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KICKOFF: Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET at Mercedes Benz Superdome. TV: ESPN, Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters. SERIES HISTORY: 94th regular-season meeting. Falcons lead series 48-45. The Saints have won four of the past five meetings in the Superdome, including last season's 31-21 victory on a Thursday night game.
Atlanta Falcons (1-1) at New Orleans Saints (0-2)
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GAMEDATE: 9/26/16
KEYS TO THE GAME: Falcons players have been clamoring for more of the no-huddle offense since the middle of last season, and coordinator Kyle Shanahan has incorporate more of it through the first two weeks of the season. QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones have been outspoken proponents of the no-huddle in an effort to keep defenses off-balance. Coach Dan Quinn still wants to use it in small doses so the zone-blocking ground game remains effective, and estimates Atlanta has gone no-huddle about 25 percent of the snaps. New Orleans ranks 31st through two games, allowing an average of 461.5 yards per game. At the heart of the issue is a pass defense allowing an average of 336 yards with only two sacks and no interceptions.
It's likely to be another high-scoring affair between the rivals, as Atlanta enters having allowed eight touchdowns drives of 75 yards or more over 23 possessions to start the season. The Falcons have forced only four three-and-outs, although New Orleans did struggle offensively in last week's 16-13 loss to the New York Giants. Saints QB Drew Brees is off to a hot start with five touchdown passes against no interceptions and has already spread the ball to 10 different receivers. Brandin Cooks and Michael Thomas will really stress the depth of Atlanta's secondary, especially with the Falcons having recorded just one sack through two games. Speedster Willie Snead [toe] will be inactive for the game. New Orleans must be more committed to the ground game after calling just 13 rushing attempts last week.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH:
--Falcons TEs Jacob Tamme, Levine Toilolo, Austin Hooper vs. Saints SS Kenny Vaccaro: Vaccaro will be key in defending Atlanta's trio with FS Jairus Byrd focused on containing Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu on the outside. Tamme leads the Falcons with 11 catches for 126 yards and a touchdown, while Hooper and Toilolo have combined for six catches for 119 yards through two games.
--Falcons CB Desmond Trufant vs. Saints WR Brandin Cooks: The Falcons had Trufant shadow Raiders WR Amani Cooper last week, and he held the emerging second-year star to five catches for 71 yards. Cooks is a smaller, explosive home-run threat who enters with 13 catches for 211 yards and two touchdowns.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT:
Falcons S Keanu Neal - The 17th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft has yet to play a regular-season snap while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. The Falcons are hopeful he will be able to return this week to provide a physical presence against the run and also contribute as a blitzer to bolster the anemic pass rush.
FAST FACTS:
Brees has 61,589 career passing yards, passing Dan Marino for third-most all-time, and has thrown for 300-plus yards and at least three touchdowns in four of his past five Monday night games.
PREDICTION:
A horse race between two offenses revving at high speed against defenses that have stumbled badly out of the gate with little semblance of a pass rush. Slight edge goes to at home to Drew Brees, who has thrown for 300-plus yards in each of the past four meetings.
OUR PICK: Saints, 37-34.
