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Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints - Week 1
Game Preview

Fantasy | Game Notes | Results & Schedule | Injury Report | Stat Comparisons | Weather | Team vs. Team History

BAL
DEN		 27
 49
PrePost
TEN
PIT		 16
 9
PrePost
TB
NYJ		 17
 18
PrePost
SEA
CAR		 12
 7
PrePost
OAK
IND		 17
 21
PrePost
NE
BUF		 23
 21
PrePost
MIN
DET		 24
 34
PrePost
MIA
CLE		 23
 10
PrePost
KC
JAC		 28
 2
PrePost
CIN
CHI		 21
 24
PrePost
ATL
NO		 17
 23
PrePost
GB
SF		 28
 34
PrePost
ARI
STL		 24
 27
PrePost
NYG
DAL		 31
 36
PrePost
PHI
WAS		 33
 27
PrePost
HOU
SD		 31
 28
PrePost

Week: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
Playoffs: Wild-Card | Divisional Playoffs | Conference Championships | Super Bowl

Final Score Prediction

Falcons 31, Saints 28

Fantasy Player Rankings and Projections by Mike Krueger
Atlanta Falcons
Rank  Player Projections
QB 2 Matt Ryan Pass: 310, 3 TD Rush: 0, 0
RB 13 Steven Jackson Rush: 70, 1 TD Rec: 5-30, 0
RB 58 Jacquizz Rodgers Rush: 10, 0 TD Rec: 1-10, 0
WR 2 Julio Jones Rec: 8-110, 1 TD
WR 13 Roddy White Rec: 7-80, 1 TD
WR 90 Harry Douglas Rec: 1-20, 0 TD
TE 2 Tony Gonzalez Rec: 5-60, 1 TD
K 11 Matt Bryant FG: 1/1 XP: 4/4
DEF 27 Defense / ST  
View all Week 1 Rankings or Projections
  
New Orleans Saints
Rank  Player Projections
QB 1 Drew Brees Pass: 340, 3 TD Rush: 0, 0
RB 22 Darren Sproles Rush: 20, 0 TD Rec: 7-50, 1
RB 41 Mark Ingram Rush: 40, 0 TD Rec: 0-0, 0
RB 42 Pierre Thomas Rush: 30, 0 TD Rec: 1-10, 0
WR 17 Marques Colston Rec: 6-80, 1 TD
WR 38 Lance Moore Rec: 5-70, 0 TD
WR 66 Kenny Stills Rec: 3-40, 0 TD
TE 1 Jimmy Graham Rec: 9-90, 1 TD
K 18 Garrett Hartley FG: 0/0 XP: 4/4
DEF 32 Defense / ST  

Game Notes

Falcons Won NFC South last year & advanced to NFC Champ Game as No. 1 seed. Under head coach MIKE SMITH, club has made playoffs in 4 of 5 seasons... Pro Bowl QB Matt Ryan has 56 wins, most by QB in 1st 5 seasons. Passed for team-record 4,719 yards & 32 TDs last year & had career-best 99.1 rating... RB Steven Jackson makes Atl. debut. Has rushed for 1,000+ yards in 8 seasons in row, tied for 4th longest streak in NFL history... WR Roddy White had 1,351 yards last year, his team-record 6th consecutive 1,000-yard season. Since 2007 (incl. playoffs), has 597 receptions, most in NFC. Pro Bowl WR Julio Jones set career highs in catches (79), yards (1,198) & TDs (10) last season. Pro Bowl TE Tony Gonzalez led team with 93 catches. Has 5 seasons with 90+ receptions, most by TE in NFL history... LB Stephen Nicholas led team with 116 tackles. CB Asante Samuel led team with 17 PD & was 2nd on club with 5 INTs. Pro Bowl S Thomas DeCoud was 2nd among S in NFL with 6 INTs. Pro Bowl S William Moore had 2 INTs in last meeting.

Saints Pro Bowl QB Drew Brees passed for 5,177 yards last year & is only player in NFL history with 2+ 5,000-yard seasons (3). Is only player in NFL history with 15,000+ yards in 3-year span (15,273, 2010-12). Led NFL with 43 pass TDs last year & is only player in NFL history with consecutive 40+ TD seasons... RB Pierre Thomas has 6 TDs (4 rush, 2 rec.) in past 9 vs. Atl. RB Mark Ingram had rush TD in last meeting. Since 2011, RB Darren Sproles leads NFL RBs with 161 catches, 1,377 rec. yards & 14 rec. TDs... Since 2011 (incl. playoffs), TE Jimmy Graham leads NFL TEs with 196 catches & 2,450 yards. Is 1st among NFC TEs with 23 TDs in that span. Has 5 TDs in past 5 games vs. Atl. WR Marques Colston had 1,154 yards last year & has 1,000+ yards in 6 of 7 seasons. Aims for 3rd in row at home vs. Atl. with TD. WR Lance Moore has 14 catches for 214 yards (107 per game) in past 2 vs. Atl... Since 2006 (incl. playoffs), S Roman Harper has 18.5 sacks, most by DB. LB Curtis Lofton led team with 123 tackles last year. DE Cameron Jordan led team with career-high 8 sacks in 2012.


Results and Schedule
Atlanta Falcons
Week Date Opp H/A Score Dif
1 2013-09-08 NO A L 17-23 -6
2 2013-09-15 STL H    
3 2013-09-22 MIA A    
4 2013-09-29 NE H    
5 2013-10-07 NYJ H    
6   Bye      
7 2013-10-20 TB H    
8 2013-10-27 ARI A    
9 2013-11-03 CAR A    
10 2013-11-10 SEA H    
11 2013-11-17 TB A    
12 2013-11-21 NO H    
13 2013-12-01 BUF A    
14 2013-12-08 GB A    
15 2013-12-15 WAS H    
16 2013-12-23 SF A    
17 2013-12-29 CAR H    
   
New Orleans Saints
Week Date Opp H/A Score Dif
1 2013-09-08 ATL H W 23-17 +6
2 2013-09-15 TB A    
3 2013-09-22 ARI H    
4 2013-09-30 MIA H    
5 2013-10-06 CHI A    
6 2013-10-13 NE A    
7   Bye      
8 2013-10-27 BUF H    
9 2013-11-03 NYJ A    
10 2013-11-10 DAL H    
11 2013-11-17 SF H    
12 2013-11-21 ATL A    
13 2013-12-02 SEA A    
14 2013-12-08 CAR H    
15 2013-12-15 STL A    
16 2013-12-22 CAR A    
17 2013-12-29 TB H    

Injury Report
Atlanta Falcons
Questionable  SLB Stephen Nicholas (thigh)
 CB Asante Samuel (thigh)
 WR Roddy White (knee)
Probable  K Matt Bryant (back)
IR  QB Sean Renfree (undisclosed, 8/30/2013)
   
New Orleans Saints
Out  FS Isa Abdul-Quddus (ankle)
Probable  RB Travaris Cadet (foot)
 WR Marques Colston (foot)
 OLB Junior Galette (hamstring)
 WR Nick Toon (chest)
 OLB Martez Wilson (chest)
IR  DE Kenyon Coleman (pectoral, 8/7/2013)
 WR Joe Morgan (knee, 8/27/2013)
 OLB Will Smith (knee, 8/27/2013)
 ILB Jonathan Vilma (knee, 9/3/2013)
PUP  OLB Victor Butler (knee)

Offense Stats Comparison
  ATL
 Offense 		 NO
 Offense 		 NFL
 Avg. 		  Adv. 
Points for 24.5 30.0 22.3 NO
Rushing yards 85.3 105.5 119.6 NO
Rushing yards per attempt 3.77 4.23 4.34 NO
Completion % 70.6% 63.9% 59.3% ATL
Passing yards 269.0 339.0 223.1 NO
Passing yards per completion 10.26 11.82 11.02 NO
Passing yards per attempt 7.25 7.56 6.53 NO
Interceptions 0.3 1.3 0.9 ATL
Fumbles lost 0.3 0.0 0.6 NO
Sacks allowed 1.3 1.3 2.3 -
3rd down conversions 41.4% 42.5% 38.2% NO
4th down conversions 40.0% 50.0% 45.1% NO
Time of possession 28:09 31:27 30:18 NO
  Defense Stats Comparison
  ATL
 Defense 		 NO
 Defense 		 NFL
 Avg. 		  Adv. 
Points against 19.0 32.3 22.3 ATL
Rushing yards 105.3 117.5 119.6 ATL
Rushing yards per attempt 4.47 5.33 4.34 ATL
Completion % 60.3% 57.6% 59.3% NO
Passing yards 278.3 266.5 223.1 NO
Passing yards per completion 12.25 12.64 11.02 ATL
Passing yards per attempt 7.39 7.28 6.53 NO
INT return 1.0 1.0 0.9 -
Fumble recoveries 0.3 0.8 0.6 NO
Sacks 0.8 1.0 2.3 NO
3rd down conversions 45.6% 37.8% 38.2% NO
4th down conversions 50.0% 50.0% 45.1% -
Time of possession 31:51 28:40 30:18 NO

Special Teams Stats Comparison
   ATL   NO  NFL
 Avg. 		  Adv. 
Yards per punt return 9.3 9.0 10.0 ATL
Yards per kick return 21.8 22.2 22.9 NO
Yards allowed per punt return 13.9 20.0 10.0 ATL
Yards allowed per kick return 20.4 30.4 22.9 ATL
  Misc Stats Comparison
   ATL   NO  NFL
 Avg. 		  Adv. 
Penalties 2.8 5.5 6.1 ATL
Penalty yards 18.8 51.3 50.7 ATL

Note: Team statistics are shown as the average per game through Weeks 12 to 17 of the 2012 season after deducting the best and worst value from the data set. The exception is yards per rush attempt, completion %, yards per pass completion, yards per pass attempt, 3rd and 4th down conversions, special teams and the NFL averages, which are each calculated based on totals through Weeks 12 to 17 with no adjustment.

Weather
Dome Stadium

Team vs. Team History
Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints
 Season   Week   Date   Vis   Home   Score   Winner 
2000 8 2000-10-22 NO ATL 21-19 NO
2000 16 2000-12-17 ATL NO 7-23 NO
2001 6 2001-10-21 ATL NO 20-13 ATL
2001 13 2001-12-09 NO ATL 28-10 NO
2002 8 2002-10-27 ATL NO 37-35 ATL
2002 11 2002-11-17 NO ATL 17-24 ATL
2003 7 2003-10-19 NO ATL 45-17 NO
2003 11 2003-11-16 ATL NO 20-23 NO
2004 12 2004-11-28 NO ATL 21-24 ATL
2004 16 2004-12-26 ATL NO 13-26 NO
2005 6 2005-10-16 ATL NO 34-31 ATL
2005 14 2005-12-12 NO ATL 17-36 ATL
2006 3 2006-09-25 ATL NO 3-23 NO
2006 12 2006-11-26 NO ATL 31-13 NO
2007 7 2007-10-21 ATL NO 16-22 NO
2007 14 2007-12-10 NO ATL 34-14 NO
2008 10 2008-11-09 NO ATL 20-34 ATL
2008 14 2008-12-07 ATL NO 25-29 NO
2009 8 2009-11-02 ATL NO 27-35 NO
2009 14 2009-12-13 NO ATL 26-23 NO
2010 3 2010-09-26 ATL NO 27-24 ATL
2010 16 2010-12-27 NO ATL 17-14 NO
2011 10 2011-11-13 NO ATL 26-23 NO
2011 16 2011-12-26 ATL NO 16-45 NO
2012 10 2012-11-11 ATL NO 27-31 NO
2012 13 2012-11-29 NO ATL 13-23 ATL

Note: Only playoff games from the 2004 to 2010 seasons are included in the team vs. team history. Playoff games from seasons prior to 2004 are not currently included in the database.