Even after all of their miscues, the Falcons had a chance to beat the Saints when Justin Hardy caught Matt Ryan’s pass and lunged ahead to get within range for a go-ahead field goal.
But a game official decided Falcons guard Adam Levitre was too aggressive at the end of the play. A flag was thrown for unnecessary roughness, and the 15-yard penalty pushed the Falcons back to the 43-yard line.
Instead of trying a 45-yard field goal, the Falcons were forced to punt.