Falcons pull out a win that puts a much more positive spin on their opening month

ATLANTA (AP) — Kirk Cousins knew how important it was for the Atlanta Falcons to pull out a win against the New Orleans Saints.

The first month of the regular season would have taken on a far more ominous tone if not for Younghoe Koo booting a 58-yard field goal with 2 seconds remaining Sunday.

The 26-24 victory pushed the Falcons to 2-2 on the season — which feels a whole lot better than 1-3.

“There’s a lot to fix.” said Cousins, who is off to an uneven start in his first season as Atlanta's quarterback. "You come away saying I’m so glad we won.”

Cousins likes to record voice memos to himself on the way home after games, when everything is still fresh in his mind.

It figured to be a lengthy critique after Atlanta managed to win without scoring an offensive touchdown. The Falcons prevailed with a special teams TD, a defensive score and four field goals from the ever-reliable Koo.

“It's a lot easier to give those voice memos after a win,” Cousins said. “Now we have a great chance to build on it.”

What’s working

Darnell Mooney continues to be a revelation in the passing game. Not only did he have another three receptions for 56 yards, he created the biggest play of the game by drawing a 30-yard pass interference penalty in the final minute that pushed the Falcons into range for Koo's winning kick.

Mooney recognized that the pass from Cousins was hanging up longer than expected, so he made the split-second decision to raise his hands before the ball arrived, faking out Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo.

Thinking Mooney was about to make the catch, Adebo made contact too early and drew the flag.

“It would be nice to just win the game instead of all the rah-rah at the end of the game,” Mooney said. “I’ve been in situations like this before where you start out, the first four games aren’t going to be masterpieces. It’s going to be a process.”

What needs help

The Cousins-led offense is certainly a work in progress.

Other than a game-winning drive in Week 2 at Philadelphia, Cousins hardly has looked like someone worthy of a four-year, $180 million contract that included $100 million in guaranteed money.

He completed 21 of 35 for 238 yards against the Saints but also had his fourth interception of the young season. And, of course, the Falcons failed to reach the end zone when he was in possession of the ball.

Third-down conversions continue to be a problem. The Falcons were 4 of 11 against the Saints, leaving them just 10 of 38 (26.3%) on the season.

“I’ll still enjoy the win, believe me,” Cousins said. "There’s just a lot we left out there.”

Stock up

Koo won the game with the longest field goal of his career. He booted four field goals in all, also connecting from 42, 44 and 53 yards to again show he's one of the NFL's top kickers.

Linebacker Troy Andersen had a huge game, scoring on 47-yard interception return while also being credited with 16 tackles, nine of them solos. But he hobbled off the field late in the game with a knee injury.

Stock down

Tight end Kyle Pitts was targeted only three times and didn't have a catch, raising more questions about his role in the offense.

“It’s about going out there and winning the game," coach Raheem Morris said. “For me, stats are for losers, man. I don’t get involved in that stuff. You go out and try to win each game.”

Injuries

Andersen's knee injury is the most immediate concern, especially with a short week ahead. Morris listed his status as day to day.

“He’s hurting pretty good,” Morris said Monday. "We’ll kind of see where he goes this week and what he’s going to be listed at and what he can do for us, if anything.”

Key numbers

24:18 — Time of possession against the Saints as the Falcons were again dominated in this category. While sometimes deceiving, it's a bit troubling that Atlanta hasn't some close to leading the possession battle in any of its first four games. The offense's best showing was 25:03 against Kansas City in Week 3.

Next steps

The Falcons have a quick turnaround as they wrap up a three-game homestand Thursday night against another NFC South rival, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Paul Newberry, The Associated Press