Saints vs. Falcons franchise connections

The Saints play one of the biggest games on the schedule today against their long standing rival the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta currently leads the series 51-46, but the Saints do have a 16-8 advantage since Sean Payton took over as head coach in 2006.

For several coaches and players, there will be familiar faces on the opposing sidelines, and today we take a look at some of them.

Players

• New Orleans RB Alvin Kamara is an Atlanta native who prepped at Norcross (Ga.) HS, where he rushed for 2,264 yards and 26 touchdowns while averaging 7.5 yards per carry and added 22 receptions for 286 yards and five scores as a senior in 2012, earning Georgia Mr. Football honors from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
• Saints K Wil Lutz is a Newnan native who played at Georgia State.
• Saints T/G Andrus Peat and Falcons TE Austin Hooper were teammates at Stanford.
• New Orleans LB Craig Robertson and Atlanta C Alex Mack were teammates in Cleveland.
• C Max Unger was tutored by Atlanta Offensive Line Coach Chris Morgan in Seattle in 2014.
• Saints CB P.J. Williams and Falcons RB Devonta Freeman were college teammates at Florida State.

Coaches/Front Office

• Saints Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen’s father, Grady, played for Atlanta from 1968-72. Allen served on the Falcons defensive coaching staff from 2002-05.
• New Orleans Linebackers Coach Mike Nolan served as defensive coordinator of the Falcons from 2012-14.
• New Orleans Quarter- backs Coach Joe Lombardi served on the Falcons coaching staff in 2006.
• Atlanta Assistant Special Teams Coach Alex Sutulovich and Saints Offensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael served on the same staff at Louisiana Tech from 1997-99.