Atlanta Falcons vs New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints – 12.5

 Game Total – 60.5

Players To Watch

Drew Brees – What more is there really to say about the likely NFL MVP? Brees has been unstoppable at home this season as he is completing 78.9% of his passes for an average of 350.8 yards per game with 16 TD’s and ZERO interceptions.

Alvin Kamara – The Saints swiss army knife torched the Falcons in their first meeting but not as a runner where he totaled just 66 yards but as a receiver where he caught 15 passes for 124 yards.  The Falcons are still horrible at defending running backs who catch the ball, having allowed the most receiving yards to RB’s this season. Hasn’t done too much to hinder Kamara’s overall upside.

Mark Ingram – Ingram has rushed for 100 + yards in back-to-back games and in Week 11 he found the endzone twice.  The Saints offense is as elite as any in the NFL and adding Ingram back into their lineup gives defenses just another thing to worry about when he is on the field.

Michael Thomas – Thomas is the team’s No.1 receiver having already caught 82 passes for 1,042 yards and eight TD’s through the first 11 weeks of the season.  Thomas torched the Falcons for 129 yards on 10 catches back in Week 3 and at home this season Thomas is averaging 129 yards per game with five touchdowns.

Tre'Quan Smith – Smith exploded for 157 yards and a score on 10 catches back in Week 11.  Prior to that he had never caught more than three passes in any one game. He is a big play receiver but a risky one at that.

Matt Ryan – Ryan is having an MVP caliber season himself, throwing for 3,306 yards with 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Unfortunately, the team itself is just 4-6 on the year and heading into today on a two-game losing streak.  Against New Orleans back in Week 3, Ryan threw for 374 yards and five touchdowns.

Julio Jones – After failing to find the end zone during the first seven weeks of the season Jones has now scored in three straight games.  If you ignore the lack of touchdowns, Jones is having an impressive season with his 73 catches and 1,158 yards. The Saints held him to just five catches for 96 yards in their first meeting of the year.

Calvin Ridley – Ridley’s breakout game came against the Saints in Week 3 when he caught seven passes for 146 yards and three touchdowns.  That has been the only 100+ yard game of the season for Ridley and only twice has he gone for more than 70 yards this season. With the Saints focusing on shutting down Jones I can see another big day from Ridley here.

Tevin Coleman – The Saints boast a very strong run defense so any involvement here from Coleman will have to come through the passing game.  Against the Saints in Week 3 he ran 15 times for just 33 yards but did have two catches for 14 yards and a touchdown.

Pre Game Props

1) The last non-kneeling, offensive play of the 1st Quarter is a completed pass (We'll leave this open until the 2:00 mark)   Yes - 3.7/ No - 1.7

YES: These two teams are going to be throwing the ball ALL DAY.  These two QB’s are also very efficient and are facing horrible secondaries.  Give me a completed pass to end the first quarter.

2) Either team makes a successful FG of 48 yards or more in the 1st Quarter Yes - 3.2/ No - 2.2

YES: I am going with a YES here.  Both teams have kickers that can hit from long range, especially the Falcons who have Matt Bryant who is one of the leagues best long-range kickers.

3) C. Ridley (ATL) and A. Kamara (NO) combine to record 61 or more receiving yards in the 1st Quarter Yes - 4.0/ No - 1.9

Yes: Between the two of them I can definitely see this one happening.  Both teams like to stretch the field, so it could easily take just one pass to hit this prop.

4) The first offensive play of the 1st Quarter is a running play Yes - 2.6/ No - 2.2

NO: These two teams LOVE to pass the football so it would certainly be surprising to see them run the football to start the game.

5) T. Hill (NO) records a passing attempt or a rushing attempt on the NO opening drive Yes - 2.8/ No - 2.0

Yes: He usually finds his way onto the field during a Saints drive so I can see him making his game debut on the team’s opening drive.  Especially as I expect the Saints to go down and score.

6) T. Coleman (ATL) rushes for a 1st down on the ATL opening drive Yes- 2.9/ No - 2.3

NO: The Saints have a very strong run defense so it would be surprising to see Coleman, who did not run well against New Orleans back in Week 3 to get a first down run on the team’s first drive.