foundational soviet: NFL Week 16 Picks: Saints Will Win Monday Night Shootout over Falcons

After weeks and weeks of horrible, unwatchable matchups, Monday Night Football?is finally getting to the good stuff.

In Week 15, we were treated to an entertaining tilt between the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers, which was awesome enough to literally suck the energy out of Candlestick Park.

In Week 16, we have an even better matchup, as the Atlanta Falcons are slated to hit the road to take on the New Orleans Saints. The Falcons will be looking to stay alive in the NFC South, and the Saints will be looking to clinch it.

The spread, according to Bovada (formerly Bodog), has the Saints favored by seven points, which makes sense given that they're the home team and also happen to be on a six-game winning streak.

But the Saints are not going to win this game by a touchdown. They're pretty good, but the Falcons deserve more credit than that.

Not many people have noticed, but the Falcons are on their own little roll. They're riding a modest two-game winning streak, sure, but you can look back even further and notice that they've won seven of their last nine games.?

Matt Ryan has had a lot to do with Atlanta's success. He's been brilliant in Atlanta's last five games in particular, throwing 12 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. Both of those came in the same game.

A quarterback as hot as Ryan shouldn't have too much trouble handling the Saints' defense, which can be beaten through the air. He passed for over 350 yards against the Saints in their first meeting, and the Saints subsequently allowed Eli Manning and Matthew Stafford to throw for 400 yards against them.

Of course, this is largely because Drew Brees and the Saints' offense force opponents to take to the air. Brees is on pace to have a record-breaking season, and he's already had his way with the Falcons once this season.

Who ya got?

Falcons
Saints

Total votes: 0

Given the roll Brees is on (16 touchdown passes and zero interceptions in his last five games), it suffices to say the Falcons have their work cut out for them. And because their own pass defense is nothing special, the Falcons will have to abide by the notion that the best defense is a strong offense.

The Saints will abide by the same notion, resulting in a shootout that will be more than worthy of primetime.

It's going to be a close finish. In such situations, you have to favor the better team, especially if the better team is also the home team.

The Saints will win. But if you pick them to cover, you'll lose.

Saints 31, Falcons 28