Week 13 brings the NFC South divisional rematch between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons. The teams will meet on Atlanta’s home turf this time, and even though the Falcons lead the all-time series, 52-50, the Saints have won five of the last six games. This includes the 24-19 victory in the Week 11 meeting. The Saints lead the NFC-South and can clinch a playoff berth with a win and a Chicago Bears loss. The Saints are missing starting quarterback Drew Brees, who has been out for the last two weeks, but Taysom Hill has done a fine job filling in for Brees. New Orleans enters Week 13 with a 9-2 record on the season, while the Falcons come into the game with a 4-7 record. It is noteworthy all four of the Falcons’ wins have come under the tenure of interim head coach Raheem Morris.
New Orleans Saints
Offense
During the Week 11 matchup, Hill made his first career start against the Falcons. He put up 233 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns and then the following week, he put another two rushing touchdowns on the books. He is one of two players with two or more rushing touchdowns in each of the first two careers starts at quarterback. (Eric Hipple) Additionally, Hill has recorded 31 of 44 completions for 397 yards, one passing touchdown, and zero interceptions for an 88.9 rating.
Alvin Kamara leads the Saints on both sides offensively, rushing with 128 carries for 585 yards and eight touchdowns, and receiving with 68 receptions for 646 yards and four touchdowns. Kamara ranks third in the NFL in scrimmage yards and is tied for third in scrimmage touchdowns. Kamara has the possibility of becoming the first player since Matt Forte and Chris Johnson with 1300-plus scrimmage yards in each of his first four seasons.
Latavius Murray had his season-high 124 yards and two rushing touchdowns last week against the Denver Broncos. He is one of four running backs with 500-plus rushing yards in each of the last six seasons. (Melvin Gordon, Frank Gore, Todd Gurley) Murray is right behind Kamara on the season with 121 carries for 551 yards and four touchdowns.
Michael Thomas recorded nine receptions for 104 yards two weeks ago against the Falcons and has a total of 881 yards and three receiving touchdowns in nine career games versus Atlanta.
Emmanuel Sanders put up 66 receiving yards in the Week 11 meeting and is shy 83 receiving yards to have his ninth consecutive season with 500-plus receiving yards. Jared Cook has put five touchdowns on the books in his last six games on the road.
Defense
Demario Davis leads the Saints defense with 76 total tackles and also has an impressive four sacks, eight and a half tackles for loss, and four pass deflections so far this season. He is going for his fifth game in a row with five or more tackles and has put a sack on the books in this last three of four games versus Atlanta.
Trey Hendrickson leads the team with an impressive nine and a half sacks so far this season, including five sacks in five road games. He recorded two in the last meeting and he is going for his third game in a row with at least one sack. Hendrickson also has nine and a half tackles for loss and one pass deflection in 2020.
Cameron Jordan has a team-high 11 tackles for loss in addition to six and a half sacks this season. In the Week 11 meeting, Jordan put three of his sacks on the books and is seeking his third game in a row with at least one sack.
Atlanta Falcons
Offense
Falcons’ quarterback, Matt Ryan, reached a milestone last week when he reached 3000+ passing yards for the 11th consecutive season. He also put two touchdowns and an interception on the books during their 43-6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. In the last four of five games versus New Orleans, he has recorded 2.020 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and six interceptions for a 111.1 rating in his last six games at home against the Saints. Ryan has thrown for two or more touchdowns in the last four of five games against New Orleans and is going for his third in a row at home against the Saints with 300-plus passing yards and two touchdowns.
Gurley has 65-plus scrimmage yards in four of his five career games versus the Saints. Gurley has put up six rushing touchdowns in five home games this season and is looking to get his sixth in a row this week against New Orleans. Ito Smith had his career-high 75 scrimmage yards and his sixth career rushing touchdown last week.
Calvin Ridley put six catches for 50 yards and a receiving touchdown last week and leads the Falcons with 54 receptions for 797 yards and seven touchdowns in 2020. This makes Ridley the first player since Odell Beckham Jr. with 50 or more catches and seven or more touchdowns in each of their first three seasons. Against New Orleans, Ridley has posted at least 90 or more receiving yards in four out of five games.
Hayden Hurst is one of three NFC tight ends with seven or more games with four or more receptions this season. (T.J. Hockenson, Dalton Schultz) Brian Hill contributed 55 rushing yards in last week’s victory.
Defense
Foyesade Oluokun leads his team with 74 total tackles and also has two sacks, four and a half tackles for loss, three pass deflections, one interception, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery up to this point in the season. His forced fumbles ties for the NFL-lead this season. He put a sack and forced fumble in the books last week and in the last meeting between the teams, he had a fumble recovery.
Deion Jones put a 67-yard interception-touchdown on the board last week which was his fifth career interception-touchdown, the most in the league since 2016. In the last meeting, Jones put a sack in the records and leads the Falcons with three and a half sacks this season.
Isaiah Oliver is right behind Jones with 49 total tackles and he also has one sack, three tackles for loss, and five pass deflections. Jacob Tuioti-Mariner contributed to the victory last week with two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.
Game Information
Date: December 6, 2020
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: Atlanta, GA
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
TV: Fox
Betting Odds Sponsored by Jazz Sportsbook
Point Spread: NO -3 (+105) | ATL +3 (-125)
Moneyline: NO -155 | ATL +12
Over/Under: 46 (-110)
There isn’t any doubt at least 46 points will be scored in this game, so place your money on the Over. It has the potential to be a blowout depending on Atlanta’s determination to win, or it may be a close game with each team scoring a decent combination of touchdowns and field goals. New Orleans brings plenty of motivation with the playoffs in contention.
Prediction
New Orleans is going to win this game unless for some reason they forget to show up for the game and the Falcons are stronger on both sides of the field. This isn’t very likely given the season both teams have played up to this point. The Falcons may show up and show out, but it won’t be enough to stop Hill and the rest of the offensive line.
FINAL SCORE: New Orleans, 34 – Atlanta, 24
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