Read More: Michael Turner (RB – ATL), Julio Jones (WR – ATL), Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints

In one of the more memorable games of the 2011 season, the New Orleans Saints were able to get by the Atlanta Falcons 26-23 on November 13th that will be remembered for the yard that wasn’t gained and the talent that wasn’t on the field for that game.

Michael Turner was stuffed on 4th and 1 on their own side of the field that helped the Saints defeat the Falcons in overtime. The offensive line was banged up, wide receiver Julio Jones went out with a hamstring injury and for many in Atlanta they feel like they let one get away.

Coach Mike Smith spoke on Wednesday on having the entire arsenal of offensive weapons prepared for the second matchup with the Saints:

“We certainly are in better shape in terms of the health of the players in the wide receiver group right now than we were the first time we played them.”

The Saints will host the Falcons on Monday Night Football on the day after Christmas.

For all news and information on the Falcons, please visit The Falcoholic. For everything Saints, check out Canal Street Chronicles.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — The New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings couldn’t have been much closer in their epic NFC title game showdown on Jan. 24, 2010, an overtime thriller that Drew Brees and the Saints barely survived on their way to the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.

Less than two years later, the two franchises could hardly be further apart.

The Saints (10-3) roll into the Metrodome on Sunday as one of the model teams in the NFC, an organization with a rock solid foundation at the three most important positions — front office, coach and quarterback.

By no coincidence, the Saints are in first place in the NFC South, two games ahead of the Atlanta Falcons and tied with the San Francisco 49ers for the second-best record in the NFC. Even with the Green Bay Packers looking like the class of the league, the Saints still have a realistic shot at a return trip to the big game.

“We’re a veteran team that’s been through a lot,” Brees said. “We’ve kind of learned the formula for winning and sustaining success.”

The Vikings (2-11), meanwhile, have fallen off the cliff ever since Garrett Hartley’s 40-yard field goal split the uprights to end Minnesota’s hopes of their first trip to the Super Bowl since 1978. Brett Favre returned for one more ill-fated run the next year, a long, miserable 6-10 season in which coach Brad Childress was fired, Favre was embroiled in a texting scandal, Randy Moss came and went in about four weeks and the Dome’s roof collapsed.

“You really can’t explain it,” Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said. “It’s crazy. The Saints, they’re still a really good football team. Drew Brees still down there, working hard, making plays. I really don’t know what’s going on. We really can’t put our finger on it.”

Start with the lack of continuity. Since that loss, the Vikings have used five quarterbacks — Favre, Tarvaris Jackson, Joe Webb, Donovan McNabb and now rookie Christian Ponder — and have had a lot of turnover on the coaching staff.

“In my mind, it seems like eons ago, seems like forever when we played them in the NFC championship game,” Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said. “So much has transpired between that time and where we are today.”

While not as catastrophic off the field, Frazier’s first season has been even tougher on the field. McNabb didn’t pan out as the quarterback who was supposed to keep the team from a rebuilding season, the secondary was decimated by injuries, Adrian Peterson has missed the last three weeks with a high ankle sprain and Ponder has experienced the growing pains everyone expected when he took over as the starter seven games ago.

The Vikings have lost five games in a row, with the only solace to be taken that a team that waved goodbye to meaningful games more than a month ago continues to show up every week and give its opponent all they can handle, including last weekend in Detroit, when the Vikings fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter but still had a chance to win the game on the final play.

“There are a lot of reasons not to really concentrate and focus and battle,” Frazier said. “And they found reasons to battle, to focus, to believe that they could get back in that game and win that game.”

Still, moral victories aren’t giving much comfort to a veteran team that remembers what it feels like to be so close.

“Me and Kevin (Williams) were laughing about it today, saying, ‘We’ve got to do something. We’ve got to turn it around. That can’t be the only memory of being close to the Super Bowl that I tell my grandkids about at some point,’” defensive end Jared Allen said.

The Saints are looking to add another chapter to a book that already includes one fairy tale finish.

Brees is playing as well as he ever has, threatening the single-season passing record and seemingly getting stronger as the season has progressed. He has topped 320 yards passing in four straight games, with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions during that span.

New Orleans has won five in a row and six of seven to keep the Falcons (8-5) at arm’s length and keep pace with the 49ers for the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. Jimmy Graham has emerged as one of the dominant tight ends in the game and linebacker Jonathan Vilma has been back in the middle of the Saints defense for the last two games after missing four weeks with knee surgery earlier in the season.

“For us it’s been a journey,” Brees said. “We’ve been able to win a lot of games and put ourselves in pretty good position within our division and playoff wise. It hasn’t been easy by any means. We’ve had to fight through some adversity. We’ve had to fight through some injuries at key positions and certain things.”

Saints coach Sean Payton, who has been in place with Brees for the last six seasons, said continuity has been the biggest key to New Orleans’ sustained success.

“When you look at ownership, GM, head coach, players on our team, the staff, there’s been a very stable program where I think everyone understands how hard it is, how difficult it is, the challenges we face in winning games and getting to the postseason,” Payton said.

Don’t just look at the overall numbers when assessing the New Orleans Saints offense this season.

Yeah, those are better than the rest of the NFL in most categories. But one of the key categories is third-down efficiency.

“I think the numbers are real high,” Payton said. “I think that’s one of our keys each week and it’s an important statistic. It’s not the same as a turnover, but when you’re out on third down and punting the football essentially you’ve turned the ball over to their offense.”

Funny thing, the Saints led the league last season at 48.7 percent. This season, they’re converting at a rate of 53.71, almost five percent higher than second place Green Bay.

Don’t look at the overall numbers when assessing the Saints defense, either.

While converting on offense at a high percentage isn’t that surprising, what might be is how the defense is keeping opponents from converting.

The Saints are sixth in the league, holding opponents to 33.13 percent. Last week, the Tennessee Titans were 1 of 10.

“When you’re on the field defensively, have a chance for a stop and don’t get it, they obviously receive more plays,” Payton said. “I think our players understand the significance of getting off the field on third down and being able to put together drives. I think it’s been something that we’ve improved at.

