Saints Passing Attack vs. Falcons Pass Defense

After an abysmal performance in 2021, an improved New Orleans passing game looks to kick off the year strong against bitter rival Atlanta.

Bob Rose | Sep 8, 2022

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New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees averaged 302 yards passing against the Atlanta Falcons during his Saints career. In 28 career starts against the Falcons during his time in New Orleans, Brees threw for 53 touchdowns and 26 interceptions while forging a 19-9 record against them.

Brees retired after the 2020 campaign, but was injured for both matchups against Atlanta in his final year. That marked a change in a Saints-Falcons rivalry that had seen prolific quarterback play for the previous dozen years. Atlanta's Matt Ryan had just a 10-17 record against the Saints, but averaged 293 yards passing with 47 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Ryan was traded by the Falcons this offseason.

Brees was replaced by Jameis Winston last year, but Winston suffered a season-ending knee injury the week before the Saints first matchup against Atlanta in week nine. New Orleans was forced to cycle through four different quarterbacks in 2021 on their way to ranking last in the league in passing production.

The Falcons upset the Saints, who were quarterbacked by Trevor Siemian, in week nine. New Orleans got a measure of revenge with a 30-20 win in Atlanta to wrap up the regular season. Taysom Hill, who had quarterbacked the Saints to two defeats of the Falcons in 2020, started that contest but was relieved by Siemian after an injury.

Winston is back behind center and will be joined by All-Pro WR Michael Thomas, who missed all of last season with an ankle injury. The Saints also added five-time Pro Bowl WR Jarvis Landry in free agency and used the 11th overall pick to draft Ohio State WR Chris Olave.

With much better production expected out of the New Orleans passing attack in 2022,here's how they stack up against Atlanta's pass defense.

New Orleans Passing Attack

2021 Passing Statistics

21.4 points per game (19th)

187.4 yards passing/game (32nd)

29 touchdown passes (11th)

13 interceptions (11th)

58.1% completion percentage

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) stands over center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Jameis Winston was just beginning to hit a comfort level with the offense when he went down with injury. He averaged just 186 yards per game over his six full games, but threw 14 touchdowns against just 3 interceptions. Winston, just 28, is a strong-armed passer capable of high production. Remember that he threw for over 5,000 yards with Tampa Bay in 2019.

Detractors of Winston will quickly point to poor decision-making. He threw 121 touchdowns in 70 games with the Buccaneers, but also tossed 88 interceptions. Rather than make a big mistake like that last season, he instead had a tendency to hold the ball and take a sack. With increased comfort in the system and better weapons at receiver, Winston is expected to have a productive season in 2022.

The Saints had just one 100-yard outing from a wide receiver in 2021. They were one of only three teams without multiple 100-yard games from a wideout. As a result, New Orleans bolstered the position for Winston this offseason.

Marquez Callaway led the Saints with 698 receiving yards on 46 receptions last season. It was the lowest total for a team leader since 1986. Callaway returns, along with dynamic returner and underrated route runner Deonte Harty (36 catches, 570 yards), but they will be complementary pieces in a deeper receiving corps.

Thomas is back after missing all of last year and 26 of the last 33 games with an ankle injury. He was hampered by a hamstring injury late in preseason, but had a sharp training camp. The NFL record holder with 149 receptions in 2019, Thomas is nearly unstoppable through the short and intermediate zones of a defense. Over his first four seasons, he averaged 122 catches and over 1,300 yards.

Joining Thomas is 29-year-old Jarvis Landry, a New Orleans native who has six seasons of at least 80 catches and more than 800 yards in his eight-year career. Landry is a terrific route runner who works the intermediate areas nearly as well as Thomas.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) during training camp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Rookie Olave brings dynamic playmaking ability into the NFL from Ohio State. He has outstanding deep speed with the route precision to match. Olave flashed big-time promises through training camp and should flourish with Thomas and Landry attracting defensive coverage.

Dynamic RB Alvin Kamara is the league's best receiver at the running back position. Kamara led the team with 47 receptions last season, resulting in 439 yards and five scores. Those were the lowest numbers of his career, but he also had a 10-catch outing for 128 yards against Seattle. Expect Kamara's receiving ability to be better utilized this season.

Nineteen NFL tight ends had better individual production than the Saints trio of Adam Trautman, Juwan Johnson, and Nick Vannett last season. Trautman had a strong training camp and Johnson is the best receiver of the group.

Taysom Hill was also moved to tight end and will present an athletic mismatch in passing situations. The Saints passing game will revolve around their wideouts and Kamara, but more is needed from this position in 2022.

