It was over when ...
Roman Harper's 31-yard interception return for a touchdown gave the Saints a 31-7 lead. The Falcons scored a touchdown on Michael Jenkins' 13-yard reception in the fourth quarter but never really threatened.

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The Saints improved to 4-0 when Drew Brees throws at least three TD passes.

Game ball
Saints receiver David Patten had nine receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown. Patten had many of his receptions early, putting an immediate imprint on the game with a 25-yard touchdown reception to open the scoring in the first quarter.

Key stat
The Saints held the Falcons to 37 rushing yards, putting most of the pressure on quarterback Chris Redman, who was making his first start since 2002.

Noteworthy
The Saints (6-7) are still alive in the playoff hunt, trailing Minnesota (7-6) by one game for the final wild-card berth in the NFC. The Saints are tops among the four 6-7 teams by virtue of their superior conference record (5-4). ... Redman spent last season selling insurance in the Louisville area. ... The Saints have given up only 11 sacks on the season, a low number for a team that averages 40 passes per game. Drew Brees was not sacked on Monday night. ... The Saints swept the season series for the second consecutive year.