The Atlanta Falcons failed to keep in step with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for first place in the NFC South after the former lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13. The Falcons will try to recover some ground and bounce back in Week 15 as they play the New Orleans Saints on the road. The Falcons are still within striking distance of first place in their division, and a win here would surely bolster their chances of grabbing the top spot. Here are our Falcons Week 15 predictions as they take on the Saints.
On Sunday, the Falcons and Saints will face off in a crucial NFC South showdown at the Caesars Superdome. Both teams are still in the running for the division title, but their margin of error is getting increasingly thin. The Falcons come into this game having lost two in a row. Likewise, the Saints have also lost their last two games.
In their first matchup of the season, the Saints narrowly defeated the Falcons on the road in the season opener. The Falcons will be looking for revenge in this game, as they were unable to hold onto a fourth-quarter lead in their previous meeting. The first matchup between these two teams was one of the most exciting games of the NFL season for fans, but it was a heartbreaker for Atlanta.
The Falcons have lost four of their last five games overall, including their last two by single digits. The schedule doesn't get any easier after Sunday's game, so the pressure is starting to mount for the Falcons. They have struggled on the road this season, but if they can turn things around in this game, it could go a long way toward determining where they end up at the end of the regular season.
Both teams are desperate for a win in this matchup, as they chase the dream of a division title. The Saints will look to continue their dominance over the Falcons, while the Falcons will aim to avenge their previous loss and get back on track. It should be an exciting and competitive game between these two NFC South rivals.
With all these in mind, here are our four bold predictions for the Falcons in their Week 15 game against the Saints.
White jersey & black pants in The Big Easy
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 16, 2022
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4. QB Desmond Ridder debuts and goes over 160 yards
Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith announced on Monday that Desmond Ridder will be the team's starting quarterback for their Week 15 game against the Saints. This will be Ridder's first NFL start. He takes over for Marcus Mariota, who has been placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury that requires surgery.
Keep in mind that the Falcons signed Logan Woodside from the Tennessee Titans' practice squad to provide depth at the quarterback position. However, it is unlikely that he will seriously challenge Ridder for the starting role for the remainder of the season. During the preseason, Ridder demonstrated his dual-threat abilities. In fact, he completed 34-of-56 passes for 431 yards. He also had three touchdowns, two interceptions, and rushed eight times for 58 yards in three games.
The Saints allowed 215 passing yards to Mariota in their first matchup of the season, and it remains to be seen how the offense will perform under Ridder's leadership. We do have him surpassing at least 160 total yards in his debut as a starter.
3. WR Drake London
During Week 13's loss to the Steelers, Falcons WR Drake London caught six-of-12 targets for 95 yards. That set a new career high. London was targeted on half of Mariota's 24 pass attempts. All of his receptions went for at least 10 yards. That included a 37-yard catch in the second quarter.
With Kyle Pitts out for the season due to a knee injury, London will look to continue his strong performance and become Atlanta's top receiving option. Moving forward, London will be playing with Ridder as the team's quarterback instead of Mariota. Despite the change at quarterback, it is likely that Ridder will look to London as a reliable target. That's because there aren't many other options on the Falcons depth chart. We have him going over 75 yards in Week 15.
2. RB Cordarrelle Patterson still cannot score
Atlanta RB Cordarrelle Patterson has been sharing playing time with Tyler Allgeier and has not scored in the past four weeks. It is uncertain if he will see more playing time with the change in quarterback to Ridder.
Patterson would like to replicate his performance in Week 1 when he had a strong outing with 120 rushing yards and a touchdown. However, with Allgeier also involved in the offense, he may not get as many carries as he did before. Patterson, however, still plays a role in the passing game, which gives him an advantage over Allgeier.
Given that, Patterson has not performed well in recent games. In fact, he did not even have a catch in Week 13 against Pittsburgh. In the past, Patterson has had success against the Saints, but the Falcons starting a rookie quarterback makes it unclear how much Patterson will be involved. Keep in mind as well that the Saints have not allowed a rushing touchdown since Week 9. Patterson should easily go over 55 yards in Week 15, but don't expect him to find the endzone.
1. Texans lose another one on the road
The Falcons and Saints have had some close games in recent seasons. However, this matchup is expected to be won by the Saints, who will be trying to sweep the season series. The Falcons will face challenges, especially with a rookie quarterback facing one of the league's strongest defenses.
Despite their success in running the ball, the Falcons have struggled to defend consistently. Another disadvantage for the Falcons is that they will be playing on the road. They have a poor record of 1-5 away from home.
It's just a recipe for defeat staring the Falcons in Week 15. They have to play superhuman to win, but we don't see that happening at all. They take another L on the road and fall further in the NFC South standings.
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