New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons Game Prediction

The longstanding rivalry of New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons is set up for another scintillating round on December 18th when the two sides face off at the 73,000-capacity Superdome. Let’s have a look at what the two teams have in store when they clash heads again in 2022.

New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons: Let’s Put This Game Into Context

These two teams joined the NFL just a year apart, with the Saints arriving in 1967 and the Falcons in 1966. They made an initial mark for being the first two teams in the league from the Deep South, meaning they were vying to be the main representatives of a part of the US that, until then, had been left outside the mainstream of football.

The sport was already sparse in the US south in general, and the two teams’ introduction also presented a challenge to the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins.

The New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons rivalry was kept mainly local at first, stirring up tensions between both sides’ fans but rarely getting much hype in the mainstream while both teams struggled to find much success.

While non-southerners are unlikely to remember the match, Atlanta’s 62-7 victory of New Orleans in 1973 is still the largest loss in the Saints’ history. As such, it is etched into both sides’ minds forever.

New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons: Historical matchups and statistics

The contest between the two has become a more well-known phenomenon in recent years. The two sides’ increased success beginning in the 2000s meant the battle for dominance of the NFC South was something all football fans started to take notice of.

And that battle has always remained close. In the 107 games the two sides have faced each other, victories are split almost exactly down the middle. The Falcons have a total of 54 wins to the Saints’ 53.

The two sides kicked off the 2022 season together, playing out a frantic 27-26 victory to the Saints that went to the very death in week 1.
As time goes on, the rivalry between the two sides only seems to improve as both the Falcons and Saints stamp their mark on American NFL culture, and the clash takes on more and more importance outside of the South.

New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons NFL Prediction: Seasons So Far

The Saints’ season so far hasn’t gone quite as planned, with the offense, in particular, repeatedly underwhelming. Their shortcomings in this area were painfully obvious against the San Francisco 49ers, who completely shut them out in a dominant victory in Week 12.

Double-digit losses are now looking more likely than not for the Saints, who haven’t hit such a number since 2005, when Hurricane Katrina disrupted the season.

The Falcons are just about keeping their NFC playoff dreams alive, but they’ll have to find some more consistent form soon if they want to make it a reality.

Kyle Pitts’ injury doesn’t help the Falcons’ cause, who often rely on his ability to help get them over the line. Still, turning their negative record into a positive one should be more than possible if the team can adjust to his loss. After all, their run at the beginning of the season showed more there’s talent on the side than people initially let on.

Upcoming games NFL Week 16

For week 16, we also bring you these two team’s upcoming games: Falcons vs. Ravens and Saints vs. Browns.

New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons Match Prediction

The Falcons’ season has certainly been going more smoothly than their rivals, but the injury of Kyle Pitts and home advantage will probably be just enough to push things toward a victory for the New Orleans Saints.

With that said, even if New Orleans is slightly more likely to come out on top, you can expect the Falcons will make it very difficult for them.

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Odds Analysis and Previous Match History