The Atlanta Falcons (8-7, second in the NFC South) welcome bitter rival New Orleans Saints (6-9, last in the NFC South) to the Georgia Dome in the final regular season game.
The meeting between the two on October 21st at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome saw the Saints end the Falcons' undefeated start, 31-21, and since then, both teams have struggled mightily. The Falcons are currently on a two-game win streak, including a thrilling win last week to end the Carolina Panthers' undefeated season. The Saints are 1-1 in their last two, including a comfortable win over the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.
With both teams eliminated from the playoff race, it's a game for bragging rights as usual but also the chance to finish above .500 for the Atlanta Falcons in their first season under Dan Quinn. A win over the Saints will leave the Falcons at 9-7, with a mid-round pick for the draft and plenty to look forward to next season.
Injury Report:
Falcons: Dan Quinn's team will be without just one player on Sunday, as rookie running back Tevin Coleman failed to clear the league's concussion protocol. Excellent run-topper Paul Soliai was recently placed on season-ending injured reserve with a calf injury picked up in week 16. A handful of Falcons, including quarterback Matt Ryan (ribs), cornerback Robert Alford (ankle) and wide receiver Roddy White (ankle), all appear on the injury report, but are all listed as probable.
Saints: New Orleans is a little bit more beat up than their opponents on Sunday, having already ruled out wide receiver Marques Colston (chest), tackle Andrus Peat (concussion) and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (hip). Quarterback Drew Brees is probable (foot) while standout offensive tackle Terron Armstead is listed as questionable (knee).
Key Matchups:
Julio Jones - Saints Secondary: The NFL's leading receiver this season is impossible to cover, as he proved last weekend. Jones burned the Panthers exceptional pass defense, including Josh Norman, for 178 yards and a fantastic touchdown. This week, Jones comes up against a Saints secondary that is the worst in the league, giving up 43 touchdowns through 16 weeks. Jones needs 243 yards to set a new NFL single-season record for receiving yards (currently at 1,722) and 17 catches to set a NFL record for most passes caught in one season. While the latter seems more likely, the yardage needed isn't an impossible feat.
Brandin Cooks - Desmond Trufant: Emerging stars at both positions, Cooks and Trufant are likely to see a lot of each other on Sunday. Cooks is enjoying a solid season as the Saints number one receiver, with 1,116 yards and 9 touchdowns, while Trufant is having a stellar year, with one or two games he may want to forget about. With Drew Brees loving to air it out, Trufant will be in with the tricky task of keeping Cooks quiet.
Cameron Jordan - Atlanta's O-Line: At the beginning of the season, Atlanta's offensive line looked like a revelation, surprising everyone by playing at their very best. Still consistent, they have dropped off the pace a little and Cameron Jordan of the New Orleans Saints will look to dominate them on Sunday. Jordan has been one of the Saints best players this season, recording nine sacks and 41 tackles. Jordan was excellent in the first game, tallying three sacks. If the Falcons are to allow Matt Ryan time to throw, they'll need to find a way to keep the pass rusher quiet.