The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints are set to clash at 1:00 p.m. in a battle for early positioning in a loaded NFC South division. The game can be live streamed here; Falcons fans can hear the game on 790 The Zone, while Saints fans can turn their radio dials to WWL 870 AM/105.3 FM.
The story this week for the Saints is the return of head coach Sean Payton from his year-long "Bounty Gate" suspension that most Saints fans point to for spoiling their 2012 campaign.
Payton is trying to tamp down the expectation and hoopla surrounding his return. "We play in a lot of games with a lot of hoopla around it, whether it's Sunday nights, Monday nights, or postseason games, it's still about protecting the football," Payton said. "It's still about blocking and tackling. It's about all the things that we have control over, but those other things, we will try to eliminate as best as we can."
Atlanta head coach Mike Smith acknowledged the return of Payton as a big deal.
"Sean is a very good football coach," Smith said. "His record speaks for itself. He is one of the best play callers in the league right now. He is an important part. When you have your play caller back, we anticipate we are going to see some things different than what we've seen last year, when he wasn't there."
Matt Ryan had a breakthrough season for the Falcons, winning in the playoffs for the first time and entering halftime of the NFC championship game with the lead over the San Francisco 49ers. He is 1-4 at the Superdome, however, and will be trying to change his fortunes there.
"Obviously it is a place we are very familiar with, (and) a team we are very familiar with. We know it's going to be a tough challenge for us down there, (it) always is."
Falcons Injury Report:
Probable: Matt Bryant (K), Joe Hawley (C)
Questionable: Stephen Nicolas (LB), Asante Samuel (CB), Roddy White (WR).
Saints Injury Report:
Probable: Terron Armstead (T), Travaris Cadet (RB), Marques Colston (WR), Jahri Evans (G), Junior Gallette (DE), Kevin Reddick (LB), Zach Strief (T), Nick Toon (WR), Martez Wilson (DE).
Out: Isa Abdul-Quddus (S), Glenn Foster (DE).
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