Week 14 of the NFL kicks off on Thursday Night Football with one of the hottest teams in the league playing a division rival in desperate need of a win as the New Orleans Saints (9-3) take on the Atlanta Falcons (7-5).
The Falcons lost to the Minnesota Vikings 14-9 last week in a game where star wide receiver Julio Jones just managed two catches for 24 yards and quarterback Matt Ryan ended with just 174 passing yards as the Vikings kept Atlanta out of the end zone.
The sputtering offensive display was not only the big reason as to why Atlanta lost the game but a cause for concern for the Falcons as their performance left everybody on the team feeling frustrated.
Atlanta thus will look to jumpstart their offense by going to Jones early and often, to try to score and keep pace with quarterback Drew Brees and the rest of the potent Saints offense.
If the Falcons want to win this game Jones has to finish with over 10 catches, more than 175 receiving yards and at least a couple of scores. Not only that, but their offensive line must help to establish the run by getting good pushes to the front side.
If they want their ground attack to start clicking once again they must go back to using surge run plays to open holes for Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman as Atlanta’s backs can also produce big-time run plays to score quickly and help keep Brees and the rest of the Saints offense off the field.
For the Saints, they must find ways to keep running back Alvin Kamara involved making catches out of the backfield because that’s what makes them a special football team. He gives them a versatility and flexibility on offense that keeps few teams in the NFL have right now.
But the Saints are a two-headed monster at the running back position as they also use Mark Ingram to put together a rushing attack that ranks third in the league with 17111 yards, 142.6 yards per game (ranked 3rd in the NFL) and averages five yards per attempt (best in the league).
Their success is of course anchored by a great offensive line that has allowed both Kamara and Ingram to average over five yards per rush when running between the tackles this season.
If both running backs can produce this kind of numbers against the Falcons, New Orleans will control the game and hand Atlanta their second straight home loss.
