The Atlanta Falcons were down three points, but they had the New Orleans Saints on the ropes in the fourth quarter. It appeared the Saints were about to let another game slip through their grips, until Tyrann Mathieu intercepted Kirk Cousins on the Falcons’ second to last possession of the game.
In his post game press conference, Darren Rizzi said, “Honey Badger’s interception at the end of the game is maybe the biggest play of the game.”
It’s definitely on the short list and hard to find another play that felt like such a turn of events. That’s what makes the play special to Rizzi. The interception happened at a moment where “started to lose momentum a little bit.”
The interception didn’t put the game away, but it stonewalled the Falcons on their closest attempt to tying the game or taking the lead.
The Falcons were at the Saints’ 44-yard line when Cousins threw the interception. The drive prior Younghoe Koo missed his third field goal of the game. The Atlanta offense was figuring out how to move the football, while New Orleans had stagnated.
Mathieu’s interception stripped the way of points away from the rival, and they didn’t get close to scoring on their only other possession.
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