“I think the numbers are real positive and again will be significant in this week’s game as we look at what Minnesota does offensively on third down and what we’re going to see defensively on third down. That would be a significant number in regards to winning and losing and it has been. When you can hold an opponent to one third down conversion like last week, that allowed us to overcome the penalties and maybe some of the big pass plays. That allowed us to overcome having to settle for a field goal in the red area and the game’s still close.”

Lions’ rushing

Kevin Smith is questionable to play 10 days after suffering a sprained ankle against the Packers, but he said he expects to be on the field. That’s good news for a running game that’s starting to find its footing behind better blocking.

Smith gained 57 yards from scrimmage in about a quarter of work Nov. 24 and rushed for 140 yards two Sundays ago against Carolina. Maurice Morris remains No. 2 in the rotation, and don’t expect too much from the recently re-signed Aaron Brown.

The Saints are vulnerable against the run. They allow 5 yards a carry, third-worst in the NFL, but will get a lift with the return of middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who’s expected to play for the first time since minor knee surgery last month.

Edge: Lions

Lions’ passing

Matthew Stafford is still dealing with a fractured index finger on his throwing hand, but he’ll play without a splint and gloves today for the first time since suffering the injury Oct. 30. Stafford has nine interceptions in his past 10 quarters and must take better care of the ball to give the Lions a chance.

Calvin Johnson has one touchdown and no 100-yard receiving games since the bye week. He’s covered by two defenders every play, but the Lions still have to take their shots downfield against a defense that has given up eight plays of 40-plus yards.

New Orleans defensive coordinator Greg Williams does a good job bringing pressure out of different looks, which helps cover up some of the Saints’ shortcomings. Safety Roman Harper leads the team with 6 1/2 sacks, but the Saints have only 11 takeaways as a team.

Edge: Lions

Saints’ rushing

After cycling through running backs last year, New Orleans rebuilt its ground game this off-season. The Saints drafted Mark Ingram in the first round, traded Reggie Bush to the Dolphins and signed do-it-all Darren Sproles as a free agent.

Ingram leads the team with 420 yards and four rushing TDs and appears recovered from the heel injury that kept him out of two games. Pierre Thomas averages 5 yards a carry, and Sproles has home-run ability and must be accounted for in the pass game. He has 62 catches, one fewer than Johnson.

The Lions have tightened up their run defense the past few weeks but still give up too many big plays on the ground (12 of at least 20 yards). They’ll play a lot of nickel today and will be without Ndamukong Suh because of a suspension.

Edge: Saints

Saints’ passing

There are three quarterbacks playing elite football in the NFL: Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Drew Brees. Brees is on pace to shatter Dan Marino’s single-season passing record. He averages 335 yards per game and has been close to perfect at home (17 TDs, 3 INTs).

Tight end Jimmy Graham is a former basketball player who’s Brees’ favorite target and a matchup nightmare at 6-feet-6 and 260 pounds. And with Sproles, Marques Colston and Lance Moore, the Saints can spread the field with dangerous receivers.

The Lions picked the wrong week to have an onslaught of injuries in the secondary. Chris Harris will start in place of Louis Delmas at safety, and cornerbacks Chris Houston and Brandon McDonald missed practice all week with knee injuries. Aaron Berry and Alphonso Smith will join Eric Wright on the field most of the day at cornerback.

Edge: Saints

Special teams

Along with his prowess as a runner and receiver, Sproles is one of the most dangerous returners in the league. He returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown this year and averages almost 27 yards a kick return.

Kicker John Kasay isn’t great from long range, but punter Thomas Morstead has a powerful leg and ranks third in the league in net average (42.5 yards) thanks to a good coverage unit.

The Lions placed Ryan Donahue on injured reserve this past week and handed Ben Graham the punting duties for the rest of the season. They’ve been better in kick and punt coverage lately but will put new faces in the mix this week because of injuries.

Edge: Saints

Overall

With or without Suh, this was going to be a difficult game for the Lions. The Saints are one of the NFL’s five-best teams and virtually invincible at home. Brees is completing 70% of his passes and has an enviable supporting cast in Graham, Colston, Sproles and Ingram.

The Lions did a good job controlling tempo against Green Bay on Thanksgiving but stalled drives early with dropped passes and untimely penalties and fell into a turnover rut late.

On the road with a shorthanded secondary, they can’t afford those mistakes and can’t get into a shoot-out.

Few expect a Lions victory, but an upset would come with huge playoff and psychological implications. The Lions have lost to the four-best teams they’ve played, and the perception nationally is the wheels are coming off after a 5-0 start.

Pick: Saints 35, Lions 24

Contact Dave Birkett: 313-222-8831 or dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @freeplions.

Come back tonight, as sports writer Carlos Monarrez live-blogs the Lions-Saints game.

By Brett Martel, Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees and the surging New Orleans Saints made everything look easy against the slumping Giants.

Brees passed for 363 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another score as New Orleans rolled to a 49-24 victory Monday night, extending New York’s losing skid to three games.

Tight end Jimmy Graham had five catches for 84 yards, including touchdowns of 5 and 29 yards. Brees’ two other scoring strikes went to Lance Moore, who had five catches for 54 yards.

This was a game New York was desperate to win after losing its previous two to San Francisco and Philadelphia.

Instead, the Giants (6-5) dropped a game behind first-place Dallas in the NFC East and face the possibility of a four-game losing streak when they host the unbeaten Green Bay Packers next weekend.

The Saints (8-3), meanwhile, maintained a one-game lead over Atlanta in the NFC South.

They also padded their rushing stats with 205 yards on the ground, including touchdown runs of 12 yards by Pierre Thomas and 35 yards by rookie Mark Ingram.

Marques Colston had three catches for 78 yards, all on the Saints’ 34-second, 88-yard touchdown drive late in the second quarter that gave New Orleans a 21-3 halftime lead. Colston’s longest reception went for 50 yards when he caught a pass along the left sideline, slipped a tackle and raced up field.

