First Place Falcons Look For Series Sweep Against Rival Saints
Series record: Falcons lead 56-55.
Against the spread: Falcons 5-4, Saints 3-6.
Last meeting: Falcons beat Saints 26-24 on Sept. 29, 2024, in Atlanta.
Last week: Falcons beat Cowboys 27-21; Saints lost to Panthers 23-22.
Falcons offense: overall (8), rush (18), pass (6), scoring (12).
Falcons defense: overall (20), rush (23), pass (20), scoring (20).
Saints offense: overall (16), rush (13), pass (18), scoring (T15).
Saints defense: overall (28), rush (25), pass (27), scoring (26).
Turnover differential: Falcons minus-1; Saints plus-3.
Falcons player to watch
TE Kyle Pitts will be looking to regain his momentum after being held to one catch for 11 yards on his only target last week. The quiet game came one week after Pitts had four catches for 91 yards with two touchdowns in a 36-30 win at Tampa Bay. He had at least 65 receiving yards in four straight games before last week, including two games with seven receptions. The uncertain status of WR Drake London, because of a hip injury, could add more emphasis on again featuring Pitts in the passing game. Pitts has 30 receptions for 430 yards and three touchdowns in his most productive stretch since his 2021 rookie season, when he had 68 catches for 1,026 yards. Pitts’ three touchdown catches matches his career high set last season.
Saints player to watch
Versatile RB Alvin Kamara has 1,027 yards from scrimmage this season, including 660 yards and six TDs rushing. He needs 12 yards rushing to reach a franchise-record 6,501 yards rushing and surpass current club record holder Mark Ingram.
Key matchup
The Saints’ depleted secondary vs. the Falcons’ passing game. New Orleans this week traded top cornerback Marshon Lattimore to Washington and fellow starting cornerback Paulson Adebo is sidelined for the season with a broken leg. New Orleans also doesn’t know if rookie defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry, a second-round draft choice, will be ready to return from a hamstring injury that sidelined him last week. Falcons’ QB Kirk Cousins 2,328 yards passing are the fourth most in the NFL this season. His top targets have been Darnell Mooney (588 yards receiving) and Drake London (552 yards receiving).
Key injuries
Falcons DT Grady Jarrett is day to day after leaving last Sunday’s 27-21 win over Dallas with an Achilles tendon strain. Coach Raheem Morris said the imaging showed the injury is not serious. … London has a hip pointer and Morris said his availability will be a “pain tolerance deal.” … LB Troy Andersen (knee) has missed five consecutive games, but was close to being available against Dallas and could return this week. C Drew Dalman (ankle) has missed six straight games. LB J.D. Bertrand (concussion) is trying to clear the protocol steps required for his return. … Saints guard Lucas Patrick’s right ankle injury has raised doubts about his availability this week. … It remains unclear when top WR Chris Olave will play again, but is taking his recovery from his latest concussion “day by day,” Rizzi said. … Rookie CB Kool-Aid McKinstry was held out of practice this week by his hamstring injury. … WR Cedrick Wilson has an ailing shoulder.
Series notes
The home team has won the past four games of the series. … The Falcons have not swept the season series since 2016. The Saints swept the series in 2022.
Stats and stuff
The Falcons are 4-0 against NFC South opponents this season. … Falcons RB Bijan Robinson compiled a season-high 145 scrimmage yards against Dallas, his fourth consecutive game and sixth overall with more than 100 yards as a runner and receiver. Robinson ran for 86 yards and had 59 yards receiving against the Cowboys. Alvin Kamara and Saquon Barkley are the only other players with six games with at least 100 scrimmage yards this season. … ILB Kaden Elliss, a former Saint, was productive against the Cowboys, setting season highs with 13 tackles and five quarterback pressures while adding his first sack. … After starting the season 1-2, Atlanta has won five of six and will try for its second three-game winning streak of the season. … QB Kirk Cousins needs three TD passes to tie Johnny Unitas for 17th all time with 290. Cousins has 17 TD passes this season. … The Saints have lost seven straight and this week fired third-year coach Dennis Allen, replacing him with special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, who makes his head coaching debut this week. … The Saints converted a fake punt for a first down last week on an 11-yard run by punter Matthew Hayball. … Saints QB Derek Carr returned from a three-game absence (oblique) and passed for 236 yards and a TD without an INT last week. … Kamara had six catches and a career-high 215 scrimmage yards (155 rush, 60 rec.) last week. … TE Taysom Hill had 60 scrimmage yards (41 receiving, 19 rushing) and his third TD rushing of season last week to reach 30 TDs on the ground. … TE Foster Moreau had his third TD receiving of the season last week. … LB Demario Davis has five or more tackles in seven straight games. Davis has 106 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss, in 14 games against Atlanta. … LB Pete Werner led the Saints with eight tackles, including one for a loss, last week. … Werner has a tackle for loss in his past two games. … CB Alontae Taylor had three passes defensed last week, his fourth career game with at least that many. Taylor has 10 passes defensed in 2024, his third straight season with at least 10. Taylor had an interception in the previous meeting in the Superdome at the end of last season.
Fantasy tip
Falcons RB Tyler Allgeier has gained 287 yards rushing on 41 carries in just four games against New Orleans for an average of 7 yards per carry.
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