Scouting Report: Falcons-Saints
 

By LES EAST
Special to The Advocate
Published: Oct 17, 2007

WHEN: Noon Sunday

WHERE: Superdome, New Orleans

TV, Radio: FOX, WJBO-AM, 1150

Records: Falcons: 1-5; Saints: 1-4

LAST WEEK

Falcons: Lost to the New York Giants, 31-10

Saints: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 28-17

COACHES

Falcons: Bobby Petrino, 1st season (1-5)

Saints: Sean Payton, 2nd season (12-11)

NFL rankings

Offense (league rank in parentheses)

Points: Falcons, 13.2 (29); Saints, 15.8 (26)

Total yards: Falcons, 290.2 (27); Saints, 319.2 (22). Rushing: Falcons, 93.5 (21); Saints, 89.8 (24). Passing: Falcons, 196.7 (23); Saints, 229.4 (11)

Defense (league rank in parentheses)

Points: Falcons, 21.8 (17); Saints, 27.2 (27)

Total yards: Falcons, 352.8 (24); Saints, 346.8 (22). Rushing: Falcons, 132.3 (24); Saints, 105.8 (14). Passing: Falcons, 220.5 (20); Saints, 241.0 (26)

Key players

Falcons: RB Warrick Dunn, TE Alge Crumpler; DE John Abraham, MLB Keith Brooking, OLB Michael Boley, CB DeAngelo Hall.

Saints: QB Drew Brees, RB Reggie Bush, WR Marques Colston, DE Will Smith, DE Charles Grant, OLB Scott Fujita.

Falcons scouting report

Offense: The Falcons have had one of the league’s least productive offenses, particularly on the road where they have averaged 7.6 points in three games. They’ve scored one touchdown in the last 10 quarters. QB Joey Harrington is completing a high percentage of his passes, but for little yardage and few points. The Falcons have yielded 21 sacks. WR Roddy White has been his primary target, followed by the usually reliable Crumpler, who had two of the team’s six drops last week. Atlanta rushed for 100 yards for the first time Monday night, thanks in large part to Jerious Norwood’s 67-yard touchdown.

Defense: The defense generally has kept things respectable for the Falcons, though it didn’t perform as well against New York, which accumulated 491 yards, including 303 passing. Atlanta forced three Giants turnovers that led to zero points, thanks to the punchless offense. Boley is emerging as a top playmaker, joining Brooking to form the heart of the defense. Abraham remains a top pass rusher and Hall is a solid cover corner.

Special teams: Former Saint Morten Andersen, the NFL’s all-time leader in field goals and points, is still reasonably accurate but doesn’t have nearly the leg strength he once had. The special teams joined the offense and defense with key miscues against the Giants as a roughing-the-punter penalty on Demorrio Williams led to New York’s first score.

Falcons facts

The roster is dotted with players with local connections. In addition to Andersen are Baton Rouge natives — Dunn and C Todd McClure — four former Saints — WR Joe Horn, starting LT Wayne Gandy (who has been injured), starting NT Grady Jackson, and backup GC Corey McIntyre — and ex-LSU center Ben Wilkerson and former ULL OL D’Anthony Batiste. ... The Saints won both meetings last season, 23-3, in the Superdome and 31-13 in the Georgia Dome. ... These teams meet again on Monday Night Football on Dec. 10.

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