The Giants took a beating on the scoreboard and on the field. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora went out with a sprained ankle and receiver Hakeem Nicks was rocked by a vicious collision with Saints rookie safety Isa Abdul-Quddus.

Nicks stayed in the game despite bruised ribs.

The Giants did not get into the end zone until Brandon Jacobs steamrolled safety Roman Harper on an 8-yard scoring run that made it 21-10 in the third quarter, but the Saints went right back down the field and scored on Brees’ 8-yard scramble.

New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton, speaking with the media for the first time this week via conference call, said there were some good and bad things from the film review of last week’s 26-23 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons. The Saints have a bye this week, with players off for the entire week.

“We played with real good energy and effort. There were some frustrating points in that game that we’ll have a chance to talk about with the players when we come back in,” Payton said of the game, in which New Orleans held a 23-13 lead with five minutes remaining in regulation.

“I think you have a chance to go ahead not just two scores, and I don’t want to say put the game away, but we had that opportunity and then they came back and had a big drive late in the game to tie it,” Payton said. “On the road against that team I thought we did a lot of really good things. I thought defensively we changed things up. We did a real good job from a protection standpoint. Our quarterback had more time, and you saw a times Drew (Brees) was able to take two or three hitches. We had some big plays offensively which were good to see, like Robert Meachem’s touchdown and Jimmy Graham’s touchdown.

“For the most past, we didn’t give up those big plays defensively. It’s an explosive team. It’s probably as good as we’ve played (Atlanta tight end) Tony Gonzalez that I’m familiar with since we’ve been playing that team. The stop on fourth down on the 30-yard line on their end of the field (in overtime) was huge. It was encouraging, and the thing you can take away from that game is it was a win on the road, and there are things we can all do better. We had a couple penalties. We had some tough calls. When you go back and look at the tape, we don’t kill ourselves over this the day afterwards, but I thought we responded the right way and we didn’t let that become a distraction. We weren’t going to let that make a difference.”

Payton specifically alluded to a potential pass interference that wasn’t called against receiver Marques Colston, then a flag that was thrown against Saints cornerback Tracy Porter on “what I thought was a great defensive play,” though he said, “I think that probably happens each week (in the NFL).”

He said he was also disappointed that the clock didn’t start running in the final minutes after the Saints declined a pass interference penalty when Colston caught a pass in the middle of the field. Payton said he didn’t understand why the clock remained stopped, though the officials did make the correct decision. According to NFL rules, the clock remains stopped after a declined penalty in the final two minutes of the first half and the final five minutes of the second half.

ATLANTA – New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith said he felt the Atlanta Falcons were trying to make a statement when they decided to go for it on fourth-and-inches from their own 29-yard line during overtime at the Georgia Dome on Sunday afternoon. “They were saying, ‘We’re big, bad and stronger than you guys,’” Smith said. “And we stood up and said, ‘No you’re not.’”

The Saints’ defense stuffed 247-pound tailback Michael Turner for no gain on the play. And four plays later, Saints kicker John Kasay nailed a 26-yard field goal for a 26-23 victory that allowed New Orleans to make an even bigger statement in the NFC South standings.

Now the Saints (7-3) head into their bye week with a 1½-game lead over the Falcons (5-4) and six games remaining – including the Monday night rematch at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Dec. 26.

“It’s huge,” Smith said of Sunday’s victory. “It’s huge for football reasons, because it gives us a divisional lead going into the bye, which is great. And it means something for the people of New Orleans, because it’s a big rivalry game. A lot of people come up from New Orleans, and they talk a lot of trash, and they expect us to back it up.

“And we backed it up for ‘em.”

As usual, Sunday’s game was a hard-fought, back-and-forth battle that literally turned into a “game of inches.” That’s become the norm in this series, which has now produced four consecutive three-point games, two of them in overtime.

There were a dozen huge moments in Sunday’s game, where the momentum dramatically shifted from one side to the other — especially late, when the Falcons rallied from a 10-point deficit over the final 7:13 to force overtime.

Ultimately, though, it was that fourth-and-inches play with 10:52 remaining in overtime that decided the game and dominated the postgame conversation.

Falcons Coach Mike Smith will no doubt take plenty of heat for his decision. But he said he didn’t want to give the ball back to the Saints’ offense and, “If we’re not going to move the ball two or three inches, then we probably are not going to win the football game.”

Both teams already had punted once in overtime when the Falcons decided to put the game on the line.

“First we were going to punt the football, then I had a change of heart and I wanted us to go for it,” explained Smith, who called a timeout before taking his punting unit off the field. “I did not want to give the football back to the Saints. In previous games, in close games that we’ve played them, we’ve punted the ball and they’ve gotten the ball back with three minutes to go. We never saw it again, and they ended up winning the ballgame.

“That was the decision-making process that I went through.”

The Saints had mixed reactions to Smith’s decision. Some players, such as linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar, admitted that they were happy when Atlanta was lined up to punt the ball because they felt like once Saints quarterback Drew Brees got the ball in his hands for a second time in overtime, he would lead them down the field.

Others, such as guard Carl Nicks, said they wanted the Falcons to go for it because they knew the defense could stop them and the game would be over right then and there.

Still others, including Coach Sean Payton and Brees, said they could see the pluses and minuses of both options, and they were preparing for either scenario.

Will Smith was one of the few who said he was genuinely surprised to see the Falcons bring their offense back on the field. Although teams often go for it on fourth-and-inches, Smith said, “Yeah, but not on the 30. In overtime.”

“They were trying to send a message, and we took it personal,” Smith said. “We were like, ‘There’s no way we’re gonna let ‘em get it.’ You could just see it in the eyes of the players. There was no way they were gonna get that first down. Just by the way everybody looked, and just by the way everybodys intensity was.”

And it wasn’t even close. Smith and defensive tackle Shaun Rogers were credited with making the tackle, but the entire defense seemed to surge at the point of contact.

The Falcons’ play call was a bit slow in developing, with a pulling guard and fullback trying to create a lane for Turner to the left. He got nowhere, and he actually lost some ground by the time Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins and the linebackers filled in through the back side.

