FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — And just like that its Week 10 and the Falcons are set to face a storied rival on the road.

That's right. It's rivalry weekend for the Falcons and Saints in New Orleans. So, let's waste no time. There's too much to talk about when it comes to this matchup.

Injury update

The Falcons received a bit of good news by way of injury reports this week. After more than a month away, inside linebacker Troy Andersen returns to the fold this weekend. The last game he played in was actually the Falcons' first meeting with the Saints in Week 4. He suffered a knee injury in that game that's kept him out of every game since. He's back, though, and perhaps at the opportune time (but more on that later).

Like Andersen, Grady Jarrett will also be full-go Sunday. This is notable as Jarrett left the Falcons' win over the Cowboys like Sunday with an Achilles strain. Imaging came back promising Monday, and Jarrett himself said in the locker room that day that he'd no doubt be back on the field this Sunday. The Falcons didn't give Jarrett a game designation meaning he is available to them this weekend.

The one person we will have to keep an eye on come the release of the Falcons inactives list 90 minutes prior to kickoff Sunday is Drake London. The rising wide receiver suffered a hip injury after scoring the Falcons first touchdown of the game against Dallas. He left the game in the first quarter and never returned. Though head coach Raheem Morris said the Falcons were optimistic about London (and Jarrett, too), they've been a bit more cautious with London, listing him as a limited participant in practices this week before giving him a questionable game designation Friday afternoon. We'll know more about London as game time inches ever closer.

Who shows up for the Saints?

Unless you've been living under a rock, the Saints have gone through the ringer this week. After losing in historical fashion to the Carolina Panthers last Sunday (marking their seventh straight loss in 2024), the Saints organization parted ways with head coach Dennis Allen. In his place as the interim now stands former special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi.

With a 7-2 record and with significant changes in leadership happening and the Falcons trending in the direction they are, this matchup feels like one Atlanta should control from start to finish. But I would caution against that mindset.

Look, for as bad as it looks in New Orleans right now, we have to understand that the players in black and gold have something to fight for even still. Because of the salary cap situation for the Saints in 2025, they're going to have to shed contracts. This means that every player on this 2024 roster is fighting for their next job, their next contract, regardless of if its in New Orleans or not. That makes them dangerous.

The Falcons have to keep this game in their own hands. There can't be a flatness to the performance, because the Saints are a team with their backs against the wall. And there are few things as dangerous as a cornered predator.

As Kelly Price said on Thursday night's Rise Up Tonight show, the story of this game is not as much about the Saints' response to everything happening in New Orleans, but the Falcons' response — and their maturity to go into enemy territory and do what needs to be done.

No Olave, No Problem (?)

Following a scary collision in last Sunday's game, Derek Carr's best target in Chris Olave will not play against the Falcons this Sunday. He has a concussion and is out for at least the next couple weeks if not longer.

Olave was one of the most productive offensive weapons the first time these two NFC South foes met in Week 4. He finished that game with 87 receiving yards on eight catches; 35 of those yards came after the catch.

After a few down games in the weeks that followed, it seemed Olave had a pep back in his step, notching his first 100-plus receiving yard day at the end of October in the Saints' loss to the Chargers. But that pep was halted the next week when he suffered the concussion vs. the Panthers.

The Saints are still with a number of their most productive offensive weapons from the first time around. Back in Week 4, wide receiver Rasheed Shaheed had an 83-yards receiving day while running back Alvin Kamara accumulated 119 yards from scrimmage against the Falcons' defense. Those guys are still around. Plus, Taysom Hill has returned, too. Hill left the first meeting between these two teams with a rib injury and he only recently returned to full strength in the last two games. Hill has been a thorn in Atlanta's side for years. Containing him will be a big boon for this defense.

Speaking of which...

Rushing into Derek Carr

After weeks of speculation and hounding questions about the Falcons' pass rush effectiveness, Atlanta's defensive front stepped up against the Cowboys last week. As a unit, the Falcons defense sacked Dak Prescott three times (the most they'd had in a single game this season plus half of their sack total to that point). They also pressured Prescott 18 times, which was also a season-high for the team.

It was a performance this Falcons pass rush needed. But can they do it again? That's the question.

The last time the Falcons faced the Saints, the pass rush wasn't as bad as some may think.

According to Next Gen Stats, Carr actually faced his highest blitz rate ever with the Saints (50%). At the time, the Falcons had generated a season-high pressure rate (28.9%) with 10 different pass rushers generating at least one pressure. The problem, though? Carr was good under pressure (to the tune of completing 13 of his 18 such passes) and the Falcons defense just couldn't get home.

Now that they have a recent example of doing so against Prescott last week, maybe this bodes well for what the pass rush could do this time around.

Redemption game for Atlanta's offense

Y'all remember that Week 4 game, right? The one the Falcons won 26-24 without scoring a single offensive touchdown? Yeah. That one.

Well, let's be honest: The offense that is prepping to face New Orleans this time around feels lightyears ahead of where it was back in Week 4. In every way that matters, it is.

Since Week 4, the Falcons have gone 4-5. Their lone loss coming against the Seahawks in Week 7. They've moved to 4-0 in the division after two nail-biting wins against the Bucs in Weeks 5 and 8. A lot of the team's overall success in the last month can be attributed to the work and progress of this Falcons offensive unit.

Statistically, Kirk Cousins has thrown for 1,464 yards en route to 13 touchdowns and an average completion percentage of 72.6%. The Falcons running back duo of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier has led a rushing attack that's amassed more than 100 yards on the ground in four of the last five contests. Falcons wide receivers have accumulated 93% of their 2023 total yardage through nine games in 2024.

This game against the Saints is an important moment for this offense to truly dictate how much progress has been made.

Player of the Game prediction: Troy Andersen

As we talked about in the very first section of this article, Andersen will make his return to the playing field this weekend after more than a month away.

What's interesting about this is that the Saints have to hate to see him coming. Andersen played his best professional game the last time these teams faced off. He was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week that time around for his career-high 16 combined tackles and his first career pick-six that he returned 47 yards after a tipped ball by Matthew Judon.

Andersen's speed and physicality is vitally important when discussing the work needed to contain Kamara. Plus, he's not only itching to get back after more than a month away, but he should have the freshest legs of any defender, too.

Two weeks ago, I asked if lightening could strike twice for the Falcons offense and Cousins against the Buccaneers from Week 5 to Week 8. Funny enough, it absolutely did. Can the same thing happen for Andersen?