Atlanta, Georgia (AP)--

Michael Vick releases a pass from his own endzone.

The Reggie Bush era officially began Sunday for the New Orleans Saints and their fans, and it started with a bang.
Bush would be the catalyst which would spark the Saints offense towards a 30-17 triumph over the Atlanta Falcons. For the first time this season, and in his career, Bush would see the majority of the carries after usual starter Deuce McAllister would be forced to a limited role with a bum ankle. Bush would make the most of the opportunity rushing for a healthy 76 yards on 15 carries, an impressive 5.1 yards per carry, including a game clinching 28 yard touchdown run which saw him use his amazing speed to outrun the quick Falcons defense which doesn’t usually get beat when it comes to a footrace.
What made the performance for Bush even more special would be the fact that he would make the Falcons rush defense, rated number 1 in the league, look like a squad Bush used to see in the Pac-10 when he was Southern California’s Heisman winning back.
After spending the last two weeks with no offensive firepower, the Falcons seemed to regain that pop in their offense, but it was clear that something was still wrong. Michael Vick passed for 219 yard, but for no touchdowns and only 10 yards rushing. Vick had to overcome the losses of his two top wide receivers Roddy White and Michael Jenkins who both suffered injuries in the contest. Jenkins was used sparingly throughout and White would miss the majority of the second half with a gimpy elbow.
New Orleans would start the football game out on the right foot, as a 29 yard completion between quarterback Drew Brees and receiver Donte Stallworth would set up a 25 yarder from John Carney to quiet the Georgia Dome crowd early as the Saint took a early 3-0 lead.
A huge sign of relief came in the second quarter for the Falcons, as Vick finally began to complete passes at a consistent rate for the first time in nearly three weeks. Vick would march his team down the field deep into Saints territory before the drive stalled and kicker Michael Koenen came out to boot through a 25 yarder to tie it up at 3 a piece.

Reggie Bush showed glimpse of greatness today, including this run where he broke a John Abraham tackle for a TD.

The second quarter was played to be much of a field position battle between the two teams. The Saints would win this battle for much of the quarter, but would be unable to put points on the board, despite the good field position as the Falcons defense held strong. However, late in the half it seemed as if the Falcons would finally fold. After Vick avoided a safety and was sacked inside the Falcons own one yard line, a Michael Koenen punt would barely cross midfield, giving the Saints a great opportunity to regain their lead before halftime.
With under 30 seconds remaining in the half Brees hooked up with Nathan Poole on a short dump off pass. Poole would turn up field avoiding Falcon defenders on his way to what seemed a touchdown. However just as it seemed Poole was about to cross the goal line, DeAngelo Hall came up with the unbelievable touchdown saving tackle, forcing the Saints to settle for another Carney field goal this time from 20 yards to put the score at 6-3 heading into halftime.
The Saints would pickup where they left off as play resumed in the third quarter. After a Falcon’s three and out on the opening series, Brees would find Devery Henderson for a 81 yard bomb which would go for a touchdown, and open up the game as they Saints took a 13-3 lead.
Things would get worse for the Falcons as White would suffer an elbow injury, knocking him out for the remainder of the game, and putting the Falcons in an even deeper hole.
Lost and confused, the Falcons were searching for an answer to get themselves back into the game. That answer would come courtesy of Warrick Dunn. Dunn would begin to find holes in the Saints defense on his way to big gains, which would help Vick out as well as he began to find receivers to first downs. The long Falcons drive would eventually end with Vick outrunning the Saints to the corner pylon from one yard out giving the Falcons the touchdown.
It was at this point in the game, with the score 13-10, where Reggie Bush would take over and begin to expose the Falcons run defense which had been so strong all year long.
Bush’s running would catch the Falcons defense flat footed as early in the forth quarter, Brees would find tight end Ernie Conwell on a play action for an 11 yard hookup for a touchdown making the score 20-10.
With time running out for the Falcons, they would suffer another set back as Jenkins would suffer a blow to the chest which would hamper him for the rest of the game. However, Vick would not be denied, even without White and Jenkins, as on a long third and 11 he hooked up with rookie wide receiver Adam Jennings for a 20 yard completion down to the one yard line, where Dunn would do his business and once and cut the deficit to three at 20-17.

Alge Crumpler runs up field looking for the long reception.

In the end it would come down to Atlanta ability to stop the run to give Vick a chance to tie or win the game for the Falcons. However after back to back 15 yard facemask penalties by Jordan Beck and Ed Hartwell, it made the situation even harder for the Falcons to stop Bush.
Greatness would then takeover, as Bush showed everyone why he is so hyped up. On third and short inside the Falcons thirty yard line, Bush took a carry, and made a Barry Sanders-like cut to his left, where he was met by Falcons end John Abraham. Bush would juke off Abraham tackle and burst towards the sideline, where he would meet his next victim Michael Boley who he spun away from. Finally Bush would kick it into overdrive, as he would outrun Jimmy Williams and DeAngelo Hall, two of the faster Falcons, into the endzone for the score, sealing the game and leaving everyone in a state of shock.
The run by Bush would be a fitting end for this game as a turnover on downs by the Falcons would end the game with final scoreline of 30-17.
After the game all talk was about Bush and his memorable run, which has drawn comparisons to his cut back against the Arkansas Razorbacks last year when he was at USC. But what came out of this game more importantly, was the loss for the Falcons who ended their win streak at 4 games and now find the lead for the top spot in the NFC South down to one game as the Saints are sneaking up on them with a 7-4 record.

Game Boxscore.