“To be able to end it knowing that the defense did it, it feels good,” Dunbar said. “You know, our offense is prolific. We know they’re gonna score points, we know they’re gonna do their job. But it feels good to have it rest on the defense to make a play.”

The Saints’ defense also started the game strong before collapsing late in the fourth quarter.

The two sides traded field goals early until Brees hit tight end Jimmy Graham with a 21-yard touchdown pass with 2:34 remaining in the first half to give New Orleans a 10-6 halftime lead.

Atlanta took the lead back with a 21-yard dump-off pass to power back Jason Snelling, who rumbled through four potential tacklers on his way into the end zone midway through the third quarter.

Then the Saints took the lead back again with a sensational 33-yard touchdown pass from Brees to Robert Meachem, who went up high to get it in the back of the end zone for a 17-13 lead late in the third quarter.

The Saints gained the momentum for a while, with an interception by linebacker Scott Shanle and Kasay’s field goals from 48 yards and 44 yards early in the fourth quarter extending their lead to 23-13. But the game was only just beginning at that point.

The Falcons converted a fourth-and-3 in Saints’ territory with 4:25 remaining on a 3-yard pass from Matt Ryan to Roddy White. Then, two plays later, Ryan hit tight end Tony Gonzalez with a 20-yard touchdown pass in the middle of traffic to close the score to 23-20 with 4:13 remaining.

The Saints’ offense chewed up some clock, and they had appeared to extend their lead with a 45-yard field goal by Kasay with 2:02 remaining, but Graham was called for holding to nullify the kick.

So the Saints punted and pinned the Falcons back on their 6-yard line. But the Falcons quickly shot down the field with a heavy dose of passes to receiver Harry Douglas in open space.

Both teams threatened to win the game on that last-minute drive, with the Falcons marching all the way to New Orleans’ 9-yard line and taking a few shots at the end zone — one of which bounced right off the hands and chest of Saints safety Roman Harper.

Ultimately, the Falcons settled for a 27-yard field goal by Matt Bryant to tie the score at 23 as time expired in regulation.

As for the defense’s performance as a whole, Harper said those late Falcons’ drives spoiled an otherwise impressive day for the Saints, who forced the Falcons to settle for field-goal attempts on four of their six trips inside the 25-yard line and won the turnover battle 1-0.

“The only thing you can be really disappointed in is the two-minute drive at the end (of regulation),” Harper said. “We gave them that. We blew a couple of coverages. But overall the effort, the skills and the plays we made were great. We made them check it down all day, we didn’t give up any big plays.”

The defense came up especially big in overtime. The Falcons won the coin toss and gained eight yards on their first play. But the Saints stopped them to force a punt.

The Saints also went three-and-out, failing to convert a third-and-2 of its own, and punted to Atlanta.

The Falcons then almost converted a first down on third-and-1 on a play-action pass to fullback Mike Cox, but Jenkins hit him, and Dunbar piled on to keep Cox inches short of the first-down marker. The play initially was ruled a first down, but replays showed that Cox fumbled the ball forward as he tried to extend it past the first-down marker.

That’s when the Falcons decided to go for it on fourth-and-inches.

“When you can stop someone defensively on fourth-and-1, that’s a significant way to win a game. That’s an emotional way to win a game,” said Payton. “Those are character builders.

“Those are games that you draw from, especially against a great opponent.”

Mike Triplett can be reached at mtriplett@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3405.

New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma and defensive end Turk McBride have been ruled out of Sunday’s game at Atlanta because of injuries, and receiver Lance Moore, tailback Chris Ivory and cornerback Patrick Robinson are questionable. Tailback Mark Ingram, cornerback Tracy Porter and tight end John Gilmore are all probable.

Based on those designations, it looks as though Ingram will return to the lineup after missing the past two weeks with a bruised heel.

The Saints have not revealed their plans, but Coach Sean Payton said this week it would be difficult to use four tailbacks in a game. If the Saints indeed decide to go with three active tailbacks as usual, Ivory could be the odd man out with a hamstring injury. Both Ingram and Ivory were limited throughout the week.

Moore’s status is uncertain. He missed practice Thursday and Friday after tweaking his hamstring in individual drills Thursday morning.

Robinson’s status is also uncertain, though it seems unlikely that he will play after missing practice all week with an unspecified stomach ailment. Earlier in the week, Payton said Robinson was experiencing serious stomach pains but said he had tested negative for appendicitis and similar conditions. On Friday, both Payton and Robinson declined to discuss the injury.

The decisions on Vilma (knee) and McBride (ankle) came as no surprise after both players missed practice all week.

After trying to fight through a lingering left knee injury for most of the season, Vilma will now miss his second straight game. After that, the Saints have a bye in Week 11. They’re hopeful Vilma will be closer to 100 percent for the stretch run.

“We were hoping gradually it would get better and better, and unfortunately it had just remained the same, kind of stagnant,” Payton said of Vilma, who suffered the unspecified injury in Week 2. “Then all of a sudden he’s trying to play and not playing up to his standards and not getting the work through the week.”

PORTER’S RECOVERY: Porter is feeling better now, five days after a vicious head-first collision sent him off the field on a stretcher in last week’s victory over Tampa Bay. He admits that it was scary when it happened.

“I mean, of course when they say they’re going to grab a stretcher to take you off the field, you’re always scared and you’re planning for the worst,” said Porter, who was on the field for more than 10 minutes before being carted off, with his arm raised in the air to the fans in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. “But everything panned out and I was able to move my limbs, able to walk. So I’m thankful, and I’m blessed that it wasn’t more serious than it was.”

Porter, who has been back at practice on a limited basis the past two days, said “it took a while” before he realized he was going to be OK.

“Once I started to move my limbs, that was a sense of relief right there. Because I know how violent this game is and the effect it can have on you,” said Porter, who didn’t spend the night in the hospital. “But the next couple days, it was rough, still dealing with some pain (in the neck and chest). But I’m making it through it, and we’ll see where it goes from here.”

At first, Porter got many messages from concerned friends, family and fans — which he said he appreciated greatly.

