So what will it come down to this time? A fourth-and-1 attempt in overtime? A missed field-goal attempt? A 90-yard touchdown drive? Two late defensive stands?
Each of the past four games between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons has been decided by three points, so why should Monday night’s showdown at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome be different?
As has become the norm, these longtime rivals will meet with an awful lot on the line. The Saints (11-3) can clinch the NFC South Division and stay alive for the conference’s No. 2 seed. The Falcons (9-5) can clinch a playoff spot and stay alive in the division title race.
“We already know emotionally we don’t have to get up for this game,” New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma said. “It’s probably going to be about trying to calm your emotions so we can function, so we can do the things we need to do to win this game. It’s a huge game for both sides. … It’s going to be a great battle and a lot of fun.”
Even without the playoff implications, this would be a huge game for both sides.
This rivalry, which dates to the 1960s, has never been more intense, and both teams are in the midst of the greatest extended runs in their franchises’ histories.
The Saints have won 11 games or more for three consecutive seasons, and the Falcons have put together four straight winning seasons after never having done it twice in a row before.
New Orleans has won nine of the past 11 games since Coach Sean Payton arrived in 2006, but those wins haven’t come easily in recent years.
The past six games in the series have been decided by eight points or less, including the Saints’ 26-23 overtime victory at Atlanta on Nov. 13, which was ultimately decided by New Orleans’ fourth-and-1 stop in Falcons territory in overtime.
In September of 2010, Garrett Hartley missed a 29-yard field goal attempt in overtime that would have won the game, and Matt Bryant kicked a 46-yarder as the Falcons won 27-24.
Later that season, the Saints drove 90 yards late in the fourth quarter, capped by a 6-yard pass from quarterback Drew Brees to tight end Jimmy Graham, to win 17-14.
In their second meeting of 2009, Vilma stopped Jason Snelling on a pass from Chris Redman on a fourth-and-2 as the Saints held on for a 26-23 win. Vilma also had an interception with 3:55 to go.
Saints receiver Lance Moore said Monday night’s game is mostly important because it’s the “next game” and because of all the playoff implications, but he did admit that there’s something special about games against Atlanta.
“It’s a divisional game, so we’re familiar with one another, and neither team wants to lose to the other. That’s just how it is,” Moore said. “People can call it bragging rights or whatever, but we’re focused on just letting it be one game. We can’t make it bigger than it is. It’s an extremely important game, but we can’t put any extra pressure or any stress on ourselves. I mean, we’ve just got to go out and play.”
Vilma pointed out that Monday night’s game will be the exact reverse of last season, when the Saints went to Atlanta for a Monday night game in Week 16 and won 20-17 to keep their longshot hopes alive for the NFC South title.
Moore said he hopes the similarities end there, with the home team winning this time.
“They’re a real good team,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said. “Every time it seems we play them it comes down to a last possession or field goal. We’ve just played so many close games, so many hard-fought games, that it’s a sign that typically both teams are pretty evenly matched, very competitive and very good.”
Like the Saints, the Falcons seem to be playing their best football after an inconsistent start. They’ve stayed alive in the NFC South race by winning seven of their past nine games, including two in a row. And their last victory was their most impressive, a 41-14 rout of the Jacksonville Jaguars last Thursday night.
The Saints are even hotter, though, having won six in a row, and they are tied with the New England Patriots for the NFL’s longest active streak.
New Orleans’ 42-20 victory at Minnesota on Sunday was dominant despite some early miscues. The Saints have been even better at home, though, especially in prime time. Their past two home games were a 31-17 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday night in Week 13 and a 49-24 victory over the New York Giants on Monday night in Week 12.
Before defeating the Vikings, Payton pointed out to his team that they hadn’t won a Week 15 game since 2007. They steamrolled through that roadblock this season, which he said is significant because teams want to peak heading into the playoffs.
“You’d like to be hitting your stride and playing your best football,” said Payton, though he pointed out that the Saints were the exception to that rule when they lost their final three regular-season games in 2009 before winning Super Bowl XLIV. “You still recognize the importance of playing well here. I think you’re seeing some teams that are doing it, and you’re seeing some teams that maybe aren’t doing it as well. Fortunately for us, we’ve been able to get on a pretty good run, and we hope to continue it.”
EYE ON THE 49ERS: The Saints are openly rooting against the San Francisco 49ers (11-3), who need to lose one more game to allow New Orleans a shot at the No. 2 seed in the NFC.
Vilma was asked if he watched the 49ers’ 20-3 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night.
“I was all for watching it closely until Ben (Roethlisberger) threw those two interceptions early in the game, and then I realized I was bad luck, so I went and watched Sherlock Holmes,” Vilma said.
And when Moore was asked what he wants for Christmas besides a victory over the Falcons, he said: “A win by Seattle over San Francisco (on Saturday) would be good.”
‘DIRTY’ TALK: Vilma and Payton said they’re unfazed by recent accusations from other teams that their defense plays “dirty.”
Payton compared it to the whistle-blowing accusations from the Tennessee Titans last week, and Vilma said whether the accusations are fair or unfair, “it really doesn’t bother me.”
“You know, we’re an aggressive defense, we’ve always been an aggressive defense. I’d rather be labeled that than labeled a finesse defense,” Vilma said. “So I know we’re not out there maliciously trying to hurt anybody. If you’ve seen the way we play, if you’ve seen our games, we go hard — and that’s really about it. If we get a personal foul here or there it’s not intentional, and I know we’re not trying to hurt people.”
VILMA’S HEALTH: Vilma, who has been fighting through a knee injury since having a clean-up surgery performed last month, was asked how he has been feeling.
“The best I can say is good enough,” said Vilma, who said he plans to keep playing through it for the rest of the season. “I got to do what I got to do.”
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