Falcons preparing for Saints’ Carr, Winston and Hill at quarterback

Quarterback Derek Carr remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol, Saints coach Dennis Allen said at his Monday press conference. Carr was injured in the Saints’ last game against Minnesota on Nov. 12. He was replaced by Jameis Winston.

The Saints also lost wide receiver Michael Thomas to a knee injury and cornerback Marshon Lattimore to an ankle injury. Allen said both will miss time, but would not specify if they are headed to the injured reserve list.

The Saints signed Carr, 32, to a four-year deal in March, as they elected to go with a veteran quarterback. The four-time Pro Bowler, who played for the Raiders from 2014-22, has been solid, while completing 220 of 334 passes (65.9%) for 2,231 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.

“He’s had a lot of success in the league, and they obviously invested heavily in him,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “They know that Jameis (Winston) has been a productive player, too.”

Winston completed 13 of 25 passes for 122 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the 27-19 loss to the Vikings. He finished with a 59.1 passer rating.

The Falcons will prepare for Carr and Winston and for Falcons-killer Taysom Hill.

“There are some things that they’ve evolved on offensively,” Smith said. “I think that happens in every season. They start out trying to do this and then you’ve got to adjust if it’s not working or if things start to trend.”

Like the Falcons, the Saints are coming off their bye week. The Saints have lost three of the past five games.

“You look at every season, they have four lifespans, if you want to break them into quarters,” Smith said. “I think Derek’s an extremely smart player. They’ve got good skill players around him. They’ve got a veteran (offensive) line. Certainly, you’re not going to trick him too many times. He’s seen a lot of looks in this league.”

The Falcons hired defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen from the Saints. He was with them from 2017-22 and has intimate knowledge of their operation.

“I’m sure, as every team, they’ve tweaked a few things,” Smith said. “There’s probably a little bit of different philosophies you have year-to-year that maybe they’ve evolved to, and then some major things that you see. I mean, you’re going to see it on film just like they see from us.”

This will be the 108th regular-season meeting between the Falcons and the Saints. The Saints lead the series 54-53 and have won six of the past seven meetings, including the past three.

“The longer you’re in a division, you get to know each other pretty well,” Smith said. “Yeah, it can be a plus, but you always have to respect and understand that they’re going to change as well.”

The Falcons have been hurt by runs by quarterbacks Joshua Dobbs and Kyler Murray in the past two losses, to the Vikings and Cardinals. Winston will run, and the Saints have used Hill effectively against the Falcons in the past.

“Regardless of who we’re playing back there, we’ve got to do a good job of our rush lanes and be solid in our coverage and have everything mash together,” Smith said.

Hill has 50 rushes for 261 yards and three touchdowns this season and has caught 22 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. He also has completed five of six passes for 72 yards and a touchdown.

“He can do a lot back there,” Smith said. “He can push the ball down the field if they want to get him in the play-action game. They’ve got the direct-run package. It’s amazing how all of our brains work because I can think of all of the bad plays – good for him, but bad against us. He’s done that a lot.”

The Saints have been successful in carving out a niche role for Hill over the years.

“He’s a very unique player,” Smith said. “There are a lot of teams that have tried to copy that, and there’s really only been one guy that’s done it like he has in recent memory. I’m sure if they think it’s something that gives them the advantage, whether it’s play-action or getting him on the edge, I’m sure they’ll have it dialed up.”

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