The 2-8 Falcons clash with the 8-2 Saints for Thursday Night Football on NFL Network in Week 12. Here are some facts and tidbits about the matchup:
- This week's match up marks the 89th meeting between the two division rivals with Atlanta holding a 46-42 edge in the all-time series.
- New Orleans won the last game between the clubs, taking a 23-17 victory at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in the 2013 season opener.
- Two of the last four contests have been featured in primetime, including a 23-13 Falcons win at the Georgia Dome on Thursday Night Football in 2012.
- Atlanta is 18-16 against NFC South opponents since 2008.
- New Orleans has converted 60 of 135 third downs this season and the Saints 44.4 third down percentage ranks fifth in the NFL. QB Drew Brees has thrown 48 first downs on third down, which leads the League.
- The Falcons have been among the League's top teams in terms of converting third down-and-medium situations. Atlanta has converted 18 of 36 (50 percent) of its third downs with between four and six yards to go.
- QB Matt Ryan passed for 411 yards on November 11, 2012, which was a single game high against the Saints.
- Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff was a scout for the Cleveland Browns while Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael was on the Browns staff in 2000. Dimitroff was a member of the New England Patriots during their Super Bowl XXXVIII championship season in 2003 when Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan coached the Patriots linebackers.
- LB Curtis Lofton was selected by the Falcons in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft and currently plays for the Saints.
- New Orleans Saints DL coach Bill Johnson was the defensive line coach for the Atlanta Falcons from 2001-2006.
- Falcons CB Asante Samuel and Saints DT Broderick Bunkley worked together on the defensive side of the ball in Philadelphia from 2008-2010. Samuel also played with TE Benjamin Watson in New England from 2004-2007.
- DE Osi Umenyiora notched his third multi-sack game of the season vs. Tampa Bay, dropping QB Mike Glennon twice for a combined loss of seven yards. Has recorded 19 multi-sack games in his career.
- LB Paul Worrilow has posted 54 tackles in the last three games after notching 21 total tackles in the first seven games.
- QB Matt Ryan currently has an active streak of 16 games with a touchdown pass.
