Also oursCFB Schedulethis site, for college footballThe Gridiron Kingodds and projections — a paid site
NFL Schedule the NFL
NFLCFB
Wk 17 · 2026

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons — Sun, Jan 3

Sun, Jan 3 · Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA · FOX

Weather

This one is played indoors. There is nothing to forecast.
New Orleans Saints
NFC South · no games yet
at
1:00pET
ATL -1.5 · total 44.5 DraftKings
Ratings differential NO by 0.1
Atlanta Falcons
NFC South · no games yet

What is at stake

An NFC South game. These two play each other twice a season, home and away, and when the NFC South finishes level it is the head-to-head result and then the division record that separate them — before any of the rest. Division standings.

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The Gridiron King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 1.7 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two rosters that have been through a draft and a free-agency window since.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

Saints: -1.1#22
Efficiency margin
Falcons: -2.9#26
Saints: -0.6#22
Offense
Falcons: -2.0#25
Saints: -0.5#21
Defense
Falcons: -0.9#23
Saints: 18.0
Points / game
Falcons: 20.8
Saints: 22.5
Points allowed / game
Falcons: 23.6
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The Gridiron King’s 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats

The box-score store these rows are built from has not been produced for this league yet, so no preview carries points and yards for and against. The form, trend and series blocks below are built from this site’s own files and are not affected.

Saints form

No completed games on record.

Falcons form

No completed games on record.

Saints this season

No graded games yet this season. Lines are captured before kickoff and graded when a game goes final, so these records start at Week 1.

Falcons this season

No graded games yet this season. Lines are captured before kickoff and graded when a game goes final, so these records start at Week 1.
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 10

OpponentSaintsFalcons
Lions
NFC
at Wk 1 · scheduled previewvs Wk 13 · scheduled preview
Ravens
AFC
at Wk 2 · scheduled previewvs Wk 5 · scheduled preview
Vikings
NFC
vs Wk 5 · scheduled previewat Wk 12 · scheduled preview
Steelers
AFC
N Wk 7 · scheduled previewat Wk 1 · scheduled preview
Browns
AFC
vs Wk 9 · scheduled previewat Wk 14 · scheduled preview
Panthers
NFC
vs Wk 10 · scheduled previewvs Wk 2 · scheduled preview
Bears
NFC
at Wk 11 · scheduled previewvs Wk 6 · scheduled preview
Bengals
AFC
at Wk 12 · scheduled previewN Wk 9 · scheduled preview
Packers
NFC
vs Wk 13 · scheduled previewat Wk 3 · scheduled preview
Buccaneers
NFC
at Wk 15 · scheduled previewat Wk 8 · scheduled preview
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, Saints leads 26–14 · Falcons has won the last 2
40 meetings in 2006–2026 · average margin 3.3 points toward Saints
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20252026-01-04Saints 17 — 19 Falconsat ATLFalcons
20252025-11-23Falcons 24 — 10 Saintsat NOFalcons
20242024-11-10Falcons 17 — 20 Saintsat NOSaints
20242024-09-29Saints 24 — 26 Falconsat ATLFalcons
20232024-01-07Falcons 17 — 48 Saintsat NOSaints
20232023-11-26Saints 15 — 24 Falconsat ATLFalcons
20222022-12-18Falcons 18 — 21 Saintsat NOSaints
20222022-09-11Saints 27 — 26 Falconsat ATLSaints
20212022-01-09Saints 30 — 20 Falconsat ATLSaints
20212021-11-07Falcons 27 — 25 Saintsat NOFalcons
20202020-12-06Saints 21 — 16 Falconsat ATLSaints
20202020-11-22Falcons 9 — 24 Saintsat NOSaints
20192019-11-28Saints 26 — 18 Falconsat ATLSaints
20192019-11-10Falcons 26 — 9 Saintsat NOFalcons
20182018-11-22Falcons 17 — 31 Saintsat NOSaints
20182018-09-23Saints 43 — 37 Falconsat ATLSaints
20172017-12-24Falcons 13 — 23 Saintsat NOSaints
20172017-12-07Saints 17 — 20 Falconsat ATLFalcons
20162017-01-01Saints 32 — 38 Falconsat ATLFalcons
20162016-09-26Falcons 45 — 32 Saintsat NOFalcons
20152016-01-03Saints 20 — 17 Falconsat ATLSaints
20152015-10-15Falcons 21 — 31 Saintsat NOSaints
20142014-12-21Falcons 30 — 14 Saintsat NOFalcons
20142014-09-07Saints 34 — 37 Falconsat ATLFalcons
20132013-11-21Saints 17 — 13 Falconsat ATLSaints
20132013-09-08Falcons 17 — 23 Saintsat NOSaints
20122012-11-29Saints 13 — 23 Falconsat ATLFalcons
20122012-11-11Falcons 27 — 31 Saintsat NOSaints
20112011-12-26Falcons 16 — 45 Saintsat NOSaints
20112011-11-13Saints 26 — 23 Falconsat ATLSaints
20102010-12-27Saints 17 — 14 Falconsat ATLSaints
20102010-09-26Falcons 27 — 24 Saintsat NOFalcons
20092009-12-13Saints 26 — 23 Falconsat ATLSaints
20092009-11-02Falcons 27 — 35 Saintsat NOSaints
20082008-12-07Falcons 25 — 29 Saintsat NOSaints
20082008-11-09Saints 20 — 34 Falconsat ATLFalcons
20072007-12-10Saints 34 — 14 Falconsat ATLSaints
20072007-10-21Falcons 16 — 22 Saintsat NOSaints
20062006-11-26Saints 31 — 13 Falconsat ATLSaints
20062006-09-25Falcons 3 — 23 Saintsat NOSaints

