Falcons 27 , Saints 24 l FINAL l

Sun, 09/26 at 12:00 PM CDT
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Here are a couple of thoughts about the showdown in the NFC South on Sunday between the Falcons and the Saints.

• The Saints are very conservative on offense. They don't take many chances down the field. Here's why. They drive it and succeed in the red zone. Drew Brees never, ever gets sacked in the red zone.

I think New Orleans better open it up next week and get some balls in the hands of wide-out Devery Henderson, their home run guy. The Falcons are going to be able to score some points.

Henderson might be especially important if Reggie Bush's knee is as bad as it looks.

The Saints were so conservative that they finished plus-four in turnovers and still had to squeak out a win. Turnovers, just like last season, are fueling the defense. They hunt the ball.

• Underlined, highlighted, shouted from the loudspeaker at team headquarters in Georgia will be one thought: be on the plus side of the turnover battle.

• The Saints run that bogey defense with linebackers walking around, massing at the line, then backing off. They are in the head of the quarterback, who feels the blitz and suddenly sees eight men in coverage.

When you see some of the defensive coaches on the sideline wave their hands across their face, that defense is coming.

Matt Ryan, the Falcons quarterback, has to have a play for that. He has to ID the defense, look for something that gives it away and make a play.

• The Saints can't run the ball. They throw so many passes that they don't practice the run enough. The Falcons have to play four to stop the run next week, then fire linebackers at Brees and get some sacks.

• The Falcons have given up some explosive plays this season, which worries their coach Mike Smith.

"They're a very big play team," Smith said.

No, they're not. At least not this season, so far.

"Explosive plays have been a very big emphasis on our defense and trying to eliminate the explosive plays," Smith said. "Really our Achilles Heel in the first two ballgames have been the explosive runs. We've given up a 50-yard run in game one and an
80-yard run in game two."