New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 1/9/2022

by Chuck Sommers

Wednesday, Jan 05, 2022
Game time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Where to watch: FOX

Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks


DraftKings: Saints -4.5; O/U 39.5; Saints -220, Falcons +180
BetMGM: Saints -4.5; O/U 40.5; Saints -200, Falcons +165
Caesars: Saints -4.5; O/U 40; Saints -222, Falcons +180

Season record
Saints: 8-8 (2nd place, NFC South)
Falcons: 7-9 (3rd place, NFC South)

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Saints - Falcons preview and analysis


Last week
Saints: won 18-10 vs. Panthers
Falcons: lost 29-15 at Bills

Divine intervention happens in sports all the time. For example, the New Orleans Saints have a chance to clinch a playoff spot despite going through 30 quarterbacks and many more shenanigans.

But it's simple for the Saints: Win against the Atlanta Falcons in the ATL, and pray for a San Francisco 49ers loss against the Los Angeles Rams, and New Orleans returns to the postseason sans Drew Brees.

Lose, and the 49ers get in regardless.

Sean Payton has a Super Bowl, many seasons of success and postseason success alike. If he can get this team to the playoffs with having quarterbacks like Jameis Winston, Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill, it might be the best coaching job of his career to date.

The Saints are coming off an 8-point win against the Carolina Panthers where the New Orleans defense came to play yet again. New Orleans kept the Panthers to just 178 total yards of offense and forced two turnovers. Hill threw for 222 yards and a touchdown on 17 of 28 passing while leading the Saints with 45 rushing yards on 12 carries.

Cameron Jordan had 3.5 of the Saints' 7 sacks while holding a returning Sam Darnold to just 132 yards and an interception.

"It's a full-blown push from the entire D-line," Jordan said. "We're a force to be reckoned with. ... When we take over the game, there's not much anybody can do."

On the flip side, the Falcons are missing the playoffs for yet another season and the Matt Ryan window may be shut. The best quarterback in franchise history is not going to get another chance at the Super Bowl after the Falcons lost by two touchdowns to the Buffalo Bills.

Ryan finished with 197 yards on 13 of 23 passing, and the Atlanta offense could not bail out its defense despite intercepting Josh Allen three times and holding him to 120 yards. That allowed Bills running back Devin Singletary to run for 110 yards and two touchdowns.

"We fell short, so it's tough," said Falcons safety Duron Harmon. "But we're a young team and this will be a feeling that hopefully everybody in the locker room remembers, leaving the field, the Bills clinching a playoff berth. Hopefully we can use that as some type of motivation to get back to this point where we're playing meaning football in late December."

A young team that may look to change things down the road. It's some weird times in Atlanta.

Prediction


I'd normally take the better quarterback in this situation but given how the Saints' defense has played as of late, that quarterback may be on the way out at this rate. I can't see Ryan cracking this New Orleans defense with the Saints needing everything to play for. Saints by 14

Betting trends


The Saints are 1-7 ATS in the last eight following an ATS win.

The Falcons are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games.

The Saints are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings in Atlanta.

Statistical leaders


Saints:
Passing: Taysom Hill -- 871 yards, 3 TD, 5 INT
Rushing: Alvin Kamara -- 752 yards, 4 TD
Receiving: Marquez Callaway -- 698 yards, 6 TD
Defense: Cameron Jordan -- 11.5 sacks

Falcons:
Passing: Matt Ryan -- 3,752 yards, 19 TD, 11 INT
Rushing: Cordarrelle Patterson -- 607 yards, 6 TD
Receiving: Kyle Pitts -- 1,018 yards, 1 TD
Defense: Dante Fowler -- 4.5 sacks

Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert football picks today. And if you enjoyed this New Orleans Saints - Atlanta Falcons prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NFL projections and previews.

Chuck Sommers

About the Author:

Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

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