Part of the Saints struggles in the passing game last season, and offense in general, was an injury-ravaged offensive line. Their starting five played together for a mere 22 snaps in 2021, causing some protection breakdowns that led to 37 sacks.

Right guard Cesar Ruiz has had big time critics over his first two years in the league, and rightfully so. However, Ruiz had an excellent training camp and will hopefully finally show why the Saints took him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Left guard Andrus Peat needs to finally stay healthy, but when on the field is one of the league's more respected interior players. Center Erik McCoy is one of the NFL's best at his position and a Pro Bowl level player.

James Hurst will open the year at left tackle after the preseason injury to Trevor Penning. Hurst is a better fit at guard, but is a solid pro who should hold down the position admirably. All-Pro RT Ryan Ramczyk is coming off a down year, but still routinely shuts down the league's best pass rushers one-on-one. Penning's injury leaves only G Calvin Throckmorton as reliable depth, should the injury bug strike the Saints up front again.

Atlanta Pass Defense

2021 Passing Statistics

27 points per game (29th)

232 yards passing/game (18th)

31 touchdowns (26th)

12 interceptions (20th)

68% completion percentage

Jan 9, 2022; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) is tackled by Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (24) and safety Richie Grant (27). Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Falcons ranked around the middle of the pack in passing yards allowed and surrendered just two 300-yard passers in 2021. However, they ranked near the bottom of the league in touchdown passes allowed and completion percentage by opposing quarterbacks.

Atlanta managed only 18 sacks and 59 QB hits in 2021. By contrast, the Saints had 46 sacks and 113 QB hits. It was the third consecutive year that they failed to generate at least 30 sacks. There is not a defender on the Falcons roster that had more than one sack last season.

Eight-year defensive lineman Grady Jarrett is the most disruptive player up front for the Falcons. A 6-foot and 305-Lb. power player, Jarrett will line up at defensive end in the team’s standard 3-4 front. He had just one sack last year, but led the Falcons with 12 QB hits and 17 pressures.

Atlanta added Lorenzo Carter in free agency and used a second-round draft pick of Penn State's Arnold Ebiketie this offseason to bolster their edge rush. They'll join Adetokunbo Ogundeji in hopes of creating more pressure on the outside.

Rookie Troy Andersen joins veterans Rashaan Evans, Mykal Walker, and Nick Kwiatkoski at inside linebacker. A thin Atlanta defense is further weakened on all three levels with DT Marlon Davidson, LB Deion Jones, and CB Isaiah Oliver on injured reserve.

Third-year CB A.J. Terrell is Atlanta's best defensive player. A first-round choice out of Clemson in 2020, Terrell has the man-to-man skills to shadow an opponent’s best receiver. He allowed only 50% completion percentage in 2021 while leading the Falcons with 3 interceptions and 16 passes broken up.

Steady veteran CB Casey Hayward was added in free agency, but Atlanta is otherwise thin and inexperienced at corner. Athletic safeties Richie Grant, Jaylinn Hawkins, and thumper Erik Harris are a solid trio, but must create more turnovers on the back end.

What to Expect

Dec 6, 2020; New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas (13) catches a pass over Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (24). Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Watch for the Saints to test the athleticism of Atlanta's linebackers in coverage with the outstanding receiving skills of Kamara. Thomas vs. Terrell will be an outstanding one-on-one matchup, but the depth of the Saints receiving corps could be a mismatch for the Falcons secondary.

On paper, Jameis Winston could put up the prolific passing numbers that we've seen so many times from Brees against Atlanta. However, Winston has never played in a regular season game with either Olave or Landry and has played just two quarters with Michael Thomas.

Given their inexperience together, there might be some early season timing issues between Winston and his receivers. Winston must also prove that he can continue to avoid crippling turnovers, yet go through his progressions faster than he did a year ago. It’s also up to the improved receiving corps to get separation.

Pass protection is definitely worth watching after the Saints struggles a year ago. Tackles Ramczyk and Hurst must be able to handle what the Falcons hope is an improved edge rush with little assistance. If they can, that allows McCoy to help Ruiz or Peat double-team inside rushers and increases the likelihood of a strong interior pass pocket for Winston.

I expect New Orleans to try to establish offensive balance early on with their rushing attack. If true, the team must still be able to make plays in the passing game to keep the Falcons off balance.

The Saints will almost certainly have a much better offense than the 2021 version. For this to be an elite unit, they'll have show they can protect Winston and establish timing quickly against what's expected to be a poor Falcons defense.

New Orleans Passing Attack

2021 Passing Statistics

Atlanta Pass Defense

2021 Passing Statistics

What to Expect

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