Saints at Falcons
THE STORY: The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints have both been dominant in November, and the team that can continue that trend Sunday at the Georgia Dome will hold the NFC South lead at the end of the day. Atlanta has won six straight games in November while New Orleans has won nine straight in November dating to 2009. The Saints have won four of the past five meetings, including a 17-14 win in the most recent one last December in Atlanta.
TV: FOX, 1 p.m. ET. LINE: Saints -1, O/U 49.5
ABOUT THE SAINTS (6-3): New Orleans has been riddled with inconsistency, most notably in a loss to then-winless St. Louis two weeks ago. The Saints haven't won back-to-back games in a month, but they looked solid in a 27-16 win over Tampa Bay last week. With 258 passing yards against the Buccaneers, Brees topped 3,000 for the season, the first player in NFL history to do so in only nine games. The Saints could be without rookie RB Mark Ingram, who has already missed two games with a heel injury. If Ingram can't play, it will mean more work for Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles. The defense is also banged up, with the status of LB Jonathan Vilma (knee) and CB Tracy Porter (neck) uncertain.
ABOUT THE FALCONS (5-3): Atlanta has won three straight to get back in the division title race, largely on the back of an improved defense. That defense was dominant in last week's 31-7 win at Indianapolis, holding the Colts to 186 total yards and forcing two turnovers. The challenge will be greater against Brees and the Saints. The offense got a spark last week from the return of rookie WR Julio Jones, who returned from a hamstring injury with three catches for a career-high 131 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the first rookie since 1970 with touchdown catches of 50-plus and 80-plus yards in the same game.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Brees has thrown a touchdown pass in 36 consecutive games, which is tied with Brett Favre for the second-longest streak in NFL history. He also has completed at least 20 passes in 29 consecutive games, an NFL record.
2. Ryan is 8-1 in home games against division opponents, and the Falcons are 18-0 when Ryan has a quarterback rating of 100 or better.
3. The Falcons have won 18 of their past 22 regular-season home games, but the Saints are responsible for two of the four losses.