Saints leaders 2025 regular season

PassingTyler Shough QB #6221/327, 2384 YDS, 10 TD, 6 INT
Spencer Rattler QB #2174/257, 1586 YDS, 8 TD, 5 INT
RushingAlvin Kamara RB #41131 CAR, 471 YDS, 1 TD
Devin Neal RB #2457 CAR, 206 YDS, 2 TD
Audric Estime RB #3046 CAR, 198 YDS, 1 TD
ReceivingChris Olave WR #12100 REC, 1163 YDS, 9 TD
Juwan Johnson TE #8377 REC, 889 YDS, 3 TD
Rashid Shaheed WR #2244 REC, 499 YDS, 2 TD
Devaughn Vele WR #1425 REC, 293 YDS, 2 TD
Defense
TacklesDemario Davis LB #56143
Alontae Taylor CB #2483
Pete Werner LB #2081
SacksCameron Jordan DE #9410.5
Chase Young DE #9910
Carl Granderson DE #966
InterceptionsKool-Aid McKinstry CB #13
Alontae Taylor CB #242
Jonas Sanker S #72
full roster and per-player history

Falcons leaders 2025 regular season

PassingMichael Penix Jr. QB #9166/276, 1982 YDS, 9 TD, 3 INT
Kirk Cousins QB #8166/269, 1721 YDS, 10 TD, 5 INT
RushingBijan Robinson RB #7287 CAR, 1478 YDS, 7 TD
Tyler Allgeier RB #22143 CAR, 514 YDS, 8 TD
Michael Penix Jr. QB #921 CAR, 70 YDS, 1 TD
ReceivingKyle Pitts Sr. TE #888 REC, 928 YDS, 5 TD
Drake London WR #568 REC, 919 YDS, 7 TD
Bijan Robinson RB #779 REC, 820 YDS, 4 TD
Darnell Mooney WR #1732 REC, 443 YDS, 1 TD
Defense
TacklesKaden Elliss LB #55107
Jessie Bates III S #398
Xavier Watts S #3196
SacksJames Pearce Jr. LB #2710.5
Brandon Dorlus DT #548.5
Jalon Walker LB #115.5
InterceptionsXavier Watts S #315
Jessie Bates III S #33
Dee Alford CB #233
full roster and per-player history
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since signed elsewhere, been traded or retired still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game.