Falcons–Saints rivalry
The Falcons–Saints rivalry is an NFL rivalry between the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints.
Atlanta Falcons
New Orleans Saints
| |
| First meeting | November 20, 1967 Falcons 24, Saints 3 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | January 7, 2024 Saints 48, Falcons 17 |
| Next meeting | TBD |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 110 |
| All-time series | Tied, 55–55 |
| Postseason results | Falcons, 1–0
|
| Largest victory | Falcons, 62–7 (1973) |
| Longest win streak | Falcons, 10 (1995–1999) Saints, 6 (1987–1990) |
| Current win streak | Saints, 1 |
Super Bowl Championships (1)
Conference championships (3) Division championships (15) | |
The rivalry began in 1967 when the Saints entered the NFL as an expansion team; the Falcons had joined the league a year earlier. The two teams were the NFL's first in the traditional Deep South, which along with the Dallas Cowboys helped break the Washington Redskins decades-long monopoly as the NFL's only team located in the Southern United States. The teams were both placed in the NFC West in 1970, resulting in the teams playing two games against each other every year since (except for the strike-shortened 1987 season). The teams were both placed in the newly-formed NFC South in the 2002 realignment.
The series was rarely noted by the national media during the teams' first decades of existence, probably due to both teams' long stretches of futility. However, during the late 2000s and 2010s, both teams sustained success and routinely battled for the top spot in the NFC South. Despite both teams' lack of success for much of their histories, games between the two teams have riveted their respective regions for more than 50 years; fans of both teams consider the other their most important and hated opponent. ESPN.com writer Len Pasquarelli has cited the rivalry as one of the best in sports: "Every year, bus caravans loaded with rowdy (and usually very inebriated) fans make the seven-hour trip between the two cities. Unless you've attended a Falcons-Saints debauchery-filled afternoon