The Falcons head into New Orleans on Monday night with a chance to take the top spot in the NFC South, and they’re bringing the league’s best run defense with them. That’s a bad combination for a Saints offense already walking into the game short-handed on the ground.
Atlanta’s front just bullied Green Bay last week, smothering the Packers for only 17 rushing yards in a commanding win on Thursday night. That total was the lowest the Falcons have ever allowed in franchise history, and it’s pushed their run defense to the top of the NFL, surrendering fewer than 50 rushing yards per game.
That kind of strength lines up perfectly against a Saints ground game that suddenly looks thin. Travis Etienne has been dealing with a hamstring injury, and after re-aggravating it in New Orleans’ Week 3 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, he didn’t return. Kellen Moore said there will be "time lost" for him, and while he didn’t commit to a timetable, he also didn’t rule out an IR stint, which would sideline him for at least four games.
If Etienne can’t go, the Saints will be left piecing together the backfield with Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller, and undrafted rookie CJ Donaldson. Kamara can still help as a receiver, but the explosive version of him from years ago isn’t the one Atlanta is preparing for now. He’s averaging just 2.8 yards per carry, and that’s not the kind of efficiency that scares a defense like this.
Miller and Donaldson look more like support pieces than featured answers. Miller should get the bigger share of the secondary work, while Donaldson projects as the short-yardage option. Either way, the Saints don’t have a clean solution if they need steady production on the ground.
The situation gets even tougher with star tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. also out. That leaves New Orleans trying to run behind a depleted front against an Atlanta defense that has already made life miserable for opposing offenses. If the Saints are going to pull this one out, they’ll have to do it through the air.
That means Tyler Shough and Chris Olave are going to have to carry the load, because the run game no longer looks like a reliable path forward.
In Other News...
Matt Judon Gets Another Shot To Prove Raheem Morris Right
Matt Judon is getting another crack at the kind of opportunity that can change a veterans season, this time with the San Francisco 49ers. The four-time Pro Bowler is signing to the practice squad and could be elevated to the active roster, giving a thin edge-rush group some much-needed depth while Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams are out.
For Falcons followers, the more familiar part of the story is the connection back to Raheem Morris, who once coached Judon in Atlanta before taking over as the 49ers defensive coordinator. Morris has long valued disruptive pressure off the edge, and Judon now has a chance to show he still fits that mold in a different locker room, under circumstances that could put him back in the rotation quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Rookies Are Already Changing Atlantas Depth Chart
Through the first three weeks, Atlantas rookie class has already started to leave a mark on the depth chart, with Avieon Terrell, Zachariah Branch, Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. all showing why the Falcons were eager to get them on the field. Their roles and playing time have been trending in a way that suggests this group is not just filling out the roster, but pushing for real opportunities as the season develops.
The early returns have been encouraging enough to change the conversation around where these rookies fit, and in some cases, how quickly they can rise. Snap counts and on-field impact are still evolving, which is exactly what makes this such an interesting subplot for Atlanta - the Falcons appear to have found a class that could keep reshaping its pecking order as the season goes on. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Trade Swap Is Already Changing How This Defense Looks
Through the first three games, Maason Smith has already given the Falcons a different look up front after arriving from Jacksonville in the deal that sent Ruke Orhorhoro the other way. Atlanta wanted a bigger body at defensive tackle, and Smith has slid right into a starting role while bringing a steady, disruptive presence to the line.
The early returns suggest the swap is fitting what the Falcons were after, with Smith ranking third among defensive tackles in pass rush win rate and handling meaningful snaps in a way that has helped the defense. Orhorhoro, meanwhile, is currently buried on Jacksonvilles depth chart, which only sharpens the contrast as Atlanta watches the trade pay off on the field. [Read more 🡒]