New Orleans Saints

Going into their Monday night matchup, the New Orleans Saints had a lot to play for against the Atlanta Falcons. First and foremost, the Saints could wrap up the NFC South and stay alive for a first round bye in the playoffs by defeating the Falcons. Also, Brees needed only 305 passing yards to break Dan Marino’s iconic passing yardage record. Both took place as the Saints defeated the Falcons 45-16.

New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons

Unfortunately, ESPN’s broadcast of Monday Night Football began with an intro by Betty White. I heard this was coming so I was cringing as the Saints vs. Falcons game came on the air. When people dream of a “White Christmas,” I’m not sure this is what they had in mind.

Trailing the Falcons 3-0, Pierre Thomas gave New Orleans the lead with a 4-yard run. However, Thomas was flagged 15 yards for putting a gold bow on the ball and handing it to a Saints fan. I was instantly brought back to December 14, 2003 when Saints WR Joe Horn used a cell phone in a primetime ESPN game vs. the New York Giants.

However, the main story of the first half was how Brees torched the Falcons through the air. In fact, Brees tallied 230 passing yards and two TDs through two quarters for the Saints. At the half, New Orleans led the Falcons 21-10 and Brees was within 75 yards of breaking the record.

In the second half, New Orleans’ best efforts came from a Darren Sproles kickoff return and a Malcolm Jenkins fumble return for a TD. Nevertheless, with 2:51 left in the game, Brees threw a 9-yard TD pass to Darren Sproles to break Marino’s record. The Saints accomplished everything they set out to do in defeating the Falcons 45-16.

Looking ahead

I’m not sure whether to look ahead to next week’s game against the Carolina Panthers or what may be a Saints vs. Falcons playoff game in two weeks. If it comes to pass, it would be a rematch 20 years in the making of the Saints vs. Falcons playoff game played after the 1991 season. I can’t imagine the Falcons upsetting this Saints team in the Superdome in the playoffs.

Patrick Michael was born and raised in New Orleans and currently resides in the Big Easy. As such, he is a lifelong, diehard New Orleans Saints fan. His highlight as a Saints fan was experiencing the magical Super Bowl season of 2009.

Sources

ESPN broadcast of Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints

“New York Giants 7 at New Orleans Saints 45,” pro-football-reference.com

“Atlanta Falcons 27 at New Orleans Saints 20,” pro-football-reference.com

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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.”

The Carolina Panthers host the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 11^th. The Panthers are coming off back-to-back wins as the Falcons lost their last game to the Houston Texans. Here are some keys to a Carolina victory.

Keep Michael Turner Quiet

In Turner’s career he has lit up the Panthers. He has amassed 707 yards averaging 4.7 yards per carry and scoring 11 touchdowns in his past seven meetings against the Panthers . He gained 139 yards and scored twice when the teams last met in Week 6. The Panthers already have a struggling rush defense, ranking 27^th in the league allowing 132.5 yards per game. It will be even more difficult for the Panthers with a further two defensive injuries. Defensive tackles Sione Fua (hamstring) and Terrell McClain (knee) will both miss out. Turner is also one touchdown shy of Gerald Riggs’ record of 48 set in 1988, so I expect him to be ready to go in this game. The Panthers could have problems stopping Turner, but they need to do their best to slow him down.

Cam Newton Must Continue To Not Throw Interceptions

Newton has gone the last two games without throwing an interception and both games turned out to be wins. Yes, they were both against weaker opponents, but not turning the ball over is a reason for that success. If you take care of the ball good things will happen. Facing a solid Falcons offense, it is imperative Newton doesn’t throw interceptions. If he does, it will give Matt Ryan and the Atlanta offense a shorter field and more opportunities to score. Newton threw three interceptions in his last meeting with the Falcons and this certainly can not happen for Carolina to have any chance in this one.

Continue Own Strong Rushing Performances

The Panthers rushing attack ranks 5^th in the league with 137.6 yards per game. A lot of that has to do with Newton who has 518 total yards on the season and the single-season rushing touchdowns record for quarterbacks with 13. He also has six rushing touchdowns over the last three games. However, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have both been playing better over the last few weeks as well. The Panthers will need to continue this trend to control the game and keep the Falcons offense off the field. If they can do that and put up points of their own, they will be in a good position for the win.

