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Here's the inaugural First-and-10 column of the season.

1. Deja Vieux?

If you believe in gridiron gris-gris then you might be intrigued by some of the early parallels our crack research staff, namely curator Gene Guillot, found between the Saints' 2009 and 2013 preseasons.

In the 2009 preseason, the Saints beat the Bengals, Texans and Raiders. In the final preseason game, they lost to the Dolphins by 3. In the 2013 preseason, the Saints beat the Chiefs, Raiders and Texans. In the final preseason game, they lost to the Dolphins by 3.

Before the 2009 season, the Saints' odds to win the Super Bowl were 18-1. This preseason, the Saints were 18-1 to win the Super Bowl.

In 2005, 2008 and 2012, the New Orleans metro area was hit by Hurricanes Katrina, Gustav and Isaac, respectively. In the following years, 2006, 2009 and 2013, the first two ended with the Saints at least reaching the NFC championship.

2. For Openers, Not So Good

Everyone knows the Saints' recent mastery of the Falcons in the series. But did you know the Falcons own an even more lopsided advantage when the teams meet in season openers?

The Falcons are 6-0 when facing the Saints on opening day, including 5-0 in games played in New Orleans. Among them, the worst loss in Saints history, an ugly 62-7 rout in 1973 at Tulane Stadium, in which the Falcons set or tied 35 individual or team records.

On a positive note, the Saints haven't opened a season with their division rival since 1986, when Atlanta won, 31-10.


Who will be the surprise teams in the 2013 NFL season: The Daily Duncan
Columnist Jeff Duncan predicts which teams he thinks will be better and worse than expected in the upcoming NFL season.
3. Cool Brees

A little perspective on the Hall of Fame career Drew Brees is having in New Orleans. Entering his eighth year as a Saint, Brees has passed for at least 4,000 yards in each of the past seven seasons -- the top seven passing totals in club history -- and is the only player in NFL history with multiple 5,000-yard seasons (2008, 2011, 2012) and consecutive such seasons (2011, 2012). Brees passed for 5,177 yards and 43 touchdowns last year and earned his seventh career Pro Bowl selection. He is the only player in league annals to have consecutive seasons with at least 40 TD passes and has led the NFL in the category four times, tied for the most all-time. Brees' streak with at least one touchdown pass reached 54 consecutive games and is the longest in league history.

4. Encouraging Stat Of the Week

The Saints might have another Chris Ivory on their hands in Khiry Robinson. The similarities are many. Both are punishing runners. Both were unheralded rookie free agents. Both sports dreadlocks. Both hail from Texas. Robinson led the NFL with 228 rushing yards during the preseason. On his 49 carries, he forced an NFL-high 24 missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus.

5. Tweets Of The Week

"A 63 year old lady swims from Cuba to Florida 110 mile swim unbelievable and she's that age NO MISSION IMPOSSIBLE IMPRESSIVE"

"Not a word in the dictionary can define her accomplishment curious to kno if Michael phelps can do it and how many tries"

"Diana Nyad congrats a 53 hour marathon this is MOTIVATION TO ANYONE WITH DOUBT AND WITHOUT DOUBT congrats again"

-- Travaris Cadet (@TravarisCadet39), 11:01 p.m., Sept. 2.

6. Quotes of the Week

"I don't think there's any question these have to be the two best (in the NFL), this (the Saints) being 1A and them being 1B. As a quarterback, it's like Christmas every day." -- Saints backup and former Falcons quarterback Luke McCown on the skill-position groups for New Orleans and Atlanta.

"Kenny (Vaccaro) brings something that we all look for when we're scouting. He brings an attitude and temperament to your football team. He's a physical, tough player. He's not a dirty player. He plays the game the way we'd like a lot of people to play it, hard as they can go 100 percent, all the time. And he studies the game. He wants to be good at it. ... He's a guy that I think wants to be a star in our league." -- Saints director of college scouting Rick Reiprish on SiriusXM NFL Radio's "Late Hits," hosted by Gil Brandt and Alex Marvez.

7. Not-so-familiar Faces

The last time Sean Payton coached against the Falcons was Dec. 26, 2011. The Saints routed Atlanta, 45-16, that night. Only 21 of the 44 offensive and defensive starters remain for both teams. The Saints will have 11 players in their starting lineup Sunday who also started that game: Drew Brees; Lance Moore; Jimmy Graham; Jahri Evans; Brian de la Puente; Zach Strief; Jed Collins; Junior Galette; Jabari Greer; Malcolm Jenkins; and Roman Harper. Only 10 Falcons starters are the same: Julio Jones; Roddy White; Tony Gonzalez; Matt Ryan; Justin Blalock; Jonathan Babineaux; Corey Peters; Sean Weatherspoon; Thomas DeCoud; and William Moore.

8. Motivational Tactic of the Week

The Saints will honor New Orleans icon Steve Gleason, who continues his courageous battle vs. ALS, and his Team Gleason Foundation before Sunday's game. The beloved former Saint is sure to bring down the house. Gleason will kick off a huge football weekend with his third annual Gleason Gras fundraiser Friday at Champions Square. Be sure to check out the Rebirth statue of Gleason's famous punt block against Atlanta post-Hurricane Katrina on the Superdome apron.

9. Uniformity

The Saints will wear their traditional home white jerseys and gold pants for the opener, the same combination they wore in 2006, the last time they opened the home schedule with the Falcons.

10. Fearless Prediction for Week 1: Anticipation has steadily built for this showdown since the NFL released the schedule in April. The NFL didn't do Atlanta any favors by scheduling its opener at the Falcons' archrival in the first game back for Payton. The circumstances were similar the last time the Saints opened their home schedule with the Falcons in 2006, and we all know how that turned out. Can you say sacrificial lambs? Saints 33, Falcons 23.

Early signs promising for 2013 New Orleans Saints: Jeff Duncan's First-and-10 | NOLA.com

AsylumGuido

I agree. Nyad is amazing. Awesome lady!

QBREES9

Nyad, never give up your dream !

homerj07

Well for us superstitious people. Cool!!

Rugby Saint II

I'm happy with those tid bits of information, let's hope that history repeats itself again tomorrow.