New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are a different team this time around, but their opponents, the New Orleans Saints are all the same. The Falcons will once again try to knock off their undefeated division-mate Sunday from the Georgia Dome.

The game means nothing from a division standpoint, the Saints (12-0) have already sewed up their first divisional title-and playoff berth since 2006 when they went to the NFC Championship game and look to further damage the Falcons (6-6) hopes of heading to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in franchise history.

The most moxie victory for New Orleans in all of their 12 wins had to have come against the Washington Redskins, on the road last week. The Saints trailed by 10 late in the game with Washington trying to kill the clock, but somehow when the game was over, New Orleans still found themselves undefeated.

The Redskins time management was all for naught when their kicker, Shaun Suisham, missed a gimme, 23-yard field goal with less than two minutes to play that would have restored their 10-point lead following a Saints field goal.

That missed turned into a Drew Brees-engineered tying touchdown drive via a 53-yard touchdown pass which forced overtime and the winner on a Garett Hartley 18-yard field goal.

The Falcons were off to a promising 4-2 start when the teams met last on November 2 and Atlanta gave New Orleans their biggest test of the season to that date, forcing four turnovers, including an interception and a fumble by Brees. Still the New Orleans Saints were able to escape with a 35-27 victory behind 308 yards for Brees with two touchdowns.

The moral of the story? You can hold down Brees only so much.

Atlanta had actually started 4-1 and entered that game off of a loss and that is how their season has transpired since then. In addition to never making the playoffs in back-to-back years, the Atlanta Falcons have never had two straight winning seasons.

It does not help that the two weapons that helped the Falcons to the playoffs last year have been a shell of themselves from a year ago. Matt Ryan has struggled in his second year under center in the NFL and Michael Turner had more than half the amount of yards he amassed last year at the same time before getting injured.

Ryan, too has missed the last couple of games and is expected to be out, along with Turner for this game on Sunday. Last week, the Philadelphia Eagles held the Turner-less backfield to just 61 rushing yards.

The Falcons are hanging in the playoff race but are behind the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles, who currently hold the two wild-card berths and are in an array of .500 teams in the NFC.

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