Over the past two seasons, the NFC South has been less than impressive.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinched the division in 2022 despite an 8-9 record, then regained the title with a 9-8 mark last season.
But the South has looked stronger so far this year, and the New Orleans Saints and hometown Atlanta Falcons will look to prove they are contenders when they continue their longtime rivalry Sunday afternoon.
Sunday’s match begins a crucial three-game stretch for both the Saints (2-1) and Falcons (1-2).
After playing Atlanta, New Orleans will face the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs before hosting Tampa Bay. The Falcons, meanwhile, are preparing for three straight weeks of division opponents starting Sunday.
But for now, all attention is focused on the 111th meeting between the long-time rivals. Each team has 55 all-time series wins.
“Division is coming to town and we better be ready to deal with it,” Atlanta coach Raheem Morris said. “This will determine a lot about us at the end of the day, but for now it’s best to focus on the New Orleans Saints.”
“It’s always a tough battle with those guys. They have a lot of familiar faces that have been there over the years. It’s a rivalry that grows when you play against them. It’s been special for a long time and I hope it stays special.”
One area of concern for Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta offense was third-down conversions. The Falcons have been successful on just 22.2% (6 of 27) of third downs faced this year, the third-lowest rate in the league.
Atlanta went 2-for-9 in Sunday night’s 22-17 home loss to the Chiefs.
“Our third-down offense wasn’t very good,” Morris said. “It’s been an emphasis for us, keeping the drives going so we can maintain and overcome possession. We need to have more time in possession, so we can have more plays and keep our defense off the field longer.”
The Falcons’ 16.3 points per game ranks 26th in the league.
Meanwhile, the Saints’ offense has been historically potent to start the season. New Orleans became the fifth team all-time to score at least 44 points in each of their first two games.
The Saints defeated the Carolina Panthers 47-10 in Week 1 before defeating the Dallas Cowboys 44-19 in Week 2. New Orleans fell flat again last time out, losing 15-12 to the visiting Philadelphia Eagles.
As he prepares for Sunday, Saints coach Dennis Allen may know the rivalry better than anyone.
The son of former Falcons player Grady Allen, Dennis was a defensive assistant in Atlanta from 2002-05 before two coaching stints in New Orleans.
“It’s a fun game to be a part of,” Allen said. “Whether we play them in the Superdome or in their stadium, it’s always been a great atmosphere and it’s always been a lot of fun to compete against them.”
New Orleans, which defeated Atlanta 48-17 in last year’s regular season finale, saw its offensive success continue into 2024.
Much of that can be attributed to the performance of running back Alvin Kamara. His 285 rushing yards rank fourth in the league, while his four rushing touchdowns rank first.
Kamara did not participate in Wednesday’s practice due to a hip and rib injury. Offensive guard Cesar Ruiz (knee), cornerback Alontae Taylor (illness) and linebacker Demario Davis (hamstring) also did not show up for practice.
Atlanta center Drew Dalman was placed on injured reserve with a sprained ankle, while tackle Kaleb McGary did not practice Wednesday with a sprained anterior cruciate ligament. Ryan Neuzil is expected to start for the fifth time in his career on Sunday in Dalman’s absence.
