ATLANTA (AP) — With the season potentially hanging in the balance, Deion Jones leaped high in the air, about as high as he could go.
He reached even higher, snatching the ball away before it could reach the intended target.
Holding on for dear life with both arms, the Atlanta Falcons linebacker landed flat on his back in the end zone, the ball secured tightly against his chest.
No way he was letting go.
Jones made a leaping interception in the end zone with 1:25 remaining and the Falcons held on for a crucial 20-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night, setting up a three-way race for the NFC South title.
“It was all about the ball,” Jones said. “I just opened up my eyes, and all my brothers were right there, standing over me. It was great.”
Matt Ryan shook off three interceptions to guide the Falcons to Matt Bryant’s 52-yard field goal with 3:49 to go. The Saints (9-4) were in position to pull out the victory, driving to the Atlanta 11 after Drew Brees converted on fourth-and-1 with a quarterback sneak, as coach Sean Payton passed on attempting a tying field goal.
On second down, Brees attempted to hit tight end Josh Hill in the back of the end zone.
Jones had other ideas.
“When it takes a while to land, you know you’re up there,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “He definitely went up and reached for it.”
The Falcons (8-5) climbed within one game of the division-leading Saints with three weeks to go, as New Orleans squandered a chance to build a three-game lead on the defending division champs. Atlanta is back in the race and gets another crack at New Orleans when the teams meet again in the next-to-last week of the regular season at the Superdome.
The Carolina Panthers (8-4) also are right in the thick of things.
Ryan had three interceptions in a stretch of nine plays at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second. But he tied the game with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu with 9:55 remaining , finishing 15-of-27 for 221 yards.
Brees was 26-of-35 for 271 yards and two TDs. Yet he was kicking himself for trying to force one at the end.