FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Falcons (6-3) meet their rival New Orleans Saints (2-7) for the 112th time in history Sunday.
Atlanta didn't score an offensive touchdown when these two teams met in Week 4. Since then, the Falcons' offense has been clicking as the NFL's No. 6 team in total yardage. The Saints have been riddled with injuries for much of the season, and their recent downward trajectory culminated in the firing of head coach Dennis Allen earlier this week.
The Saints had 13 players listed on the team's injury report on Wednesday. Among those, were New Orleans' top offensive weapons, wide receiver Chris Olave (concussion) and running back Alvin Kamara (Hand). Kamara was a full participant in practice while Olave did not participate.
The Falcons, however, are looking forward to possibly getting a couple of key pieces back. Center Drew Dalman (ankle) and inside linebacker Troy Andersen (knee) were listed as full participants in Wednesday's estimated injury report (the team held a walk-through). Dalman has missed the last six games after he was placed on injured reserve in September. Andersen hasn't played since the last meeting with the Saints, when he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Andersen said he could "for sure" make his return on Sunday when speaking with the media Wednesday.
When these two teams last matched up, the consensus was mixed. This week the experts have predicted a clear winner. Check out the picks below:
Author | Outlet | Pick |
---|---|
Kimberly Martin | ESPN | Falcons |
Lindsey Thiry | ESPN | Falcons |
Dan Graziano | ESPN | Falcons |
Bucky Brooks | NFL Network | Falcons |
Colleen Wolfe | NFL Network | Falcons |
Daniel Jeremiah | NFL Network | Falcons |
Albert Breer | Sports Illustrated | Falcons |
Connor Orr | Sports Illustrated | Falcons |
Vic Tafur | The Athletic | Saints |
Pete Prisco | CBS Sports | Falcons |
For more complete picks, visit: ESPN, CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, The Athletic and NFL Network.
This Throwback Thursday, we're taking at look back at the Falcons vs Saints match-up through history as we gear up for Sunday's game against New Orleans in Week 10.