Falcons at Saints
7:30 p.m. Central, ESPN
LINE — Saints by 2½
SERIES Falcons lead 49-45; Saints beat Falcons 20-17, Jan. 3, 2016
NOTES Game will be played nearly 10 years to date of Superdome’s reopening following extensive repairs of damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. Falcons also were visitors in that game, losing 23-3 in game often remembered for Steve Gleason’s blocked punt on the game’s fourth play from scrimmage. Current Saints Coach Sean Payton was working his third regular-season game as NFL head coach, Falcons were coached by current UCLA Coach Jim L. Mora, whose father had coached Saints from 1986-1996. … Falcons Coach Dan Quinn was on Miami’s staff when Dolphins played hurricane-displaced Saints at LSU’s Tiger Stadium in 2005.
FALCONS TO WATCH Quinn is in search of first victory over Saints as head coach after going 0-2 vs. New Orleans last year. … QB Matt Ryan passed for 396 yards and three TDs last week. … Falcons WR Julio Jones has 100-plus yards receiving in three of past four meetings. … TE Jacob Tamme had 75 yards receiving and TD last week. …
SAINTS TO WATCH Saints QB Drew Brees has passed for 300-plus yards in past four meetings. Brees has passed for 300-plus yards and three-plus TDs in four of past five Monday night games. … WR Brandin Cooks has TD catch in past six home games. … DE Cameron Jordan had sack last week, has four sacks, forced fumble in past two meetings. … LB Craig Robertson, acquired this year as free agent, has 10-plus tackles in each of Saints’ first two games. S Kenny Vaccaro had nine tackles, forced fumble last week. He’s had six-plus tackles in past three games.
FANTASY TIP Saints TE Coby Fleener is hungry for breakout game with new team and Atlanta’s defense has been vulnerable to TE targets in Weeks 1 and 2.
INJURY REPORT FALCONS: DNP: LB De’Vondre Campbell (ankle), WR Julio Jones (calf), LB Paul Worrilow (groin). LIMITED: WR Justin Hardy (shoulder), S Keanu Neal (knee), DE Brooks Reed (shoulder), WR Mohamed Sanu (ankle). FULL: DE Dwight Freeney (not injury related), DT Ra’Shede Hageman (illness), S Kemal Ishmael (shoulder), DE Tyson Jackson (heel), DT Grady Jarrett (elbow). SAINTS: DNP: T Terron Armstead (Arkansas Pine-Bluff) (knee), CB Delvin Breaux (fibula), DT Tyler Davison (shoulder, foot), LB Dannell Ellerbe (quadricep), TE Josh Hill (ankle), WR Willie Snead (toe), S Kenny Vaccaro (ankle). LIMITED: DE Cameron Jordan (knee).