Falcons-Saints winner today will clinch playoff spot,
Rookie left Saints’ Dec. 7 loss to Falcons with concussion.
NEW ORLEANS — For Saints r o o k i e s e n s a t i o n A l v i n Kamara, a rematch with rival Atlanta is all about unfifinished business.
Kamara, who has 1 , 336 yards from scrimmage and a team-leading 12 touchdowns as both a runner and receiver, played little in New Orleans’ fifirst meeting with the Falcons.
He was knocked out of the Dec. 7 game in Atlanta with a concussion in the Saints’ fifirst offffffffffffensive series and watched the rest of the game, which the Saints lost 20-17, on a television in the locker room.
“It was annoying, really. That’s all I can say. Of course I wanted to play, but we’ve got another one,” said Kamara, who was selected to the Pro Bowl last week along with fellow Saints running back Mark Ingram. “We can get some payback. So I think that’s what we’re kind of looking at.”
I f t h e S a i n t s ( 1 0 - 4 ) d o indeed get payback, they’ll clinch their fifirst playoffff berth since 2013 and also could win the NFC South with a Carolina loss.
If Atlanta (9-5) wins, it’ll have swept the season series with New Orleans for a second straight season and could move into a fifirst-place tie with the Panthers.
The versatile Kamara is one of three Saints players — along with Ingram and receiver Michael Thomas — who have gained more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage this season.
Yet it remains to be seen whether Kamara’s return tips the balance against the Falcons, who’ve won fifififififive of their past six and have a dynamic running back tandem of their own in Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman.
“If you like running back play, this is the game,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “T h e r e ’s f o u r go o d o n e s that all are unique that are all unique catchers, runners, (have) toughness, can make guys miss — all the ingredi- ents that you’re looking for.”
Both teams also have elite quarterbacks in the Saints’ Drew Brees and Falcons’ Matt Ryan.
Both clubs have 1,000-yard receivers, with Thomas last week joining Atlanta’s Julio Jones above that benchmark. Both teams are ranked 11th or better in total defense.
So this rematch is full of storylines. Here are some others:
Emotional rivalry: Atlanta leads the series 52-45 between these regional rivals since both teams were founded in the 1960s.
A l i t t l e more t h a n t wo weeks a go, t hey s t a ge d a highly competitive game, with New Orleans threatening to take a late lead until Falcons linebacker Deion Jones made a leaping interception of Brees’ pass to the end zone.
Saints coach Sean Payton was so wound up that he was flflagged — and later fifined — for running onto the fifield to yell at an offifficial a few plays later. The penalty allowed Atlanta to run out the clock.
“We de f i ni t e l y f e e l t he pent-up energy when it comes to an Atlanta week and espe- cially after the way we lost the last game” against the Falc ons, Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan said. “Clearly, we know we have a chance at redemption.”
Crying foul: Payton made a point of calling out offifficials for inconsistent enforcement after these teams’ previous meeting, going so far as saying it’s a problem the NFL’s leadership needs to address.
Q u i n n s a i d h e d i d n o t believe Payton was trying to pre-emptively inflfluence offifficials in this week’s rematch. But Quinn also said he didn’t recall anything unusual about offifficiating in the teams’ fifirst meeting and added he generally sees no point in complaining about it after the fact.
“That’s his prerogative and his opinion. I don’t share it,” Quinn said when asked about Payton’s criticism of offifficials. “Every game is difffffffffffferent. The plays are difffffffffffferent. The crews are difffffffffffferent.”
Interception perception: The Saints have fifififififive interceptions in their past two games — including three against Atlanta’s Ryan. They have 16 this season, which is tied for fourth most in the NFL.
Quinn says penalties have nullifified six Atlanta interceptions. While Deion Jones had a crucial interception against the Saints, the Falcons have only four all season, tied with Oakland for fewest.
“We know that’s going to be a fac tor in this game,” Quinn said.