dropped a pass that would have effectively sealed the victory. Fortunately, the Saints were able to earn a stop and win, but Kamara remained accountable after the game when asked about the mistake.
“Before anyone could say anything, I embarrassed everyone by dropping the ball. “I apologize,” Alvin Kamara told Nick Underhill of neworleans.football.
According to Mike Triplett, Kamara also claimed that his dropped pass was the ‘lamest’ thing he had ever done on a football field.
The incomplete pass occurred with 1:48 remaining on the clock. Kamara might have scored a touchdown to make it a two-score game, or he could have been tackled after grabbing the ball to run out the clock. Instead, he dropped the ball, forcing the Saints defence to make one more stop, which they luckily did.
After a couple first downs, the Saints forced Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins to fumble, resulting in a second-and-29. The Falcons ultimately got to a fourth-and-four but were unable to convert after Cousins threw an incomplete ball.
Kamara finished the game with 55 yards on the ground on 17 carries and 54 receiving yards on five grabs. Obviously, his receiving numbers would have been far higher if he had caught the last ball. Still, the Saints won for the first game since Week 2.
Can the Saints build on their success against the Falcons?
The Saints improved to 3-7 on the season with their victory over the Falcons. Although it is a deep hole, the Saints will attempt to dig themselves out in the following weeks. Next week’s game against the Cleveland Browns at home provides an opportunity to improve to 4-7.
After that, the Saints face the Los Angeles Rams and the New York Giants. It was a long losing streak, but getting some guys back healthy could help the Saints make a late-season run. It will be intriguing to see how they perform in the next weeks, as the margin for a playoff position is narrow, but not unattainable.
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