Three matchups to watch in Saints’ season finale

By Ross Jackson

With several injuries hampering different areas of both the New Orleans Saints’ and Atlanta Falcons’ rosters, the biggest playmakers will be the most important elements of Sunday’s season finale between the two teams. 

The Saints will have to topple one of the best defensive duos in the league to get their passing game going while the Falcons may struggle to shut down the Saints’ most disruptive, impact players. 

Here are the three matchups that could play a large role in deciding Sunday’s game. 

Saints QB Tyler Shough vs. the Falcons’ safety duo

During his starts, Shough has been one of the league’s premiere downfield (10-plus air yards) passers in the league, gathering nearly 58% of his passing yards over the last three games have come on such passes. However, against the Falcons, the safety tandem of veteran Jessie Bates III and rookie Xavier Watts are sure to make things complicated in the passing game. 

Additionally, Shough will be without his top passing game option, wide receiver Chris Olave, due to a quickly developed and handled medical situation. 

Shough and his band of pass-catchers may have some trouble connecting in the deep ball. But if they manage to break through, the game will quickly turn in their favor. Watts has five interceptions on the season, just one off of Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard III’s league-leading six. 

Saints DE Chase Young vs. Falcons LT Jake Matthews

Young is having a career year in defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s system. He has a career-high 8.5 sacks on the year now and will be looking to add to it after wrangling a sack in his third consecutive game last week, notching 1.5 against Tennessee Titans rookie passer Cam Ward. 

Young has faced the Falcons three times as a Saint, notching two sacks and nine pressures combined in those games. He’s coming off of an eight pressure game last week alone and has been on a tear. Matthews should have his hands full with an active and disruptive Young, who’s playing rejuvenated football in the Big Easy. 

The Saints’ defensive interior vs. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson

Truly, this is the end-all-be-all matchup of the game. If Robinson runs (or catches) wild against the Saints, New Orleans may not be able to recover. The Saints have been beaten before with a game plan heavily focused on ball control. Atlanta has the running back and veteran quarterback to do it again.  

However, if the Saints can put some kind of a cap loosely placed over Robinson enough to gain a lead, the Falcons may have to abandon the ground game and throw to win. That would play into the Saints’ favor, sporting a top-five passing defense to wrap up the season.