That much is true, but as long as they have Michael Vick, Alge Crumpler and a stingy defense, the Falcons can find a way to win.
If a formula works, why try something else? Even when Warrick Dunn lost a fumble at New Orleans' 6-yard line with the Saints holding a four-point lead and only 3:11 remaining, Vick knew the Atlanta defense would force a three-and-out and he'd have a chance to rescue his team.
"No doubt in my mind, none at all," Vick said softly as he stood facing his locker. "Just two plays, baby. Just 47 yards. That's all we asked of ourselves."
Such talk might sound unrealistic coming from a common quarterback, but after leading the Falcons to a 24-21 comeback Sunday, Atlanta is 12-3 since Vick returned from his broken ankle last year. He ran and passed for three touchdowns, accounting for 281 total yards as he led the Falcons in rushing for the fourth time in five games.
Credit nose tackle Ed Jasper, free safety Cory Hall and linebacker Keith Brooking with giving Vick and Crumpler the chance they needed. On three consecutive plays, Jasper, Hall and Brooking allowed Saints running back Deuce McAllister to gain just six yards, and New Orleans had to punt from the 12.
Taking over at his 47, Vick dropped back and threw a beautiful fade pass to Crumpler, his Pro Bowl tight end, for a 27-yard gain down the left side. The next play crushed the Saints' hearts and gave Atlanta (9-2) a four-game winning streak and a five-game lead in the NFC South with five games remaining.
A victory next week at Tampa Bay could clinch just the third division title in the franchise's 39-year history. If so, Vick's dance to avoid pressure and the 20-yard touchdown pass that followed will give the playoff trip a seal of authenticity.
Dunn was grateful to have a redemptive chance after New Orleans linebacker James Allen stripped away the football for a fumble recovery that ruined the Falcons' 11-play, 54-yard drive.
"When you make a mistake, trust me, you're like the only guy in the stadium that, 'You know what? I don't want to talk to anybody. I'm OK.' Everyone's looking at you," Dunn said. "I just tried to throw it out of my mind knowing that I could come back and make a play and make up for that."
Atlanta stood first-and-10 with 1:47 remaining when Dunn worked with left guard Roberto Garza to throw a block that let Vick escape to his left. From there, he saw Crumpler breaking down the left sideline toward the goal line with nickel cornerback Jason Craft giving hopeless pursuit.
Crumpler simply turned, jumped, caught the ball and fell to the Georgia Dome turf for the winning score. Hysteria ensured among the crowd of 70,521. Only 34 seconds remained.
"We were able to meet the challenge," said Crumpler, who caught four passes for 103 yards. "It wouldn't have been possible had our defense not gotten that stop late in the ballgame."
Indeed, the Atlanta defense would surrender 100 yards to McAllister and let Joe Horn catch nine passes for 101, but it made the plays necessary to put the Saints (4-7) in a three-way tie in the division with Carolina and Tampa Bay.
Cornerback DeAngelo Hall, the No. 8 overall draft pick, finally had his first career interception as he leaped on the final play of the game to snag Brooks' desperate 43-yard heave at the Atlanta 21.
Earlier in the game, defensive ends Travis Hall and Brady Smith combined to knock down three passes at the line of scrimmage. Jasper blocked John Carney's 37-yard field goal attempt on the opening drive of the third quarter to preserve the Falcons' 17-6 lead.
Defensive tackle Rod Coleman sacked Brooks twice for minus-15 yards. Smith, Jasper and rookie linebacker Demorrio Williams combined for two more sacks. Allen Rossum intercepted Brooks at the end of the second quarter to set up Jay Feely's 31-yard field goal three plays later.
"We didn't go scared or panic," Coleman said. "We knew as a defense we needed to make something happen. Keep them down by getting a turnover or getting them off the field on downs _ whatever we needed to do."
The Saints led 21-17 after Aaron Brooks' 1-yard quarterback sneak in the third quarter and his 7-yard pass to Horn with 11:56 remaining. The pair also connected on the two-point conversion pass that followed the first touchdown.
Charles Grant recorded his first career interception as Vick threw errantly to Dunn on a play that led to Horn's end zone dance nine plays later.
"We have to play like that for 60 minutes," Brooks said. "We can't come out at the half and decide that we want to play football. I guess you could say we got outplayed today."
Vick's first touchdown, a 16-yard scramble down the left side on the second drive, gave the Falcons a 7-0 lead.
"It was a pass play, (but) they played cover-8, and it was covered up," Vick said. "I was forced to go. Throw no balls in the trash, at least that what my offensive coordinator tells me. Pull it down and run."
The second touchdown, a 1-yard pass to Stanley Pritchett in the second quarter, was a simple hitch route to the left. No Saint was near Pritchett, who had a 55-yard touchdown catch erased five plays earlier when officials called Peerless Price for offensive interference.