Saints Look to Continue Recent Chapter of Dominance in Rivalry with Atlanta

The rivalry between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons is as bitter as any in all of sports.  The teams clash this afternoon for the 101st time, with the Falcons holding a 52-48 all-time edge in the series.  The Saints hold a 23-20 overall advantage against Atlanta at the Superdome, however, and are 10-3 against the Falcons at home since 2006.  

The Saints come into this game on a roll, having won six straight games before last week’s bye and sit on top of the NFC South with a 7-1 record.  The Falcons sit at the bottom of the division with a 1-7 record and losers of six straight games.  History has shown that this intense rivalry has little to do with the records of the teams when they face each other, however.  Atlanta has the league’s top passing attack and quarterback Matt Ryan has historically been productive against the New Orleans defense.  He will look for his playmaking wideouts Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, but the New Orleans secondary has been playing outstanding football.  Saints cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Eli Apple are both playing at a Pro Bowl level, shutting down some of the top receivers in the league.