Saints Falcons Football Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford (20) celebrates his interception with linebacker Josh Woods (42) in the second half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Mike Stewart/AP)
APTOPIX Saints Falcons Football New Orleans Saints running back Audric Estime (30) is tripped up by Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III (3) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Brynn Anderson/AP)
Saints Falcons Football New Orleans Saints wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. (81) carries against Atlanta Falcons cornerback C.J. Henderson (39) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Brynn Anderson/AP)
Saints Falcons Football New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) passes against the Atlanta Falcons in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Mike Stewart/AP)
Saints Falcons Football New Orleans Saints wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. (81) carries between Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford (20) and linebacker Divine Deablo (0) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Brynn Anderson/AP)
ATLANTA (AP) — 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.
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.
Shough answered with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Ronnie Bell with 1:11 remaining, but Atlanta's Kyle Pitts recovered an onside kick.
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