Brees and Ryan had some terrific shootouts in the now-imploded Georgia Dome, but they meet for the first time in the gleaming new Mercedes-Benz Stadium – also the site of this season’s College Football Playoff national title game.

Point Spread and Betting Analysis

It’s quite unusual for these NFC South rivals to play their first game against one another this late in the season. They will play again in New Orleans in Week 16. Atlanta closes with four divisional games.

With the quality of quarterbacks, its no surprise the teams played two very high-scoring games in 2016, with Atlanta winning both on the way to the NFC South title. The last regular-season game in the Georgia Dome was Week 17 last year, a 38-32 Falcons victory. If Ryan wasn’t already going to be named NFL MVP, that game likely clinched it as he threw for 331 yards and four scores. Atlanta was up 35-13 at the half, scoring TD on all five first-half possessions. All four of Ryan’s TD were before intermission and he was 17-for-19 in the half. The Saints scored 19 in the fourth quarter to make things interesting but couldn’t recover a late onside kick.

The Falcons are 4-6 SU & 5-5 ATS in the past 10 at home in the series. They have not won back-to-back games in that stretch.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints (9-3 SU, 8-4 ATS) have been one of the better bets in the NFL and are in sole possession of first in the NFC South after completing a season sweep of a good Carolina team on Sunday, 31-21. Alvin Kamara continued his brilliant first season – he’s your clear NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year favourite – with two touchdowns and 126 yards from scrimmage.

The Saints probably have the best 1-2 punch at running back in the league in Mark Ingram (14 carries, 85 yards, TD; six catches for 37 yards) and Kamara, who leads the league in averaging an absurd 7.0 yards per carry. Ingram and Kamara have combined for an average of 234 yards from scrimmage since Week 6. Also in Sunday’s win, Brees moved past Peyton Manning into second place in NFL history in completions.

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta (7-5 SU, 5-7 ATS) had its three-game winning streak snapped in a 14-9 home loss to scorching-hot Minnesota. The Falcons were held to 275 yards of offence and 1-for-10 on third down. Atlanta entered converting a league-best 48.1 per cent of its third downs. Ryan threw for only 173 yards. Starting tailback Devonta Freeman returned after missing two games with an injury and rushed for 74 yards on 12 carries. It’s going to be a challenge for the Falcons to return to the playoffs with league’s toughest remaining schedule (including visiting these Saints on Christmas Eve).

Saints vs Falcons Prediction