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Saints vs. Falcons Thursday Night Football Preview and Matchup History

A detailed look at the long history between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, as well as some standout individual performances by players from both teams before their Thursday Night Football matchup on NFL Network in the Georgia Dome.

By Dave Cariello
Stacy Revere

WEEK 12 - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (8-2) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (2-8)

SERIES

SAINTS

FALCONS

SERIES LEADER

46-42

STREAKS

12 of past 15

COACHES VS. OPP.

Payton: 11-2

Smith: 3-8

LAST WEEK

W 23-20 vs. 49ers

L 41-28 at Buccaneers

LAST GAME

9/8/13: Falcons 17 at Saints 23. New Orleans QB Drew Brees completes 26 of 35 passes for 357 yards & 2 TDs for 113.6 rating. Saints S Roman Harper adds INT & FR.

LAST GAME AT SITE

11/29/12: Falcons 23, Saints 13. Atlanta QB Matt Ryan connects with TE Tony Gonzalez for 17-yard TD. Falcons defense records 5 INTs, including 2 by S William Moore.

BROADCAST

NFLN (8:25 PM ET): Brad Nessler, Mike Mayock, Alex Flanagan (Field reporter). Westwood One: Ian Eagle, Trent Green, Laura Okmin (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 88 (WW1), 92 (NO), 86 (Atl.). XM: 88 (WW1), 225 (NO), 86 (Atl.).

STATS

PASSING

Brees: 277-406-3,369 (1C)-26-8-106.7 (3C)

Ryan: 267-404-2,868-18-12-89.2

RUSHING

Thomas: 107-413-3.9-1

Jac. Rodgers: 76-273-3.6-2

RECEIVING

Graham (TE): 60 (3C)-846-14.1-10 (T2L)

Gonzalez (TE): 53-556-10.5-4

OFFENSE

419.1 (1C)

347.5

TAKE/GIVE

+3

-11

DEFENSE

305.4 (3C)

381.9

SACKS

Jordan: 7 (T3C)

Umenyiora: 6.5

INTs

Lewis: 3

Alford (R): 2

PUNTING

Morstead: 46.5

Bosher: 47.2 (3C)

KICKING

Hartley: 90 (3C) (33/33 PAT; 19/25 FG)

Bryant: 68 (23/23 PAT; 15/16 FG)

SAINTS

QB DREW BREES is 12-3 vs. Atl. as Saints QB. Has 100+ rating in 8 of those 15 games and 10 300-yard games. Since joining NO in 2006, leads NFL with 36,940 yards and 270 TDs.

RB PIERRE THOMAS has 7 TDs (5 rush, 2 rec.) in his career vs. Atlanta.

RB DARREN SPROLES had 6 catches for 88 yards in Week 1. Since 2011, leads NFL RBs with 209 catches, 1,840 receiving yards and 16 receiving TDs.

Since 2011 (incl. playoffs), TE JIMMY GRAHAM leads NFL TEs with 256 catches and 3,296 yards. Ties for 1st with 33 TDs. Has 6 TDs in past 6 meetings.

WR MARQUES COLSTON has TD in 3 of past 4 games vs. Atlanta. Has 7,923 career receiving yards and passed ERIC MARTIN (7,854) for club record.

Rookie WR KENNY STILLS has 4 TDs in past 5 games. Averages 49.3 yards per TD.

In last game at Atlanta, WR LANCE MOORE had 7 catches for 123 yards.

DE CAMERON JORDAN has 7 sacks in past 9 games. Had sack in last game at Atlanta.

S ROMAN HARPER had an interception and fumble recovert in Week 1.

FALCONS

In 4 home starts vs. NO, QB MATT RYAN has 6 TDs vs. 1 INT. In career, when Ryan starts & has 100+ rating, Atlanta is 34-2 (.944).

In past 6 vs. NO, RB STEVEN JACKSON has 839 scrimmage yards (139.8 per game), including 636 rush yards (106 per game) and 6 TDs.

RB JACQUIZZ RODGERS has 4 TDs (2 rush, 2 rec.) in past 6 games.

RB ANTONE SMITH had career-long 50-yard TD last week.

TE TONY GONZALEZ has catch in 205 consecutive games, 2nd longest streak in NFL history. Has 50 receptions (53) in 16 consecutive years, longest streak in NFL history. Has 4 TDs in past 3 vs. NO.

WR RODDY WHITE had TD last week.

WR HARRY DOUGLAS has 35 catches for 535 yards (107 per game) and 2 TDs in past 5 games.

DE OSI UMENYIORA is 1 of 2 players in NFL with 6+ sacks (6.5) and a pick six.

In their last home meeting, Atlanta had 5 interceptions: S WILLIAM MOORE (2), S THOMAS DE COUD, LB SEAN WEATHERSPOON and DT JONATHAN BABINEAUX.

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