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There’s going to be a lot at stake when the New Orleans Saints host the Atlanta Falcons this weekend. The Saints are riding a three-game win streak and are in a great position to claim the top spot in the NFC South after knocking out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday. It’s just going to be difficult without Jameis Winston starting at quarterback.
But the good news is that the Saints know their next opponent. Maybe too well. The Falcons might be 3-4 but they’re the oldest rival New Orleans has had in the NFL. They’ve had a lot of success against Atlanta with just two losses to the dirty birds since 2017, but the Falcons own the all-time series 53-51. A season sweep could tie it up and set the Saints up to earn tremendous bragging rights in 2022.
Let’s focus on the NFC South right now, though. The 6-2 Buccaneers are resting up during their bye week. The 5-2 Saints are hosting the 3-4 Falcons, while the 4-4 Carolina Panthers are trying to figure out what went wrong after their hot start to the season. A Saints win on Sunday ties Tampa Bay’s division lead, and the saints currently own a tiebreaker from their head-to-head victory. For a time, at least, New Orleans would again stand on top of the division.
Every streak ends eventually, but the Saints have a real shot at extending their unprecedented four-year run in the NFC South. Putting the Falcons in their place at the bottom of the divisional standings would go a long way towards accomplishing that.
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