Monday's Game

Falcons at Saints

8:30 p.m., ESPN

Line: Saints by 61/2

Skinny: Each team can clinch at least a wild-card berth with a win. New Orleans remains in the running for No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the NFC playoffs. Atlanta would remain alive for the NFC South title with a win. . . . Saints QB Drew Brees has thrown for no fewer than 4,388 yards in a single season since signing with New Orleans in 2006. In 2008, he threatened Dan Marino's 1984 single-season yards passing record of 5,084, finishing with 5,069. In 2009, Brees set an NFL record for single-season completion percentage with 70.6 while leading the Saints to their first Super Bowl, in which Brees was selected MVP. This season, Brees is only 305 yards passing away from breaking Marino's mark for passing yards. . . . While not quite operating on Brees' level, Falcons QB Matt Ryan (Penn Charter High School) has done just what Atlanta needed lately to keep New Orleans from running away with the NFC South. Ryan passed for 320 yards in a win at Carolina two weeks ago. In a lopsided victory over Jacksonville, he completed 73 percent of his passes (19 of 26) for 224 yards.

"We've had opportunities to make plays the entire year, but we've made them the last couple of weeks," Ryan said. "We've had a better sense of urgency."

- Associated Press EndText