UNDATED (AP) – The New Orleans Saints are NFC South champions for the third consecutive year following a victory over the Falcons in Atlanta. Taysom Hill and the New Orleans defense highlighted a 26-18 victory against the Falcons. Hill blocked a punt to set up his 3-yard touchdown catch, and he later scored on a 30-yard run to put New Orleans ahead, 17-6 late in the first half.
Cameron Jordan recorded four of the Saints’ nine sacks of Matt Ryan, the last coming on fourth down in New Orleans territory with 38 seconds to play. Drew Brees passed for 184 yards and a TD to help the 10-2 Saints avenge their Nov. 10 loss to the Falcons in New Orleans. Ryan was picked off twice while completing 32 of his 50 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns for the 3-9 Falcons. The Buffalo Bills have fortified their postseason chances by earning their first Thanksgiving Day victory in 44 years. Josh Allen threw for a touchdown and ran for another as the Bills knocked off the Dallas Cowboys, 26-15. Allen also turned a fourth-down fumble into a first down before John Brown became the first Buffalo receiver to throw a touchdown pass. Brown’s 28-yard scoring pass to Devin Singletary put Buffalo ahead to stay just after the two-minute warning in the first half. Cole Beasley had 110 yards receiving and a touchdown in his first game against his former team, helping the Bills improve to 9-3. It was Buffalo’s first Thanksgiving Day appearance in 25 years. Dak Prescott threw a TD pass on the Cowboys’ opening drive, but Dallas didn’t score again until Prescott found Ventell Bryant for a touchdown with 4:01 remaining. Dallas is 6-6 following its sixth loss in nine games. The Eagles can catch the Cowboys for first place in the NFL East by defeating the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday. In Detroit, the Chicago Bears have given their fading playoff hopes a big boost with a second-half comeback against the Lions. Mitchell Trubisky tossed a three-yard scoring pass to David Montgomery with 2:17 remaining to send the Bears to their third win in four games, 24-20 over the Lions. The nine-play, 90-yard drive left the Bears 6-6 and allowed Trubisky to finish with 338 yards and three touchdowns. The Lions got to the Chicago 26 on their final drive before Eddie Jackson intercepted a pass on fourth down in the closing seconds. David Blough didn’t look bad in his first NFL start. The undrafted rookie from Purdue was 22 of 38 for 280 yards with two TDs and an interception for Detroit. The Lions are 3-8-1 following their fifth straight loss, eliminating them from postseason contention.