Last Meeting:
The Falcons defeated the Saints 30-14 at the Superdome the last time these clubs met.
Coaching Matchup:
Falcons: Dan Quinn
Dan Quinn is the first head coach in NFL history to start 5-0 after his team has trailed in the fourth quarter of four of its first five game. Quinn is the only rookie head coach that is still undefeated in 2015.
Saints: Sean Payton
Sean Payton enters Thursday's matchup at 1-4. Payton is in his ninth season with the Saints, with a regular season record of 81-52.
Falcons Offense vs. Saints Defense
- Atlanta's offense has now put together three games with at least 400 total yards or more, with Sunday's 418 yards against the Redskins being the most recent.
- Atlanta is tied for fifth in the league with a plus-5 turnover ratio.
- The Saints' defense ranks last in the NFL with 409 yards allowed per game. Also, they are tied for 29th in points given up (28.6) and tied for 28th with a minus-5 turnover differential.
- Devonta Freeman's 405 rushing yards rank second in the NFL and his eight touchdowns rank first.
- Saints' CB Brandon Browner will try to diminish the production from the Atlanta's lethal receiving corps. Browner played for Quinn in Seattle during the 2013-2014 season.
- Through five games, Saints' rookie LB Stephone Anthony has a team-high 43 total tackles, 34 of them solo.
- Atlanta is one of three teams (ATL, CIN, AZ) to rank in the top 10 in the NFL in both rushing and passing offense.
Falcons Defense vs. Saints Offense
- Atlanta ranks No. 1 in the league with 78.4 rushing yards allowed per game.
- The Falcons' defense has forced 10 turnovers in the first five games of the season. Quinn's defense is ranked fifth in turnover differential entering Week 6.
- 36-year-old Drew Brees, who is 7-2 against the Falcons at the Superdome, orchestrates the Saints' offense.
- The Saints' ground game ranks 29th in the NFL with 85.4 yards per contest. Mark Ingram spearheads the rushing attack for New Orleans, and has totaled 261 yards for two touchdowns.
- Ingram is also an asset to Brees in the passing attack with 24 receptions for 220 yards.
- The dynamic duo of CB Desmond Trufant and CB Robert Alford are the only two teammates to both rank in the top five in receptions against.
- Second-year WR Brandin Cooks leads is the Saints' leading receiever with 25 catches for 322 yards and one touchdown in five games.
