Fleur-de-Links - Monday, December 27: New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons MNF Gameday Edition

Man, oh man.  Woman, oh woman.  Vegetable, oh vegetable.  Mineral, oh mineral.  (Again, with the words.)

The date we all circled long ago when the 2010 NFL schedule came out is here.  December 27, 2010.  Monday Night Football vs. the Atlanta Falcons.

We had hoped this game would have playoff implications, and boy, does it!  A Saints win secures us a playoff berth, denies the Falcons the NFC South Title and #1 NFC seed for at least one more week, and even keeps our faint hopes alive for snatching both of those from Atlanta in Week 17 (with a win over Tampa Bay coupled with a miraculous halt of Carolina's steep decline for one week in an upset of the Falcons).  (Writer's note: there's nothing wrong with keeping hope alive.)

The Saints have their work cut out for them, and so do you.  You have to absorb all the pre-game chatter, info, stats and angles you can to be ready for tonight's game.  You have to plan your pre-game meal, gameday gear, and location of game viewing.  I sincerely hope you have given all of this much consideration before now and "Rise Up" to the challenge.  If you follow that link, you'll see that we have to rise up higher than the entire city of Atlanta today.

Let's do this.

PS - As a final nod to the Christmas holiday, please read the picture caption to the tune of Nat King Cole on "The Christmas Song."   That is all.

Saints vs Falcons coverage

Saints vs Falcons preview

The Falcoholic

Since we surely won't be hearing this song during timeouts and just prior to kickoffs at tonight's game, we need to hear it now...

Twitter

iWillSmith R.I.P. Teena Marie
Official_Saints Wishing safe travels to all our fans who are traveling to Atlanta. Thanks for the support & see ya in the Georgia Dome tomorrow night!
alexbrown96 Monday night football against the hated Falcons... Does it get any better than this?? I'm sure it does but we need this one BAD!!! Who Dat!
jeffduncantp Headed back home from a great Christmas trip to Denver-Salida, Colo. Much-needed break. Will be back in full-time #Saints mode tomorrow.
HeathEvans Watching "The Blindside," the NCAA women in this movie is a jerk.....like the rest of them in real life! #fb
Official_Saints Nice win by the @Hornets vs the Atlanta Hawks tonight in NOLA. Hopefully we keep that theme going tomorrow night! Is it Monday yet?
j_bushrod7475 Colossians 3.23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men...
jeffduncantp Ex-Saints execs Randy & Rick Mueller in 49ers mix? @timkawakami: RT @MaioccoCSN some candidates for 49ers GM job. http://bit.ly/fy2U8j
LanceMoore16 Its finally gameday. Can't wait until tonight. Its gonna be a great one. #whodat

dmcallister26  Who Dat Nation yall r far to kind. Thanks for the B-day wishes. All this big kid wants tho is a W from the boys n black&gold
alexbrown96 On the monday countdown commercial! RT @SaintsBreesus: I just saw @karimarbrown and @alexbrown96 son with the clown mask on. Who Dat!!!!
HeathEvans Time for my afternoon nap! #MNF tradition! #fb
Pierre_Thomas game day baby! bout to lay it down now and get some rest before #MNF
miketripletttp Saints' regular season finale against Tampa Bay next week remains scheduled for noon kickoff. ... It didn't get 'flexed' by the NFL.

From the Saints Sideline

New Orleans Saints-Atlanta Falcons rivalry more important than ever | NOLA.com
Nakia Hogan - Teams squaring off with supremacy on the line.

Saints-Falcons Preview: True toss-up game in Atlanta | neworleans.com
Brian Allee-Walsh

High stakes | 2theadvocate.com
Sheldon Mickles

Inside the game: New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons | NOLA.com
James Varney - Key matchups in tonight's game.

New Orleans Saints have a lot on the line vs. Atlanta Falcons | NOLA.com
Mike Triplett - Payback, playoffs, pride at stake.

