Saints embarrassed Falcons on this trick-play TD, the Play of Day 39

We're going back to the 1982 season for our New Orleans Saints Play of the Day, which you can see for yourself right here. With 39 days left until the Saints kick off their regular season, we're highlighting this 39-yard touchdown pass from punter Russell Erxleben to defensive back Bill Hurley. What was supposed to be a trick play for a long-shot fourth down conversion ended up being a turning point in a blowout win over the Atlanta Falcons, their oldest rivals.

>Erxleben took the snap and threw to Bill Hurley for what would have converted a first down. Instead of just keeping the drive alive, Hurley shrugged out of a Falcons tackle and took off down the sideline, cutting back across the middle of the field to race towards the end zone. A great downfield block by wide receiver Rich Mauti bought enough time for Hurley to get inside the 10-yard line. A pursuing Falcons player tripped him up, but Hurley leapt across the goal line for the score. Morten Andersen's extra point kick put the Saints up 21-6 in the fourth quarter, and a couple of Wayne Wilson touchdown runs later in regulation extended their lead to 35-6. It made for some nice payback after the Falcons shut out the Saints in Atlanta 35-0 a few weeks earlier.

>It was the only catch of Hurley's career, but he made it count. Erxleben's time with the Saints isn't remembered fondly. The former eleventh overall draft pick became a cautionary tale about investing premium draft picks in specialists after washing out of New Orleans in just five years. Even so, on this Sunday, Saints fans had something to cheer for.

>This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints embarrassed Falcons on this trick-play TD, the Play of Day 39