After a Christmas Day win for the Packers sealed their number 1 seed in the NFC, it's between teh Saints and the 49ers for the second bye. The 49ers are half a game ahead with their win on Saturday, and the Saints can level things up again tonight with a win against their divisional rivals the Falcons to take it down to the last day of the regular season. The Falcons still have an outside chance of winning the division, if they win both games and the Saints lose both, while the Saints clinch the division and at least one home playoff game with a win at the Superdome tonight.
Atlanta (9-5) at New Orleans (11-3)
When the Falcons have been good, they've been really good, and when they've been bad they've been awful this year. Matt Ryan has an impressive 26 touchdowns, but his 12 interceptions have hampered the Falcons badly. Rookie wide receiver Julio Jones has enjoyed a productive debut season, while veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez is having one of his best ever seasons.
Drew Brees needs just 307 yards to break Dan Marino's single season passing yards record. With 37 touchdowns thrown among those yards, Brees is having an MVP calibre season, and he's having a lot of help! Second year tight end Jimmy Graham needs 120 yards to break the record for most receiving yards in a single season by a tight end, while four other receivers are over 500 yards receiving. With the star of free agency Darren Sproles well over 1,000 all purpose yards, the Saints will be a force against whoever they come up against in the playoffs.
At home, they've looked unstoppable, and I feel the Saints will have far too much for the Falcons on this night.
Prediction: Atlanta 17 New Orleans 41
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