Falcons open as (expected) underdogs against the Saints

The Atlanta Falcons entered Sunday’s clash against Carolina looking to notch a winning record for the first time since 2017. That was not to be, as the Falcons cobbled together a sloppy-at-best performance at home, dropping the game to the Panthers 19-13.

The Panthers had been in the midst of a four-game skid. Oddsmakers aren’t a big fan of losses like that, so it’s not a surprise that Atlanta opened as 5-point underdogs for this Sunday’s game, when they head to New Orleans to take on archrival the Saints.

The Saints are fresh off of an upset road win against the defending Super Bowl Champs, the Buccaneers.

Both teams will be lacking key playmakers, as Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley has stepped away from the sport for some time to devote time to his mental health, and Saints quarterback Jameis Winston suffered a knee injury against the Bucs.

The Saints are currently second in the NFC South with a 5-2 record, and with their loss against the Panthers, the Falcons have found themselves in the divisional basement at 3-4.

It’s officially Hate Week in Atlanta, and while the Falcons head to New Orleans as 5-point underdogs, we’ve all become familiar with the reality that anything and everything can happen when these two teams meet.