FLOWERY BRANCH — The Saints and the Falcons did some soul searching over their respective bye weeks, which came after their 13th game this season.
The Saints let a win slip away against the Buccaneers on Dec. 5 to drop to 4-9 on the season. The Saints have lost four of their past five games but will look to stop their downward spiral against the Falcons (5-8) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
The Saints stormed back from a 16-point deficit to beat the Falcons 27-26 in the season opener Sept. 11.
“This is a big divisional game against the Saints,” Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier said. “We need this one. We need every one of them really, but this is just a big opportunity for us as a team.”
Both teams have struggled this season.
“It’s a really good team,” Allgeier said of the Saints. “A good linebacking corps as well. Good defense as well. We are just getting into practice and learning from last week, the first game and trying to find their tendencies.”
Both teams will have different quarterbacks from the first meeting. Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota started the opener. The Saints have handed the reins to 35-year-old Andy Dalton. The Falcons are shifting to rookie Desmond Ridder this week.
Dalton has gone 3-7 as a starter this season. He’s completed 66.9% of his passes and has thrown 15 touchdown passes and seven interceptions.
In the Saints’ most recent outing, Dalton guided the Saints to a 16-3 lead with 8:02 to play in the game. But Tom Brady and the Bucs stormed back to win 17-16.
Ridder will make his first career start in this heated rivalry.
“If I thought the moment would be too big for him, I wouldn’t put him out there,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “I think that’s what gives me a lot of confidence. Again, that doesn’t guarantee us anything. It’s his first start – I don’t know, you could make a subjective argument of when the perfect time is when you make a move, that’s kind of life.”
For the Falcons, circumstances have changed, and Smith believes he needed to push the offense forward in the passing attack.
The Saints, who are in their first season under coach Dennis Allen, haven’t changed much schematically over the course of the season. Dalton leans on running back Alvin Kamara, and the team deploys Taysom Hill all over the field. Hill, who lines up at quarterback, running back and tight end, threw a pass and caught a 30-yard touchdown pass against the Bucs.
Kamara, who played at Norcross High, is the leading rusher, with 550 yards, and the second-leading receiver, with 41 catches. Rookie wide receiver Chris Olave, who was drafted three picks after the Falcons took wide receiver Drake London, is the Saints’ top receiver, with 60 catches for 887 yards and three touchdowns.
The defense is anchored by defensive end Cam Jordan, linebacker Demario Davis and safety Tyrann Mathieu.
“They’re pretty consistent. That defense has been pretty good for a while, and they’ve got a lot of good veterans over there,” Smith said. “Offensively, as they’ve gone through it, as every team has gone through injuries – they were in a close one (Dec. 5) and had the bye like we did.”
The Saints are two games back in the division, and the Falcons are one game back, with four games to play. Neither team has been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
“We know it’s a challenge anytime you play a divisional game,” Smith said. “It’s the NFL. As you’ve watched football (on Sunday), we all know – not to be cliché, but it’s the truth. Certainly, when it’s a divisional opponent, you know each other so well. Those are always big games regardless of record.”
The Falcons beat the Saints 27-25 in New Orleans last season.
“We anticipate a great atmosphere down in New Orleans – haven’t been down there a ton,” Smith said. “Obviously, last year, but we know it’s lively down there. I’m sure it’ll be loud. People will wake up early, I’m sure, and get their day started like they do down in New Orleans.”
The Falcons don’t want to look at the big playoff picture.
“Our focus has got to be on the present and our present situation about going down on the road in a divisional game down in New Orleans,” Smith said. “A lot of that other stuff doesn’t matter if we can’t go down there and get a win this weekend.”
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Atlanta Falcons 2022 schedule
Sept. 11: Saints 27, Falcons 26
Sept. 18: Rams 31, Falcons 27
Sept. 25 Falcons 27, Seahawks 23
Oct. 2 Falcons 23, Browns 20
Oct. 9 Buccaneers 21, Falcons 15
Oct. 16 Falcons 28, 49ers 14
Oct. 23 Bengals 35, Falcons 17
Oct. 30 Falcons 37, Panthers 34 OT
Nov. 6 Chargers 20, Falcons 17
Nov. 10 Panthers 25, Falcons 15
Nov. 20 Falcons 27, Bears 24
Nov. 27 Commanders 19, Falcons 13
Dec. 4 Steelers 19, Falcons 16
BYE WEEK
Dec. 18 at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Dec. 24 at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Jan. 1 vs. Arizona, 1 p.m.
Jan. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, TBD
