Quick answer
- Winner
- New Orleans Saints
- Final score
- New Orleans Saints 20–17 Atlanta Falcons
- Halftime
- New Orleans Saints 14–17 Atlanta Falcons at halftime
- FantasyHQ MVP
- Matt Ryan
- Top passer
- D. Brees
- Biggest EPA play
- (14:26) (Shotgun) 24-D.Freeman right end to NO 3 for no gain (92-J.Jenkins). FUMBLES (92-J…
- Game date
- 2016-01-03
Game summary
The New Orleans Saints beat the Atlanta Falcons 20–17 on 2016-01-03, overcoming Atlanta Falcons's 17–14 halftime lead. Matt Ryan posted a game-high +15.88 total EPA in the passing.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 21 combined points.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 New Orleans Saints | 7 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
 Atlanta Falcons | 3 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
Scoring Map
Each pin marks where a score occurred on the field — yard line from play-by-play.
NONew Orleans Saints(6:48) 6-S.Graham 51 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher.
(3:19) 34-T.Hightower right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
5-K.Forbath extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
(14:35) 2-M.Ryan pass short right to 81-T.Moeaki for 42 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
6-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher.
(10:54) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass incomplete short left to 82-B.Watson (30-C.Godfrey) [99-A.Clayborn]. New Orleans challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass short left to 82-B.Watson for 13 yards, TOUCHDOWN [99-A.Clayborn].
5-K.Forbath extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
(:30) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass short right to 24-D.Freeman for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Official reviewed the pass completion ruling, and the play was Upheld. The ruling on the field was confirmed.
6-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher.
(5:34) 5-K.Forbath 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
(:03) 5-K.Forbath 30 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
ATLAtlanta FalconsFantasyHQ Analytics
Scoring timeline
Chronological scoring plays — scroll to follow the game.
- ATLAtlanta Falcons
Q1 6:48FG SGS. GrahamPoints+3
- Yard line
- NO 33
- Score
- 0-3
(6:48) 6-S.Graham 51 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher.
- NONew Orleans Saints
Q1 3:19TD THT. HightowerPoints+6
- Yard line
- ATL 1
- Score
- 6-3
(3:19) 34-T.Hightower right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
- NONew Orleans Saints
Q1 3:13XP KFK. ForbathPoints+1
- Yard line
- ATL 15
- Score
- 7-3
5-K.Forbath extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
- ATLAtlanta Falcons
Q2 14:35TD TMT. MoeakiPoints+6
- Yard line
- NO 42
- Score
- 7-9
(14:35) 2-M.Ryan pass short right to 81-T.Moeaki for 42 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- ATLAtlanta Falcons
Q2 14:24XP SGS. GrahamPoints+1
- Yard line
- NO 15
- Score
- 7-10
6-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher.
- NONew Orleans Saints
Q2 10:54TD Blake WatsonPoints+6
- Yard line
- ATL 13
- Score
- 13-10
(10:54) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass incomplete short left to 82-B.Watson (30-C.Godfrey) [99-A.Clayborn]. New Orleans challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass short left to 82-B.Watson for 13 yards, TOUCHDOWN [99-A.Clayborn].
- NONew Orleans Saints
Q2 10:47XP KFK. ForbathPoints+1
- Yard line
- ATL 15
- Score
- 14-10
5-K.Forbath extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
- ATLAtlanta Falcons
Q2 0:30TD DFD. FreemanPoints+6
- Yard line
- NO 4
- Score
- 14-16
(:30) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass short right to 24-D.Freeman for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Official reviewed the pass completion ruling, and the play was Upheld. The ruling on the field was confirmed.
- ATLAtlanta Falcons
Q2 0:26XP SGS. GrahamPoints+1
- Yard line
- NO 15
- Score
- 14-17
6-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher.
- NONew Orleans Saints
Q3 5:34FG KFK. ForbathPoints+3
- Yard line
- ATL 23
- Score
- 17-17
(5:34) 5-K.Forbath 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
- NONew Orleans Saints
Q4 0:03FG KFK. ForbathPoints+3
- Yard line
- ATL 12
- Score
- 20-17
(:03) 5-K.Forbath 30 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA).
- 1Matt Ryan · Atlanta Falcons · Passing · +15.88 total EPA · 39 snaps · +0.41 EPA/play
- 2D. Brees · New Orleans Saints · Passing · +15.86 total EPA · 44 snaps · +0.36 EPA/play
- 3
Justin Jones · Atlanta Falcons · Receiving · +10.83 total EPA · 11 snaps · +0.98 EPA/play - 4T. Cadet · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +7.34 total EPA · 6 snaps · +1.22 EPA/play
- 5
Brandon Coleman · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +6.45 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.81 EPA/play - 6J. Tamme · Atlanta Falcons · Receiving · +3.99 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.80 EPA/play
- 7T. Moeaki · Atlanta Falcons · Receiving · +3.67 total EPA · 3 snaps · +1.22 EPA/play
- 8Blake Watson · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +2.11 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.21 EPA/play
FantasyHQ Game MVP
Highest total EPA with the player's top snap and the game's biggest single play when different.
FantasyHQ Game MVP
Matt Ryan — ATL · Passing
Matt Ryan posted the highest total EPA (+15.88) in the game, the strongest overall impact for Atlanta Falcons. Across 39 counted snaps, they averaged +0.41 EPA per play.
Matt Ryan's top snap (-4.80 EPA): (1:47) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass short middle intended for 24-D.Freeman INTERCEPTED by 33-J.Sanford at ATL 28. 33-J.Sanford to ATL 25 for 3 yards (66-G.Gradkowski).
Biggest single play (-5.67 EPA): D. Freeman — (14:26) (Shotgun) 24-D.Freeman right end to NO 3 for no gain (92-J.Jenkins). FUMBLES (92-J.Jenkins), RECOVERED by NO-92-J.Jenkins at NO 4.
Quarterback report card
D. Brees led all passers in efficiency for New Orleans Saints, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- D. Brees (New Orleans Saints) · 44 dropbacks · 72.7% completion · +10.8% CPOE · +0.36 EPA/play · +15.86 total EPA
- Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) · 39 dropbacks · 61.5% completion · +0.9% CPOE · +0.41 EPA/play · +15.88 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency.
| Stat | New Orleans Saints | Atlanta Falcons |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.145 | +0.062 |
| Offensive success rate | 52.6% | 51.9% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.344 | +0.407 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.255 | -0.342 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.062 | -0.145 |
| Defensive success rate | 48.1% | 47.4% |
Drive & efficiency notes
Despite the final score, New Orleans Saints generated the better offensive EPA per play (+0.14 vs +0.06), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
Season benchmark context (offensive EPA per play):
- New Orleans Saints: +0.14 EPA/play (87th percentile vs. 2015 team-game averages)
- Atlanta Falcons: +0.06 EPA/play (71st percentile vs. 2015 team-game averages)
- Atlanta Falcons: 9 drives, +4.90 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- New Orleans Saints: 9 drives, +11.31 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal from official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- New Orleans Saints — T. Hightower
- Atlanta Falcons — T. Moeaki (Matt Ryan pass)
- New Orleans Saints — Blake Watson (D. Brees pass)
- Atlanta Falcons — D. Freeman (Matt Ryan pass)
Field goals
- Atlanta Falcons — S. Graham
- New Orleans Saints — K. Forbath
- New Orleans Saints — K. Forbath
Quarter by quarter
Quarter-by-quarter recap from live scoring plays.
The opening quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 7–3. Atlanta Falcons connected on a field goal from the NO 33 (Q1 6:48) — (6:48) 6-S.Graham 51 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher.; New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the ATL 1 (Q1 3:19) — (3:19) 34-T.Hightower right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the ATL 15 (Q1 3:13) — 5-K.Forbath extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead..
The second quarter: Atlanta Falcons won the period 14–7. Atlanta Falcons found the end zone from the NO 42 (Q2 14:35) — (14:35) 2-M.Ryan pass short right to 81-T.Moeaki for 42 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Atlanta Falcons added 1 points from the NO 15 (Q2 14:24) — 6-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher.; New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the ATL 13 (Q2 10:54); New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the ATL 15 (Q2 10:47) — 5-K.Forbath extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead.; Atlanta Falcons found the end zone from the NO 4 (Q2 0:30); Atlanta Falcons added 1 points from the NO 15 (Q2 0:26) — 6-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher..
The third quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 3–0. New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the ATL 23 (Q3 5:34) — (5:34) 5-K.Forbath 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead..
The fourth quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 3–0. New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the ATL 12 (Q4 0:03) — (:03) 5-K.Forbath 30 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most.
- Atlanta Falcons (Q4 1:47) — (1:47) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass short middle intended for 24-D.Freeman INTERCEPTED by 33-J.Sanford at ATL 28. 33-J.Sanford to ATL 25 for 3 yards (66-G.Gradkowski).
- New Orleans Saints (Q4 6:11) — (6:11) 38-T.Cadet right guard to ATL 2 for 1 yard (30-C.Godfrey). FUMBLES (30-C.Godfrey), RECOVERED by ATL-23-R.Alford at ATL 1. The Replay Official reviewed the fumble ruling, and the play was Upheld
- New Orleans Saints (Q4 0:03) — (:03) 5-K.Forbath 30 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
- Atlanta Falcons (Q4 14:26) — (14:26) (Shotgun) 24-D.Freeman right end to NO 3 for no gain (92-J.Jenkins). FUMBLES (92-J.Jenkins), RECOVERED by NO-92-J.Jenkins at NO 4.
- New Orleans Saints (Q4 9:49) — (9:49) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass deep left to 16-B.Coleman to ATL 35 for 21 yards (23-R.Alford).
Impact plays
Highest EPA snaps that flipped field position.
- Atlanta Falcons (Q4 14:26) — (14:26) (Shotgun) 24-D.Freeman right end to NO 3 for no gain (92-J.Jenkins). FUMBLES (92-J.Jenkins), RECOVERED by NO-92-J.Jenkins at NO 4.
- New Orleans Saints (Q4 6:11) — (6:11) 38-T.Cadet right guard to ATL 2 for 1 yard (30-C.Godfrey). FUMBLES (30-C.Godfrey), RECOVERED by ATL-23-R.Alford at ATL 1. The Replay Official reviewed the fumble ruling, and the play was Upheld
- Atlanta Falcons (Q4 1:47) — (1:47) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass short middle intended for 24-D.Freeman INTERCEPTED by 33-J.Sanford at ATL 28. 33-J.Sanford to ATL 25 for 3 yards (66-G.Gradkowski).
- New Orleans Saints (Q2 3:35) — (3:35) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass short left to 83-W.Snead to ATL 17 for no gain (23-R.Alford).
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with play-by-play context.
- Atlanta Falcons FG (+3) — Q1 6:48 · NO 33 · Score 0-3
(6:48) 6-S.Graham 51 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher. - New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q1 3:19 · ATL 1 · Score 6-3
(3:19) 34-T.Hightower right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q1 3:13 · ATL 15 · Score 7-3
5-K.Forbath extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead. - Atlanta Falcons TD (+6) — Q2 14:35 · NO 42 · Score 7-9
(14:35) 2-M.Ryan pass short right to 81-T.Moeaki for 42 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Atlanta Falcons XP (+1) — Q2 14:24 · NO 15 · Score 7-10
6-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher. - New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q2 10:54 · ATL 13 · Score 13-10
(10:54) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass incomplete short left to 82-B.Watson (30-C.Godfrey) [99-A.Clayborn]. New Orleans challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees - New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q2 10:47 · ATL 15 · Score 14-10
5-K.Forbath extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead. - Atlanta Falcons TD (+6) — Q2 0:30 · NO 4 · Score 14-16
(:30) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass short right to 24-D.Freeman for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Official reviewed the pass completion ruling, and the play was Upheld. The ruling on the field was confirme - Atlanta Falcons XP (+1) — Q2 0:26 · NO 15 · Score 14-17
6-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher. - New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q3 5:34 · ATL 23 · Score 17-17
(5:34) 5-K.Forbath 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead. - New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q4 0:03 · ATL 12 · Score 20-17
(:03) 5-K.Forbath 30 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research and follow-up box score digging.
- New Orleans Saints earned the result — use the box score for snap-level context.
- One-score margin — verify garbage-time stats before drawing fantasy conclusions.
- Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) led total EPA — start here for highlight and prop research.
- D. Brees (NO) finished above expected through the air (positive CPOE).
Frequently asked questions
Who won New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons on 2016-01-03?
The New Orleans Saints beat the Atlanta Falcons 20-17 in Week 17, 2015.
What was the score by quarter in New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons?
Q1: New Orleans Saints 7, Atlanta Falcons 3; Q2: New Orleans Saints 7, Atlanta Falcons 14; Q3: New Orleans Saints 3, Atlanta Falcons 0; Q4: New Orleans Saints 3, Atlanta Falcons 0; Final: New Orleans Saints 20, Atlanta Falcons 17.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons?
New Orleans Saints touchdown — T. Hightower (Q1 3:19) Atlanta Falcons touchdown — T. Moeaki (M. Ryan pass) (Q2 14:35) New Orleans Saints touchdown — B. Watson (D. Brees pass) (Q2 10:54) Atlanta Falcons touchdown — D. Freeman (M. Ryan pass) (Q2 0:30) Atlanta Falcons field goal — S. Graham (Q1 6:48, 3 pts) New Orleans Saints field goal — K. Forbath (Q3 5:34, 3 pts) New Orleans Saints field goal — K. Forbath (Q4 0:03, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons?
D. Brees (New Orleans Saints), 72.7% completion, +10.8% CPOE, +0.36 EPA per dropback, +15.86 total passing EPA. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons), 61.5% completion, +0.9% CPOE, +0.41 EPA per dropback, +15.88 total passing EPA.
Who was FantasyHQ's player of the game in New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons?
Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) was FantasyHQ's Game MVP with +15.88 total EPA on Passing plays. across 39 snaps. Their top snap (-4.80 EPA): (1:47) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass short middle intended for 24-D.Freeman INTERCEPTED by 33-J.Sanford at ATL 28. 33-J.Sanford to ATL 25 for 3 yards (66-G.Gradkowski)..
Was New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons a close game?
Yes — the margin was 3 points. New Orleans Saints won 20-17 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
New Orleans Saints
Entered 6-9 Now 7-9 W
Atlanta Falcons
Entered 8-7 Now 8-8 L
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