The New Orleans Saints find themselves yet again in a familiar position of reliance as they approach the final week of the regular season. For the third consecutive year, their playoff fate is partially in their own hands, requiring assistance from other teams to secure a postseason spot. Two distinct paths lay before them, each commencing with a crucial victory against the Atlanta Falcons.
To claim their first NFC South crown since 2020, the Saints must triumph over Atlanta and count on the Carolina Panthers to upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Alternatively, their playoff hopes could be realized through another scenario. This path hinges on the Saints defeating the Falcons, coupled with losses by both the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks in their respective season-ending games.
Conversely, the Falcons’ route to the playoffs is narrowly focused but equally daunting. Their only avenue to postseason action is to emerge victorious against the Saints while simultaneously hoping for a Buccaneers’ defeat at the hands of Carolina. This matchup sets the stage for an intense and consequential Week 18 showdown, where the stakes couldn’t be higher for either team.
Falcons Scouting Report
The Atlanta Falcons bring a significant challenge for the New Orleans Saints, especially with their potent running attack, which has previously troubled the Saints’ defense. In their earlier encounter at the Mercedes Benz Stadium, the Falcons’ ground game proved formidable, amassing over 200 yards against New Orleans. While Atlanta possesses the potential to be a threat in the passing game, their offensive strategy this season has predominantly revolved around their rushing prowess.
At the heart of Atlanta’s success on the ground are rookie tailback Bijan Robinson and his backfield partner Tyler Allgeier. Together, they have become a formidable duo, accumulating 1,607 rushing yards throughout the season. Their performance has been a cornerstone of the Falcons’ offensive strategy, providing a consistent and dangerous threat to opposing defenses.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Falcons have shown remarkable improvement under the guidance of first-year defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. Their defense ranks impressively at 11th in yards allowed, 8th against the pass, and 19th against the run. This improvement in defensive prowess has played a pivotal role in keeping Atlanta in contention for the NFC South title.
Despite a recent setback in their crucial Week 14 rematch against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where they were narrowly defeated 29-25, the Falcons still have a viable path to clinch the NFC South. Their resilience and capability to bounce back from setbacks have kept them in a competitive position, presenting a significant challenge to the Saints in their upcoming matchup. As the season nears its conclusion, the Falcons find themselves with an opportunity to seize the division title, making the upcoming game a high-stakes affair for both teams.
Saints Keys to Victory
The plan of attack to slow Atlanta’s offense is simple: neutralize their running game and force their quarterback to succeed through the air. Quarterbacks Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinke have provided less than stellar results during the time under center as the team’s starting signal callers. Despite the inept productivity at the position, the Falcons have had success against teams this season. The Saints learned first-hand how potent the Falcons ground game can be against opponents. The unit pounded the Saints’ defense for 228 yards in the first matchup. Will there be an encore performance that’s in store? It’s highly possible, but if so, the Saints offense must counter Atlanta’s capabilities with touchdowns.
Because if not, Atlanta will be able to control the time of possession and could put the game out of reach early. Another area where the Saints must improve compared to the first matchup with Atlanta is their inability to generate touchdowns in the red zone. In the 24-15 Week 12 defeat, all of New Orleans’s 15 points came via field goals and not touchdowns; that cannot be the case this Sunday, especially if the defense is struggling to defend the run again.
Score Prediction
Under the tenure of second-year head coach, Dennis Allen, the Saints have started a common trend of winning games to close out the season. In 2022, New Orleans finished the season by winning three out of their last four games. Don’t expect that trend to change anytime soon as I expect the Saints to win their season finale against Atlanta. A victory would give New Orleans their ninth win of the season.
Falcons 21, Saints 27
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