Hartley would welcome a second chance against Falcons | wwltv.com | Eye on Black and Gold
Scott Cody - Monday night, two days after Christmas, will be a chance for kicker Garrett Hartley to revisit some ghosts of the past. 

Saints/Falcons Preview | WWL | AM870 | FM105.3
Deke Bellavia

Statistics - Gimme Some Stats...Stat!!

New Orleans Saints have best record among NFC South teams since 2006 | NOLA.com
Staff Report - Atlanta Falcons are second.

New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons don't give up many sacks | NOLA.com
Staff Report - Falcons third, Saints fourth in sacks allowed through 14 games.

New Orleans Saints' top statistical performances against the Atlanta Falcons | NOLA.com
Staff report - Deuce McAllister has the single-game high vs. the Dirty Birds.

New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons lead the NFL in third-down conversions | NOLA.com
Staff report. Three of Saints losses have come when they don't hit their average

New Orleans Saints among the top road teams in the NFL | NOLA.com
Staff report.

Falcon's Eye View

Falcons, Saints have rivalry to be appreciated  | ajc.com
D. Orlando Ledbetter - Former Saints and Falcons quarterback Bobby Hebert is an expert on perhaps the most under-appreciated rivalry in the National Football League.

Saints at Falcons: 5 what ifs . . .  | ajc.com
D. Orlando Ledbetter - As the 12-2 Falcons prepare to meet the 10-4 New Orleans Saints in a game that could help Atlanta win its fourth division title, what if …

With NFC South at stake, Falcons turn to 4 offensive threats one more time  | ajc.com
D. Orlando Ledbetter - Borrowing from ancient times, if not a golden football era, the Falcons have a modern-day version of the Four Horsemen, who have put them on the verge of claiming the NFC playoffs No. 1 seed for the first time.

Falcon fever for Monday Night Football  | ajc.com
Steve Hummer - The Falcons have an eight-game winning streak and the NFL’s best record at 12-2.

THE MASTER PLAN: Slowing down Drew Brees | ajc.com
D. Orlando Ledbetter - New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is still pretty dangerous, but his play has dipped some this season.

Cheat Sheet: Falcons vs. Saints | atlantafalcons.com
AtlantaFalcons.com contributing writer Daniel Cox scours the media guides and statbooks to bring you varying levels of football knowledge for all types of Falcons fans.

Gameday: Falcons vs. Saints | atlantafalcons.com
It all comes down to this, just the way it should. Two division rivals facing off on Monday Night Football with the Falcons having a shot to lock up the NFC South title, the No. 1 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. INCLUDES: broadcast info and links to pre-game coverage.

Lagniappe

Illustrated look at how the New Orleans Saints offense performed last week | NOLA.com
Dan Swenson - Graphic breakdown of top Saints offensive players.

Five reasons why Saints-Falcons is huge | NFC South Blog | ESPN.com
Pay Y. - Let's step beyond the obvious -- implications on the NFC South race, home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and bragging rights-- and look at five more reasons why the "Monday Night Football" game between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons is huge.

Bobby: Blow The Lid Off The Georgia Dome! | WWL | AM870 | FM105.3
Staff report.

Atlanta Spirit No Match For The Who Dat Nation | WWL | AM870 | FM105.3
Don Ames. Includes audio clip of Mike Conti conversation.

Looking at NFC South playoff picture - NFC South Blog - ESPN.com
Pat Y. -- I just arrived in the city that has a very good chance to be the temporary home of headquarters for the NFC South Blog throughout the postseason.

New Orleans Saints missed chance to clinch playoff spot Sunday as Tampa Bay defeats Seattle | NOLA.com
Mike Triplett - The Saints needed Tampa Bay to lose on Sunday to clinch.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain in playoff hunt: NFL roundup | NOLA.com
Associated Press - Recapping Sunday's NFL action.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez dominates the stats | NOLA.com
Staff report - Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey climbing the charts, but TG is at or near the top of the major categories...

V-Roll Roll Call