ESPN Split on Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints Predictions

The Atlanta Falcons host the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EST in Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the NFC South crown on the line, just not for the Saints and Falcons.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Carolina Panthers on Saturday, and if the Falcons beat the Saints, there will be a three-way tie at the top of the division at 8-9. In a three-way tie, the Panthers win the division.

If the Saints beat the Falcons, only the Buccaneers and Panthers will be 8-9, and Tampa would win the division for the fifth consecutive year, despite being one game over .500 in the last four.

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The Falcons were 1-3 against the Panthers and Buccaneers this season, dooming their chances in any tiebreakers, but they have a chance to sweep the Saints for the first time since the 2016 season.

Atlanta beat the Saints in New Orleans in Kirk Cousins’ first start after taking over full-time for Michael Penix Jr. after he suffered an injury. Cousins was an efficient 16 of 23 passing for 199 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, while the Falcons leaned on running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier and a stingy defense.

It also marked the fourth start of the season for rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, who took some time to find his feet. After the Falcons game, the Saints dropped to 1-4 in his starts. They lost one more in Miami before reeling off four straight wins to be the hottest team in the division.

The Falcons have also won three in a row and are 12-4 in the last decade after being eliminated from the playoffs.

ESPN’s weekly panel of writers is split in its decision on who is going to win in Atlanta on Sunday. ESPN's panel includes reporter Pamela Maldonado, fantasy analyst Eric Moody, and analytics writer Seth Walder, and they're unanimous in picking the Seahawks.

New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons Prediction from ESPN

Maldonado's pick: Falcons 17, Saints 13
Moody's pick: Saints 21, Falcons 20
Walder's pick: Falcons 27, Saints 24
FPI prediction: ATL, 54.6% (by an average of 1.6 points)

Drake London and Kyle Pitts are both listed as questionable on the official injury report, but head coach Raheem Morris expects them both to play.

London missed four games before returning two weeks ago against Arizona, but he has yet to return to form, with just three catches for 31 yards in the last two weeks. He had one catch for four yards in Atlanta’s win over the Rams on Monday night.

However, Walder thinks this is the week London makes an impact in the box score. In his bold prediction for the game, he likes the matchup he’ll face against the Saints.

“Falcons WR Drake London will catch a touchdown from the slot. Saints nickel corner Alontae Taylor has been targeted more times this season (84) than any other slot corner,” Walder wrote.

This is the last game of another disappointing season for the Falcons. Black Monday is this week. No one seems to know what Arthur Blank will decide on the future of head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot. The rumor mill has been churning out that Morris and Fontenot, one or the other, or neither, could be fired this week.

We'll likely get answers in the next few days, but until then, the NFC South will be decided in Atlanta in a few hours. That Atlanta was eliminated a month ago in a division that will be won with an 8-9 record is another bitter pill for Falcons fans to swallow.