*All stats found on espn.com

Although living several hundred miles from Charlotte, Matthew Levine bleeds Carolina blue. He has followed the Panthers since their inaugural season in 1995 and was absolutely heart-broken over the 2003 Super Bowl loss to the Patriots.

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Having a two game lead over the second-place Atlanta Falcons and owning the tie breaker over all three NFC South teams has to help the New Orleans Saints rest easy during their bye week. To help them even more, all three of their NFC South counterparts are facing tough competition in week eleven. The Falcons are facing a tough Tennessee Titans squad, and the Bucs are playing on the road against the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers. The Carolina Panthers, likely relegated to spoiler status at this point, face off against the Detroit Lions in Motown.

Atlanta hosts Tennessee after trying to forget the one that got away

Atlanta has to be feeling pretty down after letting the victory over the Saints get away in week ten. An overtime loss to the Saints is nothing to generally feel bad about, but a controversial call by Falcons coach Mike Smith during overtime led to questions all week long. Smith decided to go for it on fourth down on the 29 yard line, was stopped, and then gave up the field goal a couple plays later. Instead of taking over first place, they dropped to second in the win column to the Saints.

Tennessee whipped the Carolina Panthers in week ten and looked great doing so. Chris Johnson finally looked like the running back that everyone thought he should be, and the Titans defense shut down one of the most explosive offenses in the league.

I expect that the Falcons will struggle some, but they will pull out the important victory over the Titans. Atlanta has not loss two in row all season long, and they won’t start this week.

Tampa Bay trying to right the ship after tough stretch

When you are trying to find your sea legs in the NFC South, the last thing you want to see is a trip to Lambeau on the schedule. This is especially true against this year’s version of the Packers. Aaron Rodgers(notes) is looking like the best quarterback in the league so far, and the Bucs have little to no chance in this game. They have everything going against them that they can have. They are travelling to one of the toughest venues. They are a warm weather team playing in cold weather. They are not playing well. And oh, by the way, the Packers are undefeated and the best team in the league.

Good luck with that Tampa.

Cam Newton(notes) and the Panthers try to play spoiler in Motown

Cam Newton had the worst game of his career against the Tennessee Titans in week ten, and he still was not all that bad. The team was bad, but Newton was just worse than usual. Perhaps he is slowing down a little, but I doubt it. I think it was the constant pressure from the Titans and a great defensive game plan that hurt Newton mostly. Either way, the going should be easier for the offense on Sunday when they face a Detroit defense that gives up plenty of yards and points. This game will be a shootout and will likely hinge on how well Cam plays.

I think in the end, the Lions will have too much firepower and win the game, but I would not be at all surprised to see the Panthers win either. It all really depends on how they come to play.

*Southern is a huge NFL and Carolina Panthers football fan that has followed the team since the very beginning. He still thinks that Tom Brady(notes) is the enemy and that Steve Smith will win a Super Bowl before it is said and done.

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ATLANTA — One way to win a game is to let another team lose it. New Orleans Saints fans know this misery more than most. For years, the Saints seemingly invented ways to lose games they should have won. They were masters at the art of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. And some of the most heartbreaking losses came at the hands of the hated archrival Falcons.

On Sunday, Atlanta returned the favor.

The city that so warmly welcomed and sheltered thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees from New Orleans continued to shower love on its southern neighbors.

This time the hospitality came in the form of a gift-wrapped 26-23 overtime football victory, thanks largely to a momentary bout of insanity from Atlanta Coach Mike Smith.

Smith’s controversial decision to go for it on fourth-and-inches at his own 29 in overtime will be second-guessed around these parts for a while, especially if the Falcons fall short of the playoffs this season.

Frankly, it was the kind of dubious decision Saints fans became all too familiar with during the Aints era. And it resulted in the same ignominious outcome.

“When you can defensively stop someone on fourth-and-1, that’s a significant way to win a game … an emotional way to win a game,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said.