By the end of the week, though, the tone had changed. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said Porter’s new nickname is “Lazarus,” and he said Porter was being teased in the meeting room Friday for grandstanding.

“We were teasing him about the bow he felt like he needed to take when he finally made contact with somebody,” Williams joked, though he admitted it was tough to see when it happened.

“I think of all these guys like my kids. You hold your breath when anything like that happens. We’re all relieved that everything is fine,” Williams said. “He’s a great kid, he’s fun to be around. And his leadership, his energy when he plays, we’re a better team when he plays. That’s just the way it is.”

Said Porter: “It wouldn’t be Gregg if he couldn’t get his two cents in. But I know it’s all fun and games. He’s very happy that it wasn’t worse than what it was. But of course we’re gonna make jokes about it once you find out you’re OK.”

FALCONS INJURIES: Atlanta’s starting left tackle Sam Baker was ruled out with a back injury, and starting strong safety William Moore is doubtful with a quadriceps injury that kept him out of practice all week. Everyone else on the Falcons’ injury report is probable, including receiver Julio Jones, who was limited the past two days with a hamstring injury.

Mike Triplett can be reached at mtriplett@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3405.

The longtime rivalry between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons has been heating up in recent years, both because of how good the teams have been and because of some elevated trash-talking. Last year, the Saints ruffled a few Falcon feathers when some of their defensive players celebrated and posed for pictures after their Week 16 victory inside the Georgia Dome.

The Falcons are mostly insisting that they have either forgotten about that incident or that it wasn’t a big deal, though some players insisted last year that they would keep it in the back of their minds.

“There is trash talk every week,” Falcons tailback Michael Turner told the Atlanta media. “We know we don’t like each other. We’ve been fighting each other since 2008 for this division. It’s a rivalry game. …

It’s pretty close. This is one of the most overlooked rivalries in football right now. We’ve been playing some great games. We respect each other, but when it comes down to Sunday, we try to be the better team.”

Receiver Roddy White was asked specifically about the postgame celebration, after which Saints defensive tackle Remi Ayodele was quoted as saying, “I pissed on the Falcons logo.” Saints players insisted afterward that they meant no disrespect to the Falcons, and that they often pose for pictures after big road victories.

“Oh wow, that’s kind of crazy,” White said. “They came down here and got a W. They can kind of do whatever they want to do. That’s kind of what happens. When we won down there, we kind of went on the field. It happens. We kind of did our thing when we went down there and won the game. They won, so congratulations to them.

“This is a whole new year. A whole new team; different players and things like that. We’ll be ready to get a W and keep them out of the middle of our field.”

It’s a familiar script for the Saints this week as they travel to Atlanta for the second game of an NFC South back-to-back. First place is on the line in the division — like a week ago against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers — when New Orleans (6-3) meets the Falcons (5-3) in a most passionate rivalry that dates to 1967, the year of the Saints’ inception.

The clubs have met 83 times, and the Falcons hold a 45-38 advantage. But since 2006, the Saints have had a decided edge, winning eight times in the past 10 games. Falcons Coach Mike Smith has been around for the past six, and he has beaten the Saints only twice.

“I think they’re a very good football team,” Smith told the Atlanta media Monday. “Since we’ve been here, we’ve had some very competitive games with them. We’ve ended up on top of the standings one time. They’ve done it a time or two as well. It’s very competitive.

“It’s the most important game because it’s the next game, and the guys will hear that Wednesday, like they hear it every week.”

The Saints have won the past two meetings at the Georgia Dome, and the past three in the series have each been decided by three points. Since Smith took over as Atlanta’s coach in 2008, the largest margin of victory in the six games has been eight, a 35-27 win by the Saints at the Superdome on Nov. 2, 2009.

FALCONS OFFENSE

When looking at the Falcons’ talent, it’s head-scratching that Atlanta is, statistically at least, only average.

Atlanta ranks 14th in total offense, averaging 347.1 yards per game. In another era, that would be prolific. In pass-happy NFL circa 2011, it’s middle of the road.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has plenty of weapons, primarily receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones and tight end Tony Gonzalez. The Ryan-led Falcons passing offense ranks 17th overall, averaging 228.1 yards. Ryan has thrown 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

White is the favored target in volume with 43 catches for 501 yards and three touchdowns. But Gonzalez, a huge tight end who has served as the prototype for the modern-day version of the position, has caught five scoring passes among his 39 receptions.

Jones is the deep threat, averaging 17.5 yards per catch on 28 receptions, with seven catches of 20 or more yards and two scores. He’s averaging 81.5 yards per game and has accumulated 154 yards after the catch.

Running back Michael Turner is an effective between-the-tackles runner, with seven touchdowns and a 4.4 per-carry average on 157 carries. While the Falcons’ rushing offense ranks 13th, Turner has the capability of putting up a big number.

Ryan has been sacked 19 times in 276 passing attempts.

FALCONS DEFENSE

This group might not be confused with the storied “Grits Blitz” teams of the past led by former coach Jerry Glanville, but Atlanta does offer two Pro Bowl-caliber defensive linemen in tackle Jonathan Babineaux and defensive end John Abraham.

They’re a big reason Atlanta’s run defense ranks seventh in the league, allowing only 96.5 yards per game, a 4-yard per carry average and six touchdowns.

Babineaux is rounding into playing form after missing most of September with a knee injury he sustained in Atlanta’s season opener. He had a sack last week against the hapless Indianapolis Colts. Abraham leads the Falcons with three sacks

The Falcons attempt to funnel most plays inside, where middle linebacker Curtis Lofton usually makes the stop, evidenced by his team-leading 76 total tackles. He also has an interception and a forced fumble.

Left outside linebacker Sean Weatherspoon ranks second in total tackles with 70, and he has two sacks.

The Falcons come into Sunday’s game ranked 14th in total defense, allowing opponents 341.8 yards — 245.2 in the air, which puts Atlanta 19th against the pass. The Falcons have intercepted 10 passes, three by free safety Thomas DeCoud. He ranks third in total tackles with 40.

FALCONS SPECIAL TEAMS

Atlanta kicker Matt Bryant is as steady as they come.

