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Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff Writer
ATLANTA — Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III saw New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr looking to the left side of the field and broke on the ball. In doing so, he made a play which changed the early part of the game for his team.
Bates intercepted Carr on a pass intended for Rashid Shaheed and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown to give Atlanta a 7-3 first-quarter lead. It was Bates’ fourth interception this season and first since Week 3 against Detroit. It’s also the second interception return for a touchdown of his career. He last had one returned for a score his rookie year in 2018, when he was with the Cincinnati Bengals. Atlanta signed Bates from Cincinnati in the offseason to be the key part of the back end of its defense.
On Sunday, he helped shift the game early on. It’s the first interception return for a touchdown for Atlanta since Week 8 of last season when Lorenzo Carter got one against the Carolina Panthers.
.@jlbiii3 took it to da House ‼️
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— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 26, 2023