The Atlanta Falcons face their biggest rival on Sunday, and while you may not know anything about the New Orleans Saints or want to think about them in any way, it helps to get a better feel for the game.

That’s why we at Canal Street Chronicles turned to our enemies to answer five questions about the team we all love to hate. Below are my questions and answers from CSC’s Nic Jennings.

Tre’Shon Diaz: Through the first eight quarters of the season, the Saints scored a touchdown in six quarters while averaging over 40 points per game. Against the Eagles, who had given up an average of 28 points, New Orleans only managed one touchdown and 12 points. In your opinion, has the offensive already reached its peak?

Nick Jennings: I wouldn’t say the offense has necessarily peaked, but it might be a while before we see a performance like the first two games of the season. If star C Erik McCoy hadn’t gotten injured, my answer would be very different. Without McCoy, it will be difficult for the offense to give QB Derek Carr enough time to see the field, as we saw on Sunday against Philadelphia when he was under pressure the entire game. McCoy is the heart and soul of the O-line. He recognizes everything up front and excels as both a run blocker and a pass protector. Through the first two weeks, he was the league’s highest-rated center with an overall PFF grade of 95.5. It will be almost impossible to replace his performance on the field, although experienced LG Lucas Patrick didn’t look bad filling in for him.

When it comes to the skill positions, I personally think New Orleans could use another guy to help take the pressure off of the key weapons. Alvin Kamara had 26 of 27 RB carries on Sunday, which is simply unsustainable for a 17-game season. He showed up on the injury report with rib and hip issues, which caused him to miss practice on Wednesday and return to the field on Thursday. Meanwhile, speedy WR Rashid Shaheed, Chris Olave’s partner in crime, didn’t catch a single pass on five targets, leaving Olave to shoulder the bulk of the load with six balls on six targets for 86 yards and a beautiful toe-drag touchdown . The TE unit as a whole just hasn’t gotten going given Juwan Johnson’s ramp-up and Taysom Hill’s bruised lung.

To put it simply: No, I don’t think they’ve peaked yet. However, I think it will be a while before we see another 40+ point performance. Either McCoy returns, the Saints figure something out in the trenches, or they add another playmaker. Regardless, OC Klint Kubiak is still a mastermind of an offensive playcaller and should not be overlooked.

Tre’Shon Diaz: Erik McCoy is coming off his best season as a professional and 2023 was the first time he played every game since 2020. How do you think the Saints will adjust to the loss if he hits the IR as they prepare to see a commit? Face in Grady Jarrett, who has 1.5 sacks to start the year?

Nick Jennings: McCoy will be the main topic of discussion for New Orleans in the coming weeks, and rightly so. This is a huge loss for the Saints. The leadership and responsibility he brings, as well as his commitment and confidence, will be missed as the team looks to find his temporary replacement. I think they’ll stick with Lucas Patrick as the focus this week, although whoever will be at LG seems questionable. On Sunday, Eagles DT Jalen Carter received a pass rushing grade of 93.9 from PFF based on his four pressures, two passes deflected at the line, four stops and four tackles. He was an absolute force against the thin interior of the saints.

Over the next three weeks, New Orleans will face Grady Jarrett, Chris Jones and Vita Vea. I’m curious to see how they plan to handle this, especially since starting player Cesar Ruiz missed both practices this week with a knee injury. I expect Jarrett to face a significant number of double teams on Sunday.

Tre’Shon Diaz: The Saints defense got off to an impressive start and, unlike the offense, still looked good against the Eagles. However, their opponents have an overall record of 4-5 and the attacks they have played have not looked particularly impressive in other encounters. Is there a concern that good defensive play is more related to the intensity of the competition?

Nick Jennings: As long as Dennis Allen is in charge of this defense, I will never doubt that they can cause problems for the opposing offense. In the current league rankings, the Saints rank 2nd in interceptions (5), 2nd in forced fumbles (4), 2nd in passes defended (18), 3rd in red-line zone defense (25%), 5th in sacks (11) and 5th in points allowed per game (14.7).

One player to watch for on Sunday is DE Carl Granderson, as the former UDFA continues to develop into one of the scariest edge rushers in the league. He has 3.0 sacks (T-7th in the league, with 1.5 in each of the last two games), 18 pressures (T-2nd), 14 hurries (1st) and a pass rush win percentage of 21.8% (6th).

The Saints are loaded in the secondary (similar to the Falcons) and at linebacker. However, one should keep an eye on the availability of All-Pro LB Demario Davis, who missed both practices this week.

Tre’Shon Diaz: As a rookie, Bijan Robinson accounted for 17.3% of his total yards against the Saints and three of his four touchdowns. How should the Saints contain the running back in this round?

Nick Jennings: To be honest, I don’t. Bijan will almost certainly make a lasting impression.

The Saints’ run defense has been one of their weaknesses for some time and doesn’t appear to have improved at the start of the season. After having two weak backfields to start the year, New Orleans faced its first real test on Sunday against Philadelphia. The Saints allowed Eagles RB Saquon Barkley to rush for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns, including an explosive 65-yard TD. Hopefully DT Khalen Saunders can provide a boost as he prepares for his season debut.

Tre’Shon Diaz: The head-to-head record between Falcons and Saints is 55-55. Who will emerge with full swagger over the next six weeks and what is your prediction for the outcome?

Nick Jennings: Just three weeks into the 2024 season, it already feels like a must-win game for New Orleans.

I expect the defense to be strong and Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill – aka “The Falcon Killer” – to get the Saints running game back on track and defeat the Falcons 17-13. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Bijan Robinson turns out to be a nightmare for New Orleans.