SPORTS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2015 Saints hand Falcons first loss : Drew Brees completed 30 of 39 passes for 312 yards and Benjamin Watson caught a key fourth-down pass in the third quarter to lift New Orleans to a 31-21 victory over the previously undefeated on Thursday. Saints tight end Watson pulled down 10 receptions for a career-high 127 yards. The Saints (2-4) held the high-powered Atlanta offense 11 points under their 32.4-point average, forced two red-zone and blocked a punt for a touchdown. New Orleans running back Mark Ingram scored twice on runs of two and one yards, and the Saints rolled up 207 yards of total offense and 17 points in the second half. The key sequence came with the Saints lead- ing 17-7 late in the third quarter. Brees moved the Saints to the Atlanta six, but New Orleans gained only two yards on three plays. On fourth-and-goal from the four, instead of settling for a chip-shot NFL standings

American Football Conference AFC East WLTOTL PF PA PCT New England 4000149 76 1.000 NY Jets 310095 55 .750 Buffalo 3200124 105 .600 Miami 130065 101 .250 AFC North Cincinnati 5000148 101 1.000 Pittsburgh 3201120 95 .600 Cleveland 2300118 132 .400 Baltimore 1401123 137 .200 AFC South Indianapolis 320099 113 .600 Tennessee 1300102 91 .250 Houston 140097 135 .200 Jacksonville 140193 145 .200 AFC West Denver 5000113 79 1.000 Oakland 2300107 124 .400 San Diego 2300116 134 .400 Kansas City 1400117 143 .200 National Football Conference NEW ORLEANS: Atlanta Falcons tight end Levine Toilolo (80) moves by middle line- NFC East backer Stephone Anthony (50) during the first half of an NFL football game. — AP NY Giants 3200132 109 .600 Dallas 2301101 131 .400 Washington 230197 104 .400 field goal, Saints coach Sean Payton sent the offense back on the field. in 12 plays- their only sustained drive of the half-to take a 7-0 lead. Brees Philadelphia 2300117 103 .400 Brees drew an encroachment penalty on defensive Ra’Shede converted three third downs on the march, and his 24-yard strike to NFC North Hageman with a hard count, but the Saints still faced fourth down from Willie Snead set up the Saints at the Atlanta 2. Ingram Green Bay 5000137 81 1.000 the two. Brees faked a handoff to Ingram and Watson ran free in the scored on the next play on a good second-effort carry. Minnesota 220080 73 .500 back of the end zone to haul in an easy toss for a 24-7 lead. The Falcons The Saints took their biggest lead of the season — 14-0 — when Chicago 230086 142 .400 (5-1) had rallied for victories in the fourth quarter for four of their previ- linebacker Michael Mauti broke up the middle to block Matt Bosher’s Detroit 050083 138 0 ous five wins, but they could not get closer than 10 points late in punt at the Atlanta 4, and Mauti picked up the ball and dived into the NFC South Thursday’s game. Quarterback Matt Ryan completed 30 of 44 passes for end zone. Ryan took the Falcons 80 yards in nine plays to cut the lead Carolina 4000108 71 1.000 Atlanta 5100183 143 .833 295 yards and two , but was sacked five times and fumbled to 14-7 on a 7-yard pass to Roddy White in the left corner of the end Tampa Bay 2300110 148 .400 three times. Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan had three sacks. zone. The wide receiver easily beat cornerback Brandon Browner on New Orleans 2400134 164 .333 the throw. The Falcons drove inside the Saints 15 on their next two NFC West BLOCKED PUNT possessions, but the drives ended with a by running back Arizona 4100190 90 .800 The Falcons moved the ball up and down the field in the first half, Tevin Coleman and a bad shotgun by reserve center James St. Louis 230084 113 .400 outgaining the Saints 265 yards to 174, but a blocked punt for a touch- Stone. The Saints failed to convert either turnover into points, howev- Seattle 2302111 98 .400 down and two fumbles inside the Saints 15-yard line sent New Orleans er. New Orleans kicker Zach Hocker missed a 51-yard field-goal San Francisco 140075 140 .200 into halftime leading 14-7. The Saints took the opening kickoff 80 yards attempt late in the half. — Reuters Izmir stun Barcelona,CSKA roll BELGRADE: Euroleague debutants Barcelona’s Croatian centre Ante Tomic changes during the off-season after los- Karsiyaka Izmir lit up the opening day of told the competition’s website ing towering centre Boban Marjanovic to the season with a 71-62 home win over (www.euroleague.net). five times former NBA champions San twice former winners Barcelona while “A lot of things happened today. Too Antonio Spurs, overcame an early deficit CSKA Moscow blew away Maccabi Tel many turnovers, lack of inspiration in against Strasbourg. Roared on by 15,000 Aviv 100-69 in a heavyweight clash on offence and the third quarter of course.” fans in Belgrade’s Kombank Arena, Red Thursday. Red Star Belgrade also made a CSKA, six times winners of Europe’s elite Star fired on all cylinders as Marjanovic’s perfect start with an 81-59 home rout of club basketball competition, dominated former understudy Zirbes dominated the Strasbourg on the back of 18 points and throughout against a depleted Maccabi paint, with captain Luka Mitrovic adding seven rebounds from German centre Maik (five titles) missing several key players 13 points and six rebounds. “The atmos- Zirbes. Having beaten more fancied local through injury. Five CSKA players finished phere was fantastic and helped us look a rivals to win the Turkish league title last with points tallies in double-figures, led better side,” Red Star coach Dejan season, Karsiyaka continued to punch by France guard Nando De Colo with 17 Radonjic told a news conference. “It was a above their weight against formidable and Serbia playmaker Milos Teodosic morale-boosting win ahead of tougher opposition. Forward Colton Iverson who added 15 and five assists. Former Los games in a fiercely competitive group.” racked up 16 points and eight rebounds Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar, Darussafaka Istanbul completed a memo- as the home side pulled away in the third back at Maccabi for his second spell with rable night for Turkey with an 83-74 over- quarter, when they outscored Barcelona the club after a brief stint in 2011, was a time home win against Italians Dinamo 25-11. lone beacon of light for his side with 17 Sassari and last season’s runners-up “It was a tough loss that we won’t for- points. Olympiakos Piraeus beat Croatians Colton Iverson in action in this file photo. get and we have to learn from this,” Red Star, who made wholesale Cedevita Zagreb 76-61. — Reuters