He has hit all 12 of his field-goal attempts, including five from 40 to 49 yards, and his only attempt from the 50-yard mark. He’s also flawless on extra points in 21 attempts.

Punter Matt Bosher hasn’t been booming kicks, averaging just 38.5 yards on 39 punts. But his net average of 35.6 is an indication that Atlanta’s punt coverage team is doing a nice job down the field. Bosher has downed 14 punts inside the 20, and opponents have just 92 return yards, a 6.1 per-return average.

The Falcons’ return game is completely in the hands of Eric Weems, who’s back on punts and kickoffs. Weems has returned 17 punts for a 9.5 per-return average and a long of 37, and he has 14 kickoff returns and a 22.9 average — with a long of 37.

Atlanta’s punt-cover team is allowing 6.1 yards per return on 15 kicks.

LAST TIME THEY MET

Saints 17, Falcons 14

Dec. 27, 2010, at the Georgia Dome

The Saints clinched back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since the 1991 and 1992 season with the come-from-behind victory over the Falcons.

Quarterback Drew Brees connected with tight end Jimmy Graham on a 6-yard touchdown pass, culminating a seven-minute, 11-second fourth-quarter scoring drive that gave the Saints the lead with 3:24 remaining.

THEY SAID IT

“I found out real quickly by traveling down to New Orleans for our first trip down there that it is a heated rivalry, very heated. That makes it fun for the fans. … There’s some kind of chant down there, I’m not exactly sure.” — Falcons Coach Mike Smith

New Orleans Saints cornerback Tracy Porter is apparently recovering well after a frightening neck injury that left him laying on the field for more than 10 minutes in the first quarter Sunday before he was carted off on a stretcher.

The Saints reported that Porter checked out OK during neurological tests at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and that he was taken to a local hospital as a precautionary measure. Porter later tweeted, “This is why I love the #WhoDatNation. We are one big family. I’m doing good u guys, I look forward to being back soon. I love u guys.”

The Saints didn’t offer any further updates on Porter’s condition Sunday evening, though Coach Sean Payton said he was relieved to hear the positive reports after the game.

“Certainly our prayers are with him,” Payton said. “It’s good to get in (the locker room) after the game and find out that he is doing pretty well.”

The injury occurred on the second play of the Saints’ 27-16 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when Porter dived low to hit receiver Mike Williams and break up a pass on second-and-7.

The right side of Porter’s helmet smacked against Williams’ right leg – a harsh collision that briefly left Williams laying on the field as well before he hobbled off. Porter started to get up, then fell to the ground. He then lay still as trainers and medical personnel attended to him, though his hands and feet were able to move.

Porter laid on the field for more than 10 minutes as they carefully removed his face mask and strapped him to a straight board, then lifted him onto a stretcher and onto a cart. As he was carted off, he raised his right fist to the crowd.

Though that scary scene could have interrupted the Saints’ early momentum, Porter’s teammates said they were determined to keep their emotions in check.

“Yeah, man, we got to get his back. When you see one of your soldiers go down, it’s kind of sad … but we got to bounce back,” safety Roman Harper said. “We just got to go. You know, next man up and let’s get this thing rolling.”

Second-year cornerback Patrick Robinson became a full-time cornerback on base snaps after Porter’s injury – though Robinson also missed time with an apparently minor shoulder injury during the game himself. And veteran backup Leigh Torrence filled in as both a nickel back and replacement for Robinson.

Torrence did a nice job in general, though he was flagged for a costly pass interference penalty that set up a touchdown late in the game. The penalty wasn’t egregious, though he was likely flagged for not turning to look at the ball.

If Porter is out for an extended period, the Saints have a lot of faith in Robinson and Torrence. Rookie Johnny Patrick could also seem some playing time after being inactive for most of this season.

OTHER INJURIES – The Saints played Sunday without middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who was labeled a game-day decision with his lingering knee injury. Vilma had been playing through the injury over the past five weeks. It’s unknown how long he will be sidelined. The Saints have a bye coming up in two weeks, so it will be interesting to see if they rest him that long or bring him back for next Sunday’s pivotal divisional matchup at Atlanta.

Tailback Mark Ingram was also held out of Sunday’s game with his lingering heel injury. The Saints’ other inactives were all healthy players – Patrick, fullback Korey Hall, offensive tackle Ray Willis, receiver Adrian Arrington and defensive end Jeff Charleston.

Tight end David Thomas finally returned from a concussion after missing five games. Right tackle Zach Strief returned from a sprained knee after missing five games.

Tailback Pierre Thomas (hip) and Robinson (shoulder) missed time during the game but both returned.

BREES CLIMBS CHARTS – Saints quarterback Drew Brees became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 3,000 yards in the first nine games of the season Sunday, reaching 3,004 for the year. The previous mark was set by Brees himself, 2,985 yards in 2008.

Brees completed 27 of 36 passes for 258 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He is now tied with Brett Favre for second place in NFL history with a streak of 36 straight games with a touchdown pass. Johnny Unitas holds the league record with 47 straight games.

Brees continued to climb the all-time NFL charts in several other areas. He moved past Dave Krieg into 13th place for career passing yards (38,360), broke a tie with Dan Fouts and passed Sonny Jurgensen to reach 12th place in career TD passes (256) and moved past Joe Montana for 10th place in career completions (3,414).

MORE HISTORY – Tailback Darren Sproles (56 receptions) and tight end Jimmy Graham (55) are the first running back/tight end combo in NFL history to each have 50 or more receptions through the first nine games of a season.

WORTH NOTING – Kicker John Kasay missed his fourth field-goal attempt of the season, banking a 42-yard kick off the right upright in the first quarter. Kasay’s previous three misses were all from 49 yards or more. He later made field goals of 21 and 34 yards.

- Robinson was flagged for an unusual penalty in the second quarter – defensive delay of game – which nullified a Tampa Bay punt and gave the Buccaneers a first down. Though it wasn’t clear exactly what Robinson did, former NFL head of officials Mike Pereira explained via Twitter, “If the defense performs an uncommon action to try and draw the offense offsides it is a delay of game on the defense.”

