This NFL regular season is just about to wrap up, yet both the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints are still playing like there’s no tomorrow with the two teams each getting a quality victory in Week 16.
Though both the Falcons and the Saints are no longer in the playoff picture, that doesn’t mean that we won’t be treated to a highly entertaining contest this coming Sunday, especially with how both of them respectively won this past weekend.
Let’s take a closer look at this NFC South showdown below. Afterwards, check out our previews for Jets vs. Bills and Steelers vs. Browns to keep your finger on the pulse of Week 17’s matches with actual postseason implications.
[sc:Football ]New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons Preview
Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta
When: Sunday, January 3, 1:00 PM ET
Line: New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: FOX
Betting on the New Orleans Saints (6-9)
[sc:NFL240banner ]Apparently, not even a torn plantar fascia on his right foot could slow Drew Brees down.
Brees had a phenomenal game in an otherwise inconsequential 38-27 win over the Jaguars on Sunday. The Future Hall-of-Famer sealed his 13th-career 400-yard passing game by throwing for 412 yards and three touchdowns on 25-of-36 passing. Not only that, but he also secured his eighth-straight season of 30 or more passing TDs, extending his own NFL record for another stellar campaign.
The decorated signal-caller didn’t beat the Jags on his own, though, as he got plenty of help from an unlikely teammate. Third-string running back Tim Hightower, who missed the majority of his first three seasons in the NFL battling a myriad of injuries, continued his resurgence with his best outing of the year by rushing for 122 yards and a pair of TDs.
The Saints even got a boost from their defense by picking-off Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles twice. However, and although those interceptions were more than welcome, New Orleans’ league-worst secondary still gave up 368 passing yards and four TDs to the Jaguars. And with those four scores, the Saints now have the infamous NFL record of giving up 43 passing touchdowns in a single season.
Judging by how the Falcons took care of the Panthers in Week 16, New Orleans’ defense has got to lock down on Matt Ryan and the Atlanta aerial attack. With that in mind, it’s also worth noting that prior to Sunday’s win against the Jags, the Saints have only won one of their last six games on the road (2-4 ATS).
Betting on the Atlanta Falcons (8-7)
The Minnesota Vikings may have put an end to the Atlanta Falcons’ slim playoff hopes on Sunday night, but that didn’t stop the boys from the Dirty South from handing the Carolina Panthers their first loss of the season on Sunday, 20-13.
The Falcons impressively shut down Carolina’s imposing offense by limiting Cam Newton to just 142 passing yards for no touchdowns and the Panthers team in general to a season-low 13-point performance. The win more or less also made up for the brutal 38-0 beating that the Panthers dealt to Atlanta just a couple of weeks ago.
On offense, quarterback Matt Ryan finally got into his groove. Ryan finished with 306 yards and a touchdown on 23-of-30 passing, with ever-reliable wideout Julio Jones having a hand in most of the damage dealt to Carolina. Jones had a season-best 178 receiving yards and hauled in his QB’s lone TD on the day, and in turn, also outgained Newton in yardage and TDs by himself during this contest.
Things seem to be looking up for the Falcons on both sides of the ball in their quest to secure at least a winning record for the season, but their defense has got to replicate the outstanding showing on Sunday considering that New Orleans’ Tim Hightower in on quite a tear on the ground game. At the moment, Atlanta is one of the three teams in the league that have allowed a league-worst 18 rushing touchdowns.
The team also better be ready to face yet another team from the NFC South, as they have been upended by their rivals from their division of late. Including Sunday’s win over Carolina, the Falcons are 1-5 in their last six games against their opponents from the division (SU/ATS), with the total going under on five of those occasions as well.
Writer’s Prediction
Brees leads the Saints to a solid 31-23 victory to leave the fans from the Big Easy with a little more optimism heading into the next season.
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