NFL teams
Associated Press 10y

Saints-Falcons Capsule

NFL, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons

NEW ORLEANS (12-6) at ATLANTA (4-12)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox

OPENING LINE -- Saints by 1½

RECORD VS. SPREAD -- Saints 9-7-2, Falcons 7-9-0

SERIES RECORD -- Falcons lead 47-43

LAST MEETING -- Saints beat Falcons 17-13, Nov. 21, 2013

AP PRO32 RANKING -- Saints No. 5, Falcons No. 20

SAINTS OFFENSE -- OVERALL (4), RUSH (25), PASS (2)

SAINTS DEFENSE -- OVERALL (4), RUSH (19), PASS (2)

FALCONS OFFENSE -- OVERALL (14), RUSH (32), PASS (7)

FALCONS DEFENSE -- OVERALL (27), RUSH (31), PASS (21)

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES -- Saints have won 13 of past 16 meetings against Falcons. ... Nine of past 12 games between teams have been decided by eight points or fewer. ... Atlanta QB Matt Ryan was sacked career-high 44 times last season. ... Falcons have two new starters on beleaguered offensive line: LT Jake Matthews, the No. 6 overall draft pick, and RG Jon Asamoah. ... Saints DE Cam Jordan and OLB Junior Galette combined for 24½ sacks, while massive DT Akiem Hicks had 4½ sacks and 56 tackles while constantly being double-teamed. ... Atlanta's Roddy White had an NFC-leading 43 catches for 502 yards and two touchdowns in December after being hobbled by a sprained ankle much of the season. ... Saints' biggest move in free agency was signing Pro Bowl S Jairus Byrd, who had 22 interceptions and twice led AFC in that category during five seasons with Buffalo. ... Falcons RB Steven Jackson had a career-low 543 yards rushing in 2013 after eight straight 1,000-yard seasons. He didn't play at all in preseason while nursing a hamstring injury. ... New Orleans TE Jimmy Graham has 270 receptions for 3,507 yards and 36 TDs over the past three seasons. ... Atlanta's replacement for retired TE Tony Gonzalez is second-year player Levine Toilolo, who had 11 catches for 55 yards and two TDs as a rookie.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL

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