– Former Saints special teams standout Steve Gleason shared a brief exchange with Tampa Bay punter Michael Koenen before Sunday’s game. Koenen was the Atlanta Falcons punter when Gleason blocked his kick on the night the Dome reopened in 2006 for one of the most memorable moments in Saints history.

TAMPA, FLA. – New Orleans Saints receiver Robert Meachem was wide open in the left side of the end zone on the Saints’ failed fourth-down play in the final minutes of their 26-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Meachem frantically but futilely tried to signal to quarterback Drew Brees, and a couple offensive linemen appeared to start to point at Meachem to no avail.

The play was designed for Brees to roll right and evaluate his options underneath and in the end zone. And since it was fourth-and-2 from the Buccaneers’ 4-yard line, the Saints’ fallback option was just to gain the two yards needed for a first down. So Brees said he never really considered looking for the deep throw across the field.

Meachem said he didn’t expect Brees to turn his way – but he was hoping the play might last long enough that Brees might swing his head around.

“Yeah, it’s one of those plays where there’s a lot going on,” Brees said. “You get flushed right. The last thing I was thinking was throwing the ball 30 yards on the other side of the field.”

TAMPA, FLA – So, who are these guys? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been a team on the rise the past two years under Coach Raheem Morris and quarterback Josh Freeman, but they’re still experiencing growing pains. They’ve split the past four games against the NFC South rival New Orleans Saints, winning both times in New Orleans but losing both times in Tampa, 38-7 and 31-6.

They surprisingly won 10 games last season and got off to a 3-1 start this season, but they collapsed in a head-scratching 48-3 loss at San Francisco last Sunday.

The Saints (4-1) don’t know which version of the Buccaneers (3-2) they’ll encounter when they kick off at Raymond James Stadium Sunday at 3:15 p.m. Regardless, they insist that they won’t be taking them lightly.

“They’re explosive, they’re young and they’re hungry,” Saints guard Carl Nicks. “That’s always dangerous.”

Things got philosophical this week at Saints camp and Buccaneers camp. Players and coaches were asked several versions of the same question: Who’s more dangerous, a team on a hot streak or a team coming off of a drubbing like the Buccaneers?

“They say a wounded lion is the most dangerous,” New Orleans cornerback Jabari Greer said, echoing the most popular theory in the Saints’ locker room.

Nicks conceded that a loss like that could shake a team’s confidence, but he said the mistakes always seem correctable after they’re reviewed on tape.

“You go back and look at what you did, it might have been turnovers, dropped balls, miscues on the offensive line. So you clean a couple things up; it’s a new ballgame,” Nicks said. “I don’t think it’s going to mess your season up. It’s way too early.”

The Buccaneers said they couldn’t wait to get back on the field. Freeman said a lot of players came in Tuesday, their off day, eager to start fresh and “excited about the opportunity” to face their NFC South rivals.

That’s exactly what Saints quarterback Drew Brees expected to hear from his young counterpart.

“I know this. I know their coach gets those guys playing and playing hard,” Brees said. “They have a good scheme every game, and I look at that game last week as an aberration for them. That’s not the type of team they are. It’s just one of those days. I think we’ve all been in situations where you have a tough loss for whatever reason, you don’t play well, and you just want to get back on the field and right the wrong.

“The fact that it’s that situation, also that it’s a divisional game, they’re one of the contenders in this division, I know that the games between us the last few years have been back and forth. … Those are reasons why we’re going to get their absolute best performance.

“They’re going to be ready for us, and we’ll be ready for them.”

Taking that “wounded lion” comparison a step further, the Buccaneers are banged up right now. Two of their best young players, tailback LeGarrette Blount and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, won’t play. Impressive rookie linebacker Mason Foster is questionable, among others.

The Buccaneers are a confident young team, however, that often finds a way to win. They’ve been good in a lot of subtle but substantial areas, like turnover margin, third downs and special teams coverage. They’ve been a good rushing team when Blount is healthy, and they’ve been terrific in the clutch.

The Buccaneers have twice rallied from double-digit deficits this season, including a 17-0 deficit at Minnesota in Week 2. They’ve rallied from six double-digit deficits since 2009, and they’ve won seven of their past eight games decided by three points or less.

Freeman has been cool under pressure, even at the age of 23. Eight of his 16 career victories have been comeback wins in the fourth quarter or overtime. He’s 15-9 in his past 24 starts.

“You see his patience, you see his leadership skills, you see his demeanor. He’s someone that has that calm, collected way about him,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said. “I think the players believe in him.”

That’s remarkable considering Freeman’s age and the fact that he was considered a raw, developmental prospect when he was drafted in the first round out of Kansas State in 2009. But as Greer pointed out: “At what point do you stop being a young man?”

“He’s not a young man anymore,” Greer said of the 6-foot-6, 248-pound quarterback, who has passing skills, plus the ability to scramble out of the pocket and shed tacklers. “One thing he has done well, he has put his team in position to come back and play strong in the fourth quarter, even though they haven’t had the most success in the first quarter. He is a guy that doesn’t quit, that you’re going to have to play all four quarters with.”

Morris doesn’t shy from putting a lot on Freeman’s broad shoulders.

“Everything is about the growth and development of Josh Freeman. We want our guy to be like your guy one day,” Morris said, referring to Brees.

Freeman has had growing pains, though. After throwing six interceptions last season, he has thrown six, including two last week at San Francisco. He has thrown for three touchdown passes and run for two.

“As far as preparation and feeling good, I feel great. I understand the defenses. I understand our offense as well as I ever have,” said Freeman, who said part of the reason for the interceptions is that he has the confidence to take more shots down the field.

“There have been a few plays that it has gotten away from me a little bit, but it’s not something I anticipate happening,” Freeman added. “There’s obviously some stuff that we could execute better on, and we just have to get better, continue with preparation and find a way to win.”

Ultimately, though, the Saints said it doesn’t matter which version of Freeman the Buccaneers take the field Sunday.

