The Saints fired head coach Dennis Allen on Monday. They broke their seven-game losing streak Sunday.
Interim coach Darren Rizzi went crazy after the Saints held off the Falcons 20-17. New Orleans improved to 3-7, while Atlanta fell to 6-4.
The Falcons had a chance to win or tie with a fourth-and-4 at the New Orleans 43 with seven seconds left, but Kirk Cousins threw short of the sticks to Ray-Ray McCloud and time expired anyway.
The Saints led from start to finish and was up 10 late in the third quarter. They held off the Falcons, who outgained the Saints 468 to 365 but went 1-for-3 in the red zone. Atlanta also had Younghoe Koo miss three field goals, with a 46-yarder hitting the upright, a 35-yarder blocked and a 53-yarder wide left. No kicker had missed three field goals in a game this season until Koo and San Francisco kicker Jake Moody both did it Sunday.
Cousins was 23-of-38 for 306 yards with an interception, and Bijan Robinson rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Drake London caught eight passes for 97 yards, and Darnell Mooney five for 96.
Saints receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling caught three passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns as Derek Carr completed 16 of 25 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Alvin Kamara ran for 55 yards on 17 carries and caught five passes for 54 yards.
