The Atlanta Falcons appear to have turned a corner, as they are winning games again. They will take on the leaders in the NFC South in the New Orleans Saints, who will look to score their seventh win in a row, but this time, with a different quarterback starting for them. Check out our preview of this game below.
Here comes the Falcons. Although they have been a butt of jokes, especially in the first half of the season, the Falcons seem to be a rejuvenated team, as they have gone 3-1 in their last four games, including back-to-back wins over the Carolina Panthers on the road in Week 8 and the Denver Broncos at home in Week 9 before hitting the bye in Week 10. Well-rested, the Falcons will once again be led by quarterback Matt Ryan, who’s been among the steadiest players on the team. The former NFL MVP has 2,746 passing yards and 15 touchdowns against five interceptions, so far this season. His 78.1 quarterback rating is sixth-best in the NFL, per ESPN. It’s fair to say that he’ll be the better quarterback on the field this coming Sunday at the Superdome because the Saints will have the error-prone Jameis Winston under center, with Drew Brees expected to miss multiple games due to an injury. The Falcons are second in the NFL with 290.0 passing yards per game
The Falcons are also 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 road games, dating back to 2019.
The Saints will not find out how good of an insurance Jameis Winston is. With Brees declared out for at least a few games, the Saints will begin starting Winston, who has not started since his days with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He did see action in last Sunday’s 27-13 win by the Saints over the San Francisco 49ers at home, as he passed for 63 yards on 6-of-10 completions without a touchdown nor an interception. The Saints might elect to run the ball more than they usually do with Brees, considering Winston’s storied shaky quarterback play, but still expect New Orleans to make the ball fly against Atlanta. The Falcons have one of the worst pass defenses in the league, as Atlanta is 31st overall with 310.3 passing yards allowed per game and 28th in DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) against the pass. Whether they intend to run or pass the ball, the Saints can expect Alvin Kamara to have a significant role. The pass-catching running back has 486 rushing yards and seven rushing scores to go along with 648 receiving yards and four touchdowns caught, so far this season.
The over is 4-1 in the Saints’ last five home games.