The Saints are on a roll, winners of four in a row, including two fourth-quarter rallies of their own. They know they’re capable of posting another blowout win at Tampa, just as they’re capable of losing to the Buccaneers if they don’t execute.

“As I can recall, the last two times we did play in Tampa we went out there, we played hard, we played as 11,” Saints left tackle Jermon Bushrod said. “Then once they came (to New Orleans), maybe they switched up what they were doing a little bit, but we just have to continue to fight to be consistent. We have to play as 11, execute to the best of our ability.

“It’s how we play, not how they play.”

Mike Triplett can be reached at mtriplett@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3405.

The NFC South picture will really start to come into focus over the next two weeks, with the New Orleans Saints traveling to Carolina and Tampa Bay for their first divisional games of the season and Atlanta hosting the Panthers in Week 6.

For now, though, the Saints (3-1) have to like where they’re sitting one quarter of the way through the season.

Not only did they dig out of an early hole after losing the season opener at Green Bay, but they proved they could bounce back from an emotional victory as well, following up Week 3′s dramatic win over Houston with a drama-free victory at Jacksonville in Week 4.

Though Coach Sean Payton admitted that he was stating the obvious, he said Monday that teams need to have winning streaks like this one if they want to rack up 11 or 12 or 13 wins by the end of the season.

“You have to be able to string wins together and find ways to rebound and then get motivated and have an edge again for the next week’s game,” Payton said. “We’ve been here and you guys have seen seasons where just when we feel like we’re making some progress, all of a sudden there’s a setback, and then there’s some momentum, and it’s hard to do it that way.

“Yesterday was the first game of a stretch of three road games, and we try to just look at each one independently, but certainly put a value on a win like that on the road.”

Payton said he likes that the Saints have “found a way to win” three games that played out differently against different styles of opponents.

They stayed patient against a Bears team that likes to pounce on mistakes in Week 2. They rallied late to win a shootout against the Texans. And they jumped ahead of the Jaguars early and never let them catch up because of terrific defense and special teams play.

“I thought the time of possession yesterday was important,” Payton said. “Third downs again were important. I thought in the second half defensively we had some key stops which were critical in this win.

“And the one constant you’ve seen week in and week out is the kicking game has been outstanding. That’s encouraging. We try to talk about field position. The importance of field position is when you can play a game on the opponent’s side of the field as opposed to your side of the field, any mistake made is — I don’t want to say exaggerated — but certainly becomes that much more important in the course of the game.

“I thought we did a good job of handling the fronts. We challenged both the offensive line and the defensive line in this game, and I thought they came out and played well.”

The Saints’ defense has been especially good in the second half of games, holding their four opponents to a total of 27 points.

They were dominant at Jacksonville, shutting out the Jaguars in the second half while intercepting quarterback Blaine Gabbert once and holding him without a completion for nearly 25 minutes.

“Sometimes it can be a little stressful to play with the lead and know it’s yours to lose,” said cornerback Jabari Greer.

Greer and cornerback Patrick Robinson said the defense has grown a lot since Week 1, both in execution and “intangibles” like focus.

“There’s certainly momentum in this locker room, but this is 15 hours after we played,” Greer said Monday morning. “We’re going to give ourselves another nine hours to enjoy this win. Then we’ll go back to square 1. … One thing we realize, it’s a long season. Every game presents a different opportunity.”

Sunday’s trip to Carolina will provide a unique challenge. Rookie Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has made a surprisingly quick adjustment to the NFL.

The 6-foot-5, 248-pound athlete is like no other quarterback in the league. Payton said his physical presence is reminiscent of Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger or Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman, but he also has more elite speed than those two.

“He has that moxie that you look for at that position. It’s not too big for him. He’s very comfortable in the pocket and then escaping,” Payton said. “There would be a few similarities to (Roethlisberger and Freeman). But Cam is a guy that really can beat you running the ball for a gain of 28 yards as opposed to just 8.”

Newton has thrown for 1,386 yards this season — the most ever by a rookie through four weeks and third in the NFL behind New England’s Tom Brady and the Saints’ Drew Brees.

He has thrown five touchdown passes and five interceptions. He has also run for 133 yards on 33 carries with four touchdown runs and one fumble.

“In a short period of time, they’ve put together a plan that really fits his strengths,” Payton said. “The thing that challenges your defense with him are the extended plays. He’s strong, he’s big in the pocket, and I think there’s that leadership ability that’s contagious with the offensive players that are on the field.

“Without having studied all the tape and just having begun the process, he’s a handful, especially at Carolina.”

GOOD HEALTH: Not only are the Saints gaining momentum on the field, but they appear to be getting healthier too.

No new injuries were reported after Sunday’s game, which featured the returns of receiver Marques Colston, linebacker Jonathan Vilma, cornerback Tracy Porter and defensive tackle Tom Johnson.

Payton said the plan was for Porter and Colston to be eased back into the action, with both playing in nickel packages and Colston also seeing some red-zone snaps. Colston caught one pass for 8 yards, but Payton said he expects him to be increasingly more involved in the coming weeks.

Payton did not update the status of the players who missed Sunday’s game with injuries — center Olin Kreutz (knee), right tackle Zach Strief (knee), tight end David Thomas (concussion), linebacker Will Herring (hamstring) and linebacker Martez Wilson (shoulder).

He did, however, offer good news about second-year tailback Chris Ivory (foot/sports hernia), who will be eligible to come off the physically unable-to-perform list as early as Week 7.

“I know he’s in great shape right now, he’s healthy, he’s been training hard and would’ve been ready to play this past weekend, just to give you a gauge where he’s at. He’s 100 percent, busy staying in shape and making sure he’s ready,” said Payton, who said he doesn’t yet have a plan for how to rotate all four of his running backs if they’re all healthy at the same time. “Like anything else, when you get to that point, you deal with it.”

BREES ON TV: Brees will appear on tonight’s episode of “The Biggest Loser” on NBC as one of a few NFL guests who will serve as special trainers for the contestants on the show.

•••••••

Staff writer Bob Fortus contributed to this report. Mike Triplett can be reached at mtriplett@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3405.