Hot Saints Hope To Hand Falcons First Loss Of Season

By: Michael Robinson | Friday, November 9, 2012

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints
NFL Betting Preview
Date: 11/11/2012 at 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Opening Lines: Atlanta -1½, O/U 53
(click for latest NFL odds)
Television: FOX

Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons (8-0 straight-up, 6-2 against the spread) remain the only undefeated team in the league after a 19-13 home win over Dallas on Sunday night. A field goal with 17 seconds left gave them their second straight cover as modest 4-point favorites. Atlanta is a perfect 4-0 SU and ATS on the road this year with an average margin of victory of 15 points. Coach Mike Smith’s team has a four-game lead over everyone else in the NFC South. However, the Falcons have lost the last three games against the division rival Saints (going 0-3 ATS), including a 45-16 blowout in the Bayou last year as 6 ½-point underdogs. The "over" is 4-0 in the last four meetings in New Orleans.

New Orleans Saints: The Saints (3-5 SU, 4-4 ATS) have won three of their last four contests after a miserable 0-4 start. Their 28-13 home win over Philadelphia last Monday was the first time an opponent has been held under 24 points this year, although the news is not all good. The 447 total yards allowed was the eighth consecutive game over 400, leading to the team ranking 32nd overall (471.3 yards per game). Offensively, Drew Brees engineers the NFL’s second-ranked pass attack (305 YPG), and the running game finally showed life last game (140 yards) even with the elusive Darren Sproles out. The team has three capable backs left with Chris Ivory, Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram and needs to stay balanced against an Atlanta defense that is 25th against the run (127.5 YPG).

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