The NFC South rivals close out their 2025 NFL regular season with a Week 18 matchup that carries divisional pride but no playoff implications, as both teams have been eliminated from postseason contention. The Saints, mired in a disappointing campaign, look to play spoiler against a Falcons squad that’s shown flashes of improvement late in the year. This game pits two rebuilding franchises against each other in a historic rivalry, with Atlanta holding a slight edge in recent form and home-field advantage.
Venue Location
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia. This state-of-the-art domed facility, which opened in 2017, features a retractable roof and seats approximately 71,000 fans for NFL games. It’s known for its fan-friendly amenities and has hosted major events like Super Bowl LIII.
Kickoff is set for 10:00 a.m. PT).
The game will be broadcast on FOX: Chris Myers, Mark Schlereth, Jen Hale (field reporter)
with local affiliates WVUE-FOX 8 in New Orleans.
Live streaming is available via Fubo or NFL+ for eligible viewers.
Injury Report
Both teams enter the finale with key players sidelined or limited, potentially affecting offensive firepower and defensive schemes.
New Orleans Saints Injuries:
WR Chris Olave: Out (blood clot in lung; detected early, expected full recovery in a month but ruled out for finale).
G Dillon Radunz: Questionable (knee).
QB Spencer Rattler: Questionable (right finger).
DT Nathan Shepherd: Questionable (ankle/knee).
Others on IR or inactive: DT Vernon Broughton (hip), CB Michael Davis (shoulder).
The Saints list 13 players total on their report, with Olave’s absence a major blow to the passing game.
Atlanta Falcons Injuries:
DL Brandon Dorlus: Out (injury scare from previous game; avoided major damage but misses finale).
WR Drake London: Questionable (knee).
TE Kyle Pitts Sr.: Questionable (knee).
S DeMarcco Hellams: Questionable (hamstring).
DL Sam Roberts: Questionable (knee/ankle).
CB Clark Phillips III: DNP in practice (triceps/illness).
The Falcons’ secondary and line could be thinned, but their running game remains intact.
Player Matchups
This game features several intriguing battles, particularly in the trenches and on the perimeter, where injuries could tilt advantages.
Falcons RB Bijan Robinson vs. Saints Run Defense: Robinson, fourth in the NFL with 1,445 rushing yards, faces a Saints unit ranked 30th in rushing yards allowed (93.4 per game).
Atlanta’s ground attack could exploit New Orleans’ vulnerabilities, especially if Shepherd is limited.
Saints QB Tyler Shough vs. Falcons Secondary: Shough, a late-season standout for the Saints, will test Atlanta’s pass defense (ranked 17th, allowing 218.5 yards per game).
With Olave out, expect targets to WRs like Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but Hellams and Phillips’ statuses could open lanes.
Falcons O-Line vs. Saints Pass Rush: Atlanta’s protection unit has struggled, allowing pressure that could be capitalized on by New Orleans’ edge rushers. This matchup is key for Falcons QB Kirk Cousins to operate cleanly.
Saints WR Group vs. Falcons CBs: Without Olave, the burden falls on backups to exploit any weaknesses in Atlanta’s coverage, especially if London is hobbled on the other side.
Both teams sit at the bottom of the NFC South, with Atlanta edging New Orleans by one win.
Recent Team Forms
The Falcons have surged late, winning 3 of their last 5 games, including a victory over the Rams in Week 17, riding strong play from Robinson and Cousins.
They’ve shown resilience at home, going 5-3 ATS in road games but trending positively overall.
The Saints have struggled, dropping 4 of their last 5, with offensive inconsistencies exacerbated by injuries. Their lone bright spot has been Shough’s emergence, but the team averages just 18.1 points per game (29th in NFL).
Series History
The Falcons-Saints rivalry is one of the NFL’s fiercest, dating back to 1967 when New Orleans won the inaugural matchup 27-24.
Atlanta leads the all-time series 57-56 (including one postseason game), with the regular-season tally tied at 56-56 in some records.
Over the last 10 years, New Orleans holds a 12-8 edge.
The teams split their 2025 meetings, with Atlanta winning in New Orleans in Week 12.
Legendary QBs like Drew Brees and Matt Ryan have defined the series, facing off 23 times.
Betting Trends
Falcons: 3-2 straight up and ATS in last 5 games; 5-3 ATS at home; strong against NFC South foes lately.
Saints: 8-8 ATS overall; 48.4% implied win chance here; unders have hit in 10 of 15 games (5-10-1 O/U).
Head-to-Head: Atlanta’s offense (210.25 passing yards/game) edges New Orleans’ defense; totals trend under in rivalry games.
SAINTS NOTES:
• QB TYLER SHOUGH completed 22 of 27 passes (81.5%) for 333 yards & 2 TDs for a 142.7 rating & is 2nd rookie ever with a comp. percentage of 80+, 300+ pass yards & 145+ rating in a single game (Bo Nix). Aims for 4th in row with TD pass. Ranks 1st among rookies with 92.1 rating this season. • RB ALVIN KAMARA has 7,250 career rush yards & 4,948 career rec. yards & can become 5th player ever with 5,000+ career rush yards & 5,000+ career rec. yards. • RB AUDRIC ESTIMÉ had career-high 94 rush yards & had rush TD in Week 17. • WR CHRIS OLAVE led team with 8 receptions for 119 yards & had TD catch in Week 17. Aims for 3rd in row with 115+ rec. yards & 4th in row with TD catch. Has 70+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 vs. Atl. • TE JUWAN JOHNSON had season-high 95 rec. yards in Week 17. Has careerhigh 828 rec. yards this season. • LB DEMARIO DAVIS had 6 tackles & half sack in Week 17. Has 7+ tackles in 7 of his past 8 games on road. Has 1,514 career tackles & is 1 of 4 since 2000 (Lavonte David, London Fletcher & Bobby Wagner) with 1,500+ tackles. Had 11 tackles in Week 12 meeting. • DE CHASE YOUNG had 1.5 sacks, FF & FR-TD in Week 17. Aims for 4th in row with sack & 3rd in row with FR. Has career-high 8.5 sacks this season. Had sack in Week 12 meeting. • DE CAMERON JORDAN had 5 tackles, sack & FF in Week 17. Aims for 3rd in row with sack. Had sack, 2 TFL & FF in Week 12 meeting. • CB ALONTAE TAYLOR had 9 tackles & season-high 4 PD in Week 17. Aims for 3rd in row vs. Atl. with 6+ tackles. • CB KOOL-AID MCKINSTRY had 6 tackles & 2 PD in Week 17. Has PD in 5 of his past 6 games. Had PD in Week 12 meeting. • S JUSTIN REID aims for 3rd in row with PD. Had INT in Week 12 meeting.
FALCONS NOTES:
• QB KIRK COUSINS passed for 126 yards & TD in Week 17. Has TD pass in 5 of his past 6 games. Ranks 6th with 44,520 pass yards & 297 TD passes since 2012. Had 199 pass yards & 2 TD passes in Week 12 meeting. • RB BIJAN ROBINSON had career-high 195 rush yards & had rush TD & TD catch in Week 17 & is 1 of 6 players this season with 195+ rush yards in a single game. Has 5,605 scrimmage yards, most by a player under the age of 24 in NFL history. Aims for 4th in row with TD. Aims for 8th in row with 90+ scrimmage yards. Had 107 scrimmage yards in Week 12 meeting & aims for 3rd in row vs. NO with 100+ scrimmage yards. • WR DRAKE LONDON has 100+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 games at home. Had 97 rec. yards in last game vs. NO (11/10/24). • TE KYLE PITTS has TD catch in 2 of his past 3 games. Has 50+ rec. yards in 4 of his past 5. Ranks 4th among TEs with 3,521 rec. yards & 8th with 278 receptions since 2021. • EDGE JAMES PEARCE (rookie) has 0.5+ sack in 7 of his past 8 games. Has sack in 2 of his past 3 at home. Ranks 1st among rookies with 8.5 sacks this season. Had 1.5 sacks & TFL in Week 12 meeting. • EDGE JALON WALKER ranks 2nd among rookies with 5.5 sacks this season. Had sack in Week 12 meeting. • LB DIVINE DEABLO led team with 10 tackles in Week 17. Aims for 3rd in row at home with 6+ tackles. Had 8 tackles & TFL in Week 12 meeting. • CB A.J. TERRELL had 7 tackles & 2 PD in Week 17. Aims for 3rd in row with 7+ tackles at home & 6th in row with PD. • S JESSIE BATES had 7 tackles & INT-TD in Week 17. Aims for 3rd in row with PD. Had 7 tackles & PD in Week 12 meeting. • S XAVIER WATTS (rookie) had 2 INTs & 3 PD in Week 17, 1 of 3 to do such in a single game this season. Ranks 3rd among rookies with 10 PD in 2025.
Game Odds
New Orleans Saints 44.5
Atlanta Falcons – 3.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Saturday, January 3, 2026
