Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints Week 12: How to Watch, Betting Odds

The Atlanta Falcons host division rival New Orleans as the Saints hope to strengthen their hold on the NFC South.

The Atlanta Falcons host the division rival New Orleans Saints as both teams hope to strengthen their hold on the NFC South. 

The NFC South is the only division in the NFL without a team with a winning record. But fortunately for its participants, it still counts in the standings as a division lead. Right now, that leader is the Saints, who hold a one-game lead over the Falcons and Buccaneers.

If the Falcons - who have lost three in a row - have any hope of a playoff berth, it'll be as a division winner. And that almost makes Sunday's matchup with the Saints a must-win, even with seven games remaining.

“We put ourselves in this pressure situation and this is what it’s about,” Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said. “I’m thankful to have this opportunity for this enormous game coming up against the Saints at home. We’ve got everything on the line and everything to play for.”

Atlanta Falcons :: Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Smith is under some personal pressure too after posting identical 7-10 records in his first two seasons. Atlanta wants a winner, and Smith can end the Falcons' five-year playoff drought with a division title this season.

The situation is equally dim in New Orleans, where coach Dennis Allen knows at 5-5 the Saints are not playing well.

“We’ve been a little bit of a tale of two teams in that the first part of the season,” Allen said, adding that the Saints' offense struggled the first five games while the defense played well.

“That’s flipped a little bit over the last five weeks,” Allen said. “… We need to get back to playing the type of defense that we played earlier in the season.”

Both teams are coming off a bye, and that's allowed New Orleans and Atlanta to get healthier, including at the quarterback position. Saints signal caller Derek Carr was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion and shoulder injury in a 27-19 loss to the Vikings last time out. 

Arthur Smith Has 'A Lot of Belief' in Richie Grant

After he was benched before the bye week, Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder is expected to be reinstated as the starter this week. Taylor Heinicke started the last two games before the bye but suffered a hamstring injury in a 25-23 loss at Arizona on Nov. 12.

Ridder is just 4-4 as a starter this year and has tossed six touchdown passes and six interceptions. 

“One thing for us obviously is just stay on track, be able to get out there and not get in second and longs, not get in third and longs,” Ridder said.

WHAT: New Orleans Saints (5-3, 3-3 Road) at Atlanta Falcons (4-6, 3-2 Home) 

WHERE: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA (75,000)

WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, 1 p.m. ET

TELEVISION: FOX / FuboTV (try it free)

RADIO: WZGC-FM 92.9 The Game

Get your tickets at SI Tickets

Betting via SI SportsBook

SPREAD: Falcons +1.5

TOTAL: 41.5

MONEYLINE: Saints -125, Falcons +100