The New Orleans Saints are hosting the 5-0 Atlanta Falcons for Thursday Night Football, and the game could all come down to the fourth quarter. Four of the Falcons' five wins were fourth-quarter comebacks, while the Saints' lone victory this season was a thrilling OT win over the Dallas Cowboys in a Sunday night matchup.
‘Thursday Night Football’ 2015 live stream: How to watch Falcons vs. Saints online
The teams in first and last place in the NFC South will be facing off in what could end up as a fourth-quarter finish.
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The Saints are 1-4 coming off a 39-17 loss to Philadelphia in a game that was tied until the middle of the third quarter. But the Saints gave up 29 points in the second half and their only touchdown after halftime came on a last-second garbage score. While it’s true that offensive struggles have caused the Saints’ defense to get behind and spend far too much time on the field, that side of the ball has had glaring issues, too. As a unit, the defense is last in the league with 409 yards allowed per game, and ranks 29th in points allowed per game.
Last week when quarterback Matt Ryan had trouble getting into a rhythm, the Falcons were able to rely on running back Devonta Freeman, who rushed for 153 yards and a touchdown in the win. The second-year rusher has been a revelation for the Falcons with his ability to create lanes and push through lines.
That, along with a stronger defense under new head coach Dan Quinn, has kept the team undefeated through Week 5.
These two NFC South teams may have different records, but anything can happen in a divisional rivalry. The Falcons are favored to come away with the win, but don’t count out the Saints just yet -- and don’t tune out in the fourth quarter.
How to watch
When: 8:25 p.m. ET
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans
TV: CBS | NFLN
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson
Online: NFL Game Pass
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