NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — The Atlanta Falcons capitalized on a stifling defensive effort and a pair of long second-half touchdowns to defeat the New Orleans Saints 24-10 on Sunday at Caesars Superdome.

A crowd of 70,005 watched as the Falcons improved to 4-7, while the Saints fell to 2-9 in a matchup of struggling NFC South rivals.

The game was a defensive struggle for three quarters, with Atlanta holding a narrow 16-10 lead. The contest was ultimately decided by a spectacular 49-yard touchdown connection from Kirk Cousins to Darnell Mooney early in the fourth quarter. Cousins then found Bijan Robinson for a successful two-point conversion, stretching the lead to 14 points and effectively sealing the victory.

Cousins orchestrated the Falcons’ offense efficiently, completing 16 of 23 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He also scrambled for six yards. His primary deep threat was Mooney, who hauled in three receptions for 74 yards, including the game-sealing score. David Sills V caught the other touchdown pass, a 9-yard strike in the second quarter.

The Falcons’ ground game was anchored by Robinson, who rushed 14 times for 70 yards, repeatedly gashing the Saints’ defense for key first downs.

Defensively, Atlanta was led by cornerback Dee Alford, who racked up 10 tackles and recovered a fumble. Safety Xavier Watts made the play of the day for the unit, intercepting a Tyler Shough pass in the end zone with 16 seconds remaining to extinguish New Orleans’ final comeback attempt.

For the Saints, the offense sputtered throughout the afternoon. Quarterback Tyler Shough completed 30 of 43 passes for 243 yards but was sacked four times and failed to lead a touchdown drive. The Saints’ lone touchdown came on a 41-yard interception return by safety Justin Reid in the second quarter.

Blake Grupe provided the rest of New Orleans’ scoring with a 33-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, but he also missed two attempts from 38 and 47 yards.

Wide receiver Chris Olave was a bright spot for the Saints, catching nine passes for 70 yards, but the team’s rushing attack was virtually nonexistent, managing just 46 total yards.

Linebacker Demario Davis led all defenders with 11 tackles for a New Orleans defense that kept the game close until the final quarter. The unit also recorded three sacks, but it was ultimately undone by the big plays from Atlanta’s offense.

The Falcons took an early 3-0 lead on a 56-yard field goal from Zane Gonzalez in the first quarter. They extended their lead to 10-0 on Cousins’ touchdown pass to Sills. After Reid’s interception return brought the Saints within three points, Gonzalez connected on two more field goals, from 41 and 54 yards, to send Atlanta into halftime with a 16-7 advantage.

The win snaps a three-game losing streak for the Falcons, while the Saints have now lost eight of their last nine games.