NFL game summary for 12/19/1971:
Bob Berry threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Ken Burrow with 34 seconds remaining to bring Atlanta a 24-20 victory and a 7-6-1 record, the Falcons' first winning record in their six-year history. Burrow caught eight passes for 190 yards.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 126.6 (13) | 153.4 (12) | 280.0 (16) | 35 |
| DEFENSE | 152.6 (20) | 115.6 (1) | 268.2 (7) | 37 | |
 | OFFENSE | 118.9 (18) | 140.0 (20) | 258.9 (19) | 24 |
| DEFENSE | 164.8 (23) | 152.0 (13) | 316.8 (22) | 44 |
Line: Falcons by 3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons (7-6-1) | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
| New Orleans Saints (4-8-2) | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
( 7- 0) ATL Art Malone 6 yard rush (Bill Bell kick)
( 7- 7) NO Bob Gresham 6 yard rush (Charlie Durkee kick)
( 7-10) NO Charlie Durkee 30 yard field goal
(10-10) ATL Bill Bell 10 yard field goal
(10-17) NO Archie Manning 6 yard rush (Charlie Durkee kick)
(17-17) ATL Art Malone 1 yard rush (Bill Bell kick)
(17-20) NO Charlie Durkee 36 yard field goal
(24-20) ATL Ken Burrow 22 yard pass from Bob Berry (Bill Bell kick)
ATL NO
First Downs: 14 20
Rushes-yards: 22-57 39-165
Yards/rush: 2.6 4.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 18-27-269-0 17-26-174-0
Sacked-yards: 1-7 5-39
Net pass yards: 262 135
Net yards/pass: 9.4 4.4
Total net yards: 319 300
Total plays: 50 (44% run) 70 (55% run)
Yards/play: 6.4 4.3
Fumbles-lost: 3-1 3-1
Turnovers: 1 1
Penalties-yards: 6-49 5-56
Attendance: 75,554
Passing:
ATL: Bob Berry, 18 of 27 for 269 yards and 1 TD NO: Archie Manning, 17 of 26 for 174 yards
Rushing:
ATL: Art Malone, 8 for 24 yards and 2 TDs; Cannonball Butler, 8 for 22 yards; Harmon Wages, 4 for 8 yards; Bob Berry, 2 for 3 yards NO: Bob Gresham, 18 for 52 yards and 1 TD; Jim Strong, 17 for 73 yards; Archie Manning, 3 for 28 yards and 1 TD; Virgil Robinson, 1 for 12 yards
Receiving:
ATL: Ken Burrow, 8 for 190 yards and 1 TD; Jim Mitchell, 3 for 37 yards; Art Malone, 3 for 12 yards; Wes Chesson, 1 for 19 yards; Harmon Wages, 1 for 10 yards; George Kunz, 1 for 2 yards; Cannonball Butler, 1 for -1 yards NO: Bob Gresham, 6 for 60 yards; Bob Newland, 4 for 59 yards; Danny Abramowicz, 2 for 24 yards; Jim Strong, 2 for 10 yards; Virgil Robinson, 2 for 2 yards; Dave Parks, 1 for 19 yards
Kick returns:
ATL: Cannonball Butler, 2 for 58 yards; Sonny Campbell, 2 for 40 yards NO: Virgil Robinson, 2 for 66 yards; Bob Gresham, 2 for 44 yards
Punt returns:
ATL: Willie Belton, 4 for 6 yards NO: Danny Abramowicz, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
Punting:
ATL: Billy Lothridge, 5 for 212 yards NO: Julian Fagan, 5 for 218 yards
Field Goals:
ATL: Bill Bell, 1/2 NO: Charlie Durkee, 2/2
ATL: Bob Berry, 18 of 27 for 269 yards and 1 TD NO: Archie Manning, 17 of 26 for 174 yards
Rushing:
ATL: Art Malone, 8 for 24 yards and 2 TDs; Cannonball Butler, 8 for 22 yards; Harmon Wages, 4 for 8 yards; Bob Berry, 2 for 3 yards NO: Bob Gresham, 18 for 52 yards and 1 TD; Jim Strong, 17 for 73 yards; Archie Manning, 3 for 28 yards and 1 TD; Virgil Robinson, 1 for 12 yards
Receiving:
ATL: Ken Burrow, 8 for 190 yards and 1 TD; Jim Mitchell, 3 for 37 yards; Art Malone, 3 for 12 yards; Wes Chesson, 1 for 19 yards; Harmon Wages, 1 for 10 yards; George Kunz, 1 for 2 yards; Cannonball Butler, 1 for -1 yards NO: Bob Gresham, 6 for 60 yards; Bob Newland, 4 for 59 yards; Danny Abramowicz, 2 for 24 yards; Jim Strong, 2 for 10 yards; Virgil Robinson, 2 for 2 yards; Dave Parks, 1 for 19 yards
Kick returns:
ATL: Cannonball Butler, 2 for 58 yards; Sonny Campbell, 2 for 40 yards NO: Virgil Robinson, 2 for 66 yards; Bob Gresham, 2 for 44 yards
Punt returns:
ATL: Willie Belton, 4 for 6 yards NO: Danny Abramowicz, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
Punting:
ATL: Billy Lothridge, 5 for 212 yards NO: Julian Fagan, 5 for 218 yards
Field Goals:
ATL: Bill Bell, 1/2 NO: Charlie Durkee, 2/2