Falcons fans undoubtedly wanted to fit Smith with brown-paper headgear after the Saints stuffed Michael Turner for no gain, then converted a couple of quick first downs to set up John Kasay’s winning field goal.

“To get a win like that is amazing,” Saints tight end Jimmy Graham said.

Said defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, who along with Will Smith, made the double-stuff on Turner: “I’m new to this rivalry, but it was a moment, wasn’t it?”

Yes, it was.

The Saints have won a lot of big games in the Sean Payton-Drew Brees era but few were more satisfying than this one. On the road. Against your division rival. After squandering a 10-point lead in the final 5 minutes.

Only two weeks ago, the Saints were 5-3 and coming off an embarrassing loss to the previously winless Rams. Now they’re second-lining into the bye week at 7-3 and with a comfy 1½-game lead on the rest of the NFC South.

“We found a way to piece it together and come away with two extremely hard-fought victories,” Brees said, also referring to last week’s win against Tampa Bay. “It says a lot about this team that we found ways to win.”

Or, more accurately, the Falcons found a way to lose.

To say Smith’s decision was surprising would be an understatement. It’s one thing to have confidence in your offense and be aggressive. But this was downright reckless, especially considering the Falcons’ defense had held the Saints to 16 yards and one first down on their two previous drives.

Smith’s decision was less a vote of confidence in his offense than it was a lack of confidence in his defense. Minutes earlier, he’d sent a similar message with an unsuccessful onside kick even though his team trailed only by three points with more than four minutes to play. Clearly Smith was telling his defense he didn’t think they could stop Brees another time.

Smith’s indecisiveness — initially sending out his punt team, then calling a timeout and changing his mind — didn’t help matters.

Afterward, Falcons players universally backed Smith’s decision and even Brees praised the call, saying it took some “steel you-know-whats” to make it.

Others, though, were rightfully incredulous.

Told that the Falcons have a history of making good on such gutsy calls, Will Smith just shook his head. “Yeah, but not on the 30, in overtime. If they don’t get it, it’s pretty much ‘game over’ in a sense. You can’t put that pressure on your defense.

“If it was at the 50 we probably would have imagined they would have went for it, but at the 30, no.”

In 1978, then-Saints Coach Dick Nolan went for it on fourth-and-2 at the Atlanta 43-yard line instead of punting. You know the rest of the story. The Saints failed to convert, setting the stage for Steve Bartkowski’s 57-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to Alfred Jackson in the final seconds.

The play was called Big Ben and it will live in infamy for Saints fans because it derailed the club’s first real playoff hopes and propelled Atlanta to its first postseason appearance.

Similarly, the fourth-down stonewall in Atlanta could prove to be catalytic moment in this Saints season.

“It’s one of those plays that can change your whole season,” Saints linebacker Scott Shanle said. “When you look back at how your season went and how it unfolds, it might be a play that we can pinpoint, hey, things were a lot different because of that play.”

The Saints have now won 10 consecutive games in November, a streak that dates to 2008. They’ve also won nine of 11 games in the series against their archrivals under Payton, including five of six at the Georgia Dome.

For Saints fans, it’s a refreshing and overdue reversal of fortune. All those years they couldn’t get over the hump against San Francisco in the NFC West. Just as the 49ers seemed to own Jim Mora’s Saints, Payton’s Saints now own the Falcons.

“It’s a big win for us,” Will Smith said. “It gives us the lead in the NFC South. It’s against a team that really doesn’t like us and we don’t like them, as you can see during the course of the game there was a lot of talking and scuffles here and there.

“It’s our rival. It means a lot to us and it means a lot to the city of New Orleans.”

Saints defenders preserved the moment with a postgame celebratory photo at midfield. The smiles on their faces were every bit as wide as they were after Super Bowl XLIV or the NFC championship game. The Saints pulled the same stunt after last year’s 17-14 victory here, an action some Falcons took offense to.

“We don’t just go out there (for the photo) after any old win,” linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar said. “It has to be something significant. It’s no disrespect to the Falcons. We just want memories.”

For the Saints, it’s one they won’t soon forget.

Jeff Duncan can be reached at jduncan@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3404.