The New Orleans Saints will host their storied rival in Week 12 in the Caesars Superdome on Nov. 23 at 3:25 p.m. broadcast on FOX. In Week 18, New Orleans closes out the regular season against Atlanta in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In 2024, the Saints and Falcons split the season series, with each team winning its home contest. New Orleans won the last contest 20-17 in Week 10. In 112 all-time meetings, New Orleans holds a 56-55 regular-season advantage with Atlanta capturing the lone postseason matchup. These familiar foes have faced each other more than any other opponent in the regular season.
2025 NFL WEEK 12: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS vs. ATLANTA FALCONS
2025 NFL WEEK 18: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS at ATLANTA FALCONS
Meet Your Saints opponent: Atlanta Falcons
Coach: Raheem Morris
Quarterback: Michael Penix Jr.
2024 record: 8-9, second in NFC South
Most recent regular season matchup: Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 - Saints 20, Falcons 17
Falcons-Saints series record: Tied 56-56 (including one postseason game)
Atlanta Falcons 2024 season recap:
The Falcons started out the season strong with a 6-3 record through Week 9 including a win over the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and sweeping the season series against the eventual NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, a 20-17 loss to the Saints in Week 10 started a four-game slide for Atlanta. The Falcons got back into the win column in Week 15, but chose to make a change at quarterback and replace free agent acquisition Kirk Cousins with first round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. for the final three games of the season. While the Falcons and Penix would secure a win in his starting debut in Week 16, two overtime losses in the final two weeks ended their playoff hopes as the team would finish 8-9 and in second place in the NFC South.
| 2024 Falcons Per Game Stats | League Ranking | |
|---|---|---|
| Scoring Avg. | 22.9 | 13 |
| Opp. Scoring Avg. | 24.9 | 23 |
| Total Off. | 369.8 | 6 |
| Rushing Off. | 130.5 | 10 |
| Passing Off. | 239.3 | 5 |
| Total Def. | 345.2 | 23 |
| Rushing Def. | 120.6 | 15 |
| Passing Def. | 224.5 | 22 |
Deep Dive: Atlanta Falcons roster review
1. New look pass rush
The Falcons, after ranking 31st in sacks for the 2024 season, made significant changes to their front line. Gone are two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and linebacker Matthew Judon, who was second on the team in sacks with 5.5. In comes three new edge rushers, veteran Leonard Floyd with 66.5 career sacks including 8.5 with the San Francisco 49ers in 2024, and a pair of first round picks, Jalon Walker out of Georgia at 15th overall with 6.5 sacks for the Bulldogs in 2024, and James Pearce Jr. out of Tennessee at 26th overall with 7.5 sacks for the Volunteers in 2024.
2. Returning weapons for Michael Penix Jr.
While the Falcons will have Michael Penix Jr. take over the quarterback position in 2025 after being named starter for the final three games of the 2024 season, he'll have a familiar group of targets. The Falcons are returning all their weapons from the 2024 season that helped their offense to the sixth most yards in football, with tight end Ross Dwelley being the only Falcons player to gain yards from scrimmage (one reception for five yards) suiting up elsewhere to start the season.
3. Jeff Ulbrich back with Atlanta
The Falcons brought in Jeff Ulbrich to serve as their defensive coordinator after working in the same capacity for the New York Jets since 2021 as well working as the Jets' interim head coach in 2024. Ulbrich reunites with head coach Raheem Morris with the two of them now working full time in the roles they occupied in an interim basis in 2020 after the dismissal of Dan Quinn. The pair delivered results when they last held the roles for Atlanta taking the 30th-ranked scoring defense, allowing 32.2 points through the first five weeks of the 2020 season, to allowing 23 points per game from Weeks 6-17, which ranked 14th in the NFL in that time span.
