3 Winners (and 4 losers) in Atlanta Falcons disheartening loss in New Orleans

Winner: Atlanta's second-half defense

Let's take a moment to appreciate the effort from Atlanta's defense after having no early answers. After falling behind 17-7 heading into the second-half the Falcons would only give up three the rest of the way. It looked to be a rewind of last season when the defense would give Heinicke or Ridder chance after chance and they had no answers.

It was a much-improved effort from a unit that had struggled the last few weeks. Bouncing back from a first-half where they were haunted by Derek Carr, Taysom Hill, and the resurgent Marquez
Valdes-Scantling. The receiver the Bills kicked to the curb had zero problems coming in and exposing a struggling Atlanta secondary.

Somehow this unit is getting the job done without a pass rush or a consistent run defense. Just finding a way to get stops when they need it most. The defense did their job after early struggles. In no way can you put this game on the defense. Yes, there are units that failed but as an entire unit you cannot reasonably ask more. It is supposed to be the offense carrying you and keeping a struggling unit off the field.