Alford’s red-zone pick saves Falcons’ 19-17 win over Saints, giving NFC South title to Panthers
January 4, 2026
Dee Alford’s red-zone interception stopped a potential go-ahead drive by New Orleans, and the Atlanta Falcons beat the Saints 19-17 to give the NFC South title to the Carolina Panthers. By closing the season with four consecutive wins, the Falcons finished in a three-way tie with Carolina and Tampa Bay for first place in the NFC South. The Panthers won the tiebreaker between the three 8-9 teams with the best record within the division. The Falcons completed a season sweep of the Saints, who had their four-game winning streak end.