New Orleans Saints: 3 stats from Week 9 that were inexcusable

In a quest to keep pace with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as continue the good vibes for an overachieving team missing numerous players, the New Orleans Saints fell short Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.

The 27-25 loss to the division rival Atlanta Falcons tightens an already tight division. Suddenly the Falcons are just one game back of the Saints, though both teams are firmly in the wild card discussion.

The Saints dug a deep hole early and were almost able to dig their way out. Heading into the fourth quarter the Falcons held a 17-3 lead before a furious comeback by New Orleans — 22 fourth-quarter points — put the Saints ahead with a chance to pull out a thrilling win.

Third-string quarterback Trevor Siemian played well enough to win, posting an acceptable line of 25-41, 249 yards, and one touchdown with no interceptions, however, several failures in key areas were ultimately the Saints undoing.

Defensively and offensively there were curious decisions and breakdowns, all contributing to the Saints’ loss. Let’s look at three key stats from the Week 9 loss to the Falcons that were inexcusable.