Falcons edge Saints 19-17 as Carolina Panthers clinch NFC South title

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Drake London #5 of the Atlanta Falcons attempts to make a catch during the fourth quarter of the game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

ATLANTA - Dee Alford’s red-zone interception halted a late New Orleans scoring threat Sunday, securing a 19-17 victory for the Atlanta Falcons and simultaneously handing the NFC South title to the Carolina Panthers.

Big picture view:

The Falcons finished the season with four consecutive wins to end at 8-9. The result created a three-way tie atop the division between Atlanta, Carolina, and Tampa Bay, but the Panthers claimed the tiebreaker based on their divisional record. It marks Carolina’s first division title in a decade and their first playoff berth since 2017.

Trailing 16-10 with just over three minutes remaining, the Saints drove to the Atlanta 20-yard line. Alford intercepted a Tyler Shough pass intended for Dante Pettis and returned it 59 yards. The turnover led to a 38-yard Zane Gonzalez field goal that extended the lead to nine points.

New Orleans (6-11) saw its four-game winning streak end as Atlanta completed a season sweep of its rival. The outcome also eliminated Tampa Bay, which had kept its hopes alive with a win over Carolina on Saturday but required a Saints victory or tie to clinch the division.

By the numbers:

The game opened with a series of errors. On the Saints' first play, Juwan Johnson fumbled a 26-yard reception, which Xavier Watts recovered for Atlanta. The Falcons returned the favor when Carl Granderson intercepted a Kirk Cousins pass. Later in the first quarter, Jammie Robinson blocked a Kai Kroeger punt, setting up Atlanta at the New Orleans 5-yard line.

Cousins eventually found Drake London for a 15-yard touchdown after a penalty negated a scoring run by Bijan Robinson. Gonzalez added a 40-yard field goal before Shough answered with a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

The Saints were denied a third-quarter touchdown when Kevin Austin Jr. was flagged for offensive pass interference on an apparent scoring catch. New Orleans settled for a 29-yard Charlie Smyth field goal to pull within 13-10.

Shough finished the day 22 of 35 for 259 yards with one touchdown and the critical interception.

Atlanta’s defense made history during the win. Rookie James Pearce Jr. recorded back-to-back sacks in the third quarter, bringing the Falcons’ season total to a franchise-record 57 sacks. Pearce ended the year with 10 1/2 sacks, the most among NFL rookies.

What's next:

Injuries mounted for both sides. Saints left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. was carted off with a left ankle injury, and Taysom Hill exited with a shoulder injury. The Falcons lost cornerback Cobee Bryant to a concussion. Atlanta also dealt with a wave of pre-game illnesses that sidelined Ronnie Harrison and left several others, including Cousins and A.J. Terrell, limited or questionable.

The Saints now turn their attention to the NFL draft, where they held the No. 8 overall pick entering the week. Despite the winning streak to end the year, the Falcons face an uncertain offseason amid speculation regarding the futures of coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot.