NFL Game Preview: Atlanta Falcons (1-2-0) vs. New Orleans Saints (1-2-0)

0
8
New Orleans Saints logo

ESPN: Joe Buck, Troy Aiman, Lisa Salters (field reporter) and Laura Rutledge (field reporter)

Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Ross Tucke

Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 PM ET

Caesars Superdome

Referee: Land Clark

Regular Season: ATL leads series, 57-56 (ATL won 3 of past 4)

Last reg. season meeting: 1/4/26: NO 17 at ATL 19

Kevin Stefanski (ATL) vs. Opp. (incl. postseason): 0-2 Reg. Season: 46-58 (.442)

Kellen Moore (NO) vs. Opp. (incl. postseason): 0-2 Reg. Season: 7-13 (.350)

Atlanta Last Game: W, 35-14 at GB (Week 3)

New Orleans Last Game: L, 35-27 vs. LV (Week 3)

FALCONS NOTES

• QB MICHAEL PENIX JR. passed for 256 yards & TD with 101.4 rating in 1st start of season in Week 3, his 5th-career start with 100+ rating. Aims for his 5th in row on road with TD pass. • RB BIJAN ROBINSON had 213 scrimmage yards (194 rush, 19 rec.) & 2 rush TDs in Week 3, his 3rd-career game with 200+ scrimmage yards. Became 1st player ever with 150+ scrimmage yards & TD in 5 straight road games. Robinson & WR Drake London had 3rd-career game each with 150+ scrimmage yards, the most by any pair of teammates in NFL history. Has 382 scrimmage yards (127.3 per game) & 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 rec.) in 3 career games at NO & aims for his 4th in row at NO with 100+ scrimmage yards. Leads NFL with 6,115 scrimmage yards since 2023. • RB BRIAN ROBINSON had 1st rush TD of season last week. • WR DRAKE LONDON had 9 catches for career-high 194 yards in Week 3, his 5th-career game with 150+ rec. yards. Had TD catch in last meeting & 8 catches for 97 yards in last road meeting (11/10/24). Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NO with 75+ rec. yards. • TE AUSTIN HOOPER had 31st-career TD catch in Week 3. • S JESSIE BATES had 1st PD of season last week. Ranks 3rd among active players with 27 career INTs. • S XAVIER WATTS had 6th-career INT last week. Had FR in last meeting & INT in last road meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NO with 6+ tackles & PD. • CB C.J. HENDERSON had 8 tackles & tied his career high with 3 PD in Week 3. Aims for his 5th in row with PD. • CB BILLY BOWMAN had 2nd-career game with 2 PD last week. • LB DIVINE DEABLO has 8+ tackles in 3 of his 4 career games vs. NO. • DE CAMERON THOMAS had 1st sack of season last week. • DL ZACH HARRISON aims for his 4th in row on road with TFL.

SAINTS NOTES

• QB TYLER SHOUGH passed for 255 yards & career-high 4 TDs with 106.7 rating in Week 3. Leads QBs in completions (91) & atts. (132) & ranks 2nd in pass yards (917) in 2026. Is 1 of 2 (Jared Goff) with 25+ completions & 1 of 2 (Bryce Young) with 250+ pass yards in each of 1st 3 weeks. Aims for his 3rd in row with 100+ rating. Has 250+ pass yards in 7 straight games, longest active streak in NFL. • RB TRAVIS ETIENNE has 70+ scrimmage yards in 2 of 3 games this season. • RB ALVIN KAMARA has 1,483 scrimmage yards (92.7 per game) in 16 career games vs. Atl., incl. 100+ scrimmage yards in 4 of his past 5. • WR CHRIS OLAVE had 9 receptions for 107 yards last week, his 14th-career game with 100+ rec. yards. Ranks tied-1st in receptions (27) & 2nd in rec. yards (375) in 2026. Aims for his 6th in row with 8+ catches & 7th in row with 85+ rec. yards. Has 6+ catches & 50+ rec. yards in 9 straight home games. • TE NOAH FANT & TE JUWAN JOHNSON each had 2 rec. TDs in Week 3, 2nd TE teammates ever with 2 rec. TDs in same game (Jeremy Brigham & Rickey Dudley on Dec. 24, 2000 with Oakland). • EDGE CHASE YOUNG tied his career high with 2 sacks last week & had 10-career FF. Is 1 of 3 (Greg Rousseau & T.J. Watt) with 1.5+ sacks in 2+ games (2) in 2026. Has 8.5 sacks & 9 TFL in his past 7 games. Aims for his 6th in row at home with sack. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Atl. with sack & 5th in row vs. Atl. with TFL. • DL KHRISTIAN BOYD had 1st-career sack & TFL in Week 3. • LB KADEN ELLIS led team with 9 tackles in Week 3. Aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. Has 379 tackles, 29 TFL & 12.5 sacks in 51 games (2023-25) with Atl., incl. 100+ tackles & 8+ TFL in each season. • CB KOOL-AID MCKINSTRY had career-high 4 PD in last meeting & aims for his 7th in row with PD.

Game Odds

Atlanta Falcons                 48

New Orleans Saints        – 2.5

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Sunday, October 4, 2026

Previous articleMLB NL Division Series Game 2 Preview: Atlanta Braves (0-1) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (1-0)
NFL Editor
Profile: A dedicated NFL analyst with a deep understanding of the league’s strategic, cultural, and statistical landscape. This columnist provides weekly coverage that blends film‑study insight, advanced metrics, and league‑wide context, offering readers a clear view of how teams evolve across a long and demanding season. Background: With extensive experience covering professional football, the columnist has contributed to national sports platforms, digital media outlets, and radio segments focused on team dynamics, coaching trends, and roster construction. A background in sports journalism and analytics supports a methodical approach to evaluating performance, breaking news, and long‑term organizational strategy. Signature Coverage Areas: Game previews and tactical matchups Film‑based breakdowns of offensive and defensive schemes Player evaluation, draft analysis, and free‑agency movement League trends, coaching philosophies, and historical context Style & Approach: The writing emphasizes clarity, accuracy, and accessibility — translating complex schemes and statistical models into insights that resonate with both casual fans and seasoned bettors. Each column reflects a commitment to balanced reporting, thoughtful analysis, and a comprehensive understanding of the NFL’s fast‑shifting landscape.