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Atlanta Falcons Play Saints in Big Easy on TNF

By John Buhler

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The Atlanta Falcons take their unlikely 5-0 record to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome to face the hated New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football in Week 6.

The Atlanta Falcons (5-0) venture to the Crescent City to face their arch nemesis in the New Orleans Saints (1-4) tonight at 8:25 PM ET on Thursday Night Football. You can catch the telecast on both CBS and the NFL Network.

-= Related: Julio Jones Probable for TNF =-

Atlanta enters the road game with their rival as a 3.5 point favorite, despite being four games ahead of New Orleans in the NFC South Standings. That’s because fans believe that this rivalry game will result in a close, high-scoring shootout like so many of its 92 predecessors. Atlanta holds the series over the Saints at 49-43.

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The over/under for this Week 6 matchup is 51.5, so we’re looking at a 28-24 Atlanta Falcons’ projected victory in theory. That sounds fair, but Thursday Night Football games are notorious for their persistently bad showings from both teams involved in the game.

Atlanta will hold out OLB Justin Durant (elbow) and C Mike Person (ankle) in this game. Expect OLB Joplo Bartu to play more in Durant’s absence and C James Stone to start in Person’s place. Bartu and Stone were both starters on the 2014 Atlanta Falcons, so this isn’t unfamiliar territory for either former UDFA.

Listed as probable for the Atlanta Falcons are RB Devonta Freeman (toe), WR Leonard Hankerson (ribs), and WR Julio Jones (hamstring/toe). I did not expect either Freeman or Jones to miss this game, due to their importance in OC Kyle Shanahan’s offensive scheme, but I thought Hankerson miss sit out Week 6 because of his injury-riddled past as a professional.

For the Saints, P Thomas Morstead (right quadricep) and former UGA DB Damian Swann (concussion) won’t play tonight. I was actually looking forward to seeing Swann play as a professional, but I’ll have to wait until the Saints come to the Dome in December. Not having Morstead sounds like bad news for the Saints, as Morstead has been a reliable special teamer for them for years. Keep an eye on his replacement.

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Also note that WR Marques Colston, the New Orleans Saints’ most decorated receiver, is doubtful (shoulder) for Thursday Night. QB Drew Brees has a tremendous rapport with Colston, who he often targets in the red zone. Should Colston be unable to go, who will Brees look to as his security blanket?

For the Atlanta Falcons to move to 6-0 tonight, the team must do three things: 1. Get penetration on the interior of the defensive line. 2. Matt Ryan must take better care of the football. 3. Atlanta must win on special teams. Should Atlanta do those three things and play their brand of football under new HC Dan Quinn, I know the Falcons will move to 6-0.

Prediction: Atlanta Falcons 31, New Orleans Saints 24.

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