NFL game summary for 11/02/1975:
Playing their first game under interim head coach Ernie Hefferle, the 60-year-old personnel director who was named to succeed dismissed John North six days earlier, the Saints found a new passing combination in Archie Manning and rookie Larry Burton. Manning hit Burton four times for 159 yards, including a 71-yard scoring play. Rookie runner Mike Strachan rushed for 109 yards and a three-yard touchdown.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 151.3 (11) | 105.7 (25) | 257.0 (21) | 19 |
| DEFENSE | 154.3 (20) | 169.2 (16) | 323.5 (17) | 15 | |
 | OFFENSE | 117.3 (21) | 124.0 (20) | 241.3 (22) | 19 |
| DEFENSE | 129.2 (8) | 139.0 (11) | 268.2 (11) | 13 |
Line: Falcons by 2½
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons (2-5-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| New Orleans Saints (2-5-0) | 0 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 23 |
( 0- 3) NO Rich Szaro 36 yard field goal
( 0-10) NO Mike Strachan 3 yard rush (Rich Szaro kick)
( 0-17) NO Larry Burton 71 yard pass from Archie Manning (Rich Szaro kick)
( 0-20) NO Rich Szaro 47 yard field goal
( 7-20) ATL Wallace Francis 24 yard pass from Pat Sullivan (Nick Mike-Mayer kick)
( 7-23) NO Rich Szaro 25 yard field goal
ATL NO
First Downs: 19 19
Rushes-yards: 25-95 50-175
Yards/rush: 3.8 3.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 14-37-241-3 8-19-199-3
Sacked-yards: 5-31 3-22
Net pass yards: 210 177
Net yards/pass: 5.0 8.0
Total net yards: 305 352
Total plays: 67 (37% run) 72 (69% run)
Yards/play: 4.6 4.9
Fumbles-lost: 4-3 1-0
Turnovers: 6 3
Penalties-yards: 10-84 8-60
Attendance: 49,342
Passing:
ATL: Pat Sullivan, 8 of 21 for 144 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Kim McQuilken, 6 of 16 for 97 yards (1 int) NO: Archie Manning, 8 of 19 for 199 yards and 1 TD (3 int)
Rushing:
ATL: Haskel Stanback, 11 for 49 yards; Dave Hampton, 10 for 43 yards; Pat Sullivan, 2 for -4 yards; Kim McQuilken, 1 for 5 yards; Woody Thompson, 1 for 2 yards NO: Mike Strachan, 27 for 109 yards and 1 TD; Alvin Maxson, 12 for 29 yards; Andrew Jones, 4 for 13 yards; Rod McNeill, 3 for 4 yards; Archie Manning, 2 for 8 yards; Steve Rogers, 1 for 7 yards; Larry Burton, 1 for 5 yards
Receiving:
ATL: Alfred Jenkins, 4 for 102 yards; Haskel Stanback, 4 for 45 yards; Jim Mitchell, 3 for 47 yards; Ken Burrow, 2 for 23 yards; Wallace Francis, 1 for 24 yards and 1 TD NO: Larry Burton, 4 for 159 yards and 1 TD; Andrew Jones, 2 for 11 yards; Paul Seal, 1 for 22 yards; Gil Chapman, 1 for 7 yards
Kick returns:
ATL: Gerald Tinker, 5 for 109 yards; Wallace Francis, 1 for 20 yards NO: Gil Chapman, 1 for 26 yards
Punt returns:
ATL: Alfred Jenkins, 2 for 21 yards NO: Gil Chapman, 2 for 61 yards
Interceptions:
ATL: Rolland Lawrence, 1 for 24 yards; Ray Brown, 1 for 19 yards; Greg Brezina, 1 for 0 yards NO: Ernie Jackson, 2 for 48 yards; Bivian Lee, 1 for 3 yards
Punting:
ATL: John James, 6 for 276 yards NO: Tom Blanchard, 4 for 201 yards
Field Goals:
NO: Rich Szaro, 3/4
ATL: Pat Sullivan, 8 of 21 for 144 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Kim McQuilken, 6 of 16 for 97 yards (1 int) NO: Archie Manning, 8 of 19 for 199 yards and 1 TD (3 int)
Rushing:
ATL: Haskel Stanback, 11 for 49 yards; Dave Hampton, 10 for 43 yards; Pat Sullivan, 2 for -4 yards; Kim McQuilken, 1 for 5 yards; Woody Thompson, 1 for 2 yards NO: Mike Strachan, 27 for 109 yards and 1 TD; Alvin Maxson, 12 for 29 yards; Andrew Jones, 4 for 13 yards; Rod McNeill, 3 for 4 yards; Archie Manning, 2 for 8 yards; Steve Rogers, 1 for 7 yards; Larry Burton, 1 for 5 yards
Receiving:
ATL: Alfred Jenkins, 4 for 102 yards; Haskel Stanback, 4 for 45 yards; Jim Mitchell, 3 for 47 yards; Ken Burrow, 2 for 23 yards; Wallace Francis, 1 for 24 yards and 1 TD NO: Larry Burton, 4 for 159 yards and 1 TD; Andrew Jones, 2 for 11 yards; Paul Seal, 1 for 22 yards; Gil Chapman, 1 for 7 yards
Kick returns:
ATL: Gerald Tinker, 5 for 109 yards; Wallace Francis, 1 for 20 yards NO: Gil Chapman, 1 for 26 yards
Punt returns:
ATL: Alfred Jenkins, 2 for 21 yards NO: Gil Chapman, 2 for 61 yards
Interceptions:
ATL: Rolland Lawrence, 1 for 24 yards; Ray Brown, 1 for 19 yards; Greg Brezina, 1 for 0 yards NO: Ernie Jackson, 2 for 48 yards; Bivian Lee, 1 for 3 yards
Punting:
ATL: John James, 6 for 276 yards NO: Tom Blanchard, 4 for 201 yards
Field Goals:
NO: Rich Szaro, 3/4