The Atlanta Falcons are preparing for their final regular-season game against the New Orleans Saints, a matchup that will determine the standings in the NFC South. Both teams have already been eliminated from playoff contention but have shown improvement in recent weeks, with Atlanta winning three consecutive games and New Orleans securing four straight victories.
Head coach Raheem Morris did not hide his feelings about the rivalry, saying, “We don’t like the Saints.” The significance of this divisional contest is clear throughout the Falcons organization.
“I’m still learning about the rivalry myself,” said inside linebacker Divine Deablo. “But you can feel it around the building that we want this one bad.”
The two teams last met in Week 12, when Atlanta won 24-10. In recent seasons, the Falcons and Saints have split their series, maintaining a balanced 56-56 record in regular-season matchups. The last time Atlanta swept New Orleans was in 2016.
“It’s a battle between New Orleans and the ATL,” safety Jessie Bates III said. “It’s something that naturally you got to embrace when you come into the organization and understand the importance of that game. Even though we’re not playing for a playoff spot right now, it’s still important to let your rival, your peers, know that this is who we are.”
Heading into Week 18, the Carolina Panthers lead the NFC South at 8-8, followed by Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons both at 7-9. The Buccaneers hold a tiebreaker over Atlanta based on common games. The Saints are fourth at 6-10.
If Carolina wins its Saturday game against Tampa Bay, it will clinch the division title. Sunday’s outcome between Atlanta and New Orleans could determine second place depending on other results.
For Atlanta, finishing second with a four-game win streak would be considered a positive end to what has been a challenging season.
“You can just have that feeling going into the offseason of we were a couple of games off,” Bates said. “You can understand that margin of error going into next year, that maybe we should start the winning streak earlier in the season. But it is a long season. When you start off slow, you tend to forget about the back end of the season and how you can really still finish strong.”
Quarterback Kirk Cousins added: “Finishing strong is important. It does change your feelings as you have your exit meetings the following day, as you kind of head into the offseason. A win any time in the year is a different emotional lift, and the last one of the year is the same way.”
According to Over The Cap, 28 Falcons players will become free agents when the new league year begins on March 11, meaning changes are expected within the roster.
“I feel like we became a family here,” Deablo said. “During meetings, we would really try to understand each other, like what’s our ‘why.’ Why do we play football? That made us closer as a group.
“Hopefully we can end this thing the right way.”
The Atlanta Falcons compete in the NFL’s NFC South division and are based in Atlanta, Georgia. The team began as an expansion franchise in 1965 and has appeared twice in the Super Bowl, most recently in 2016. Freddie the Falcon serves as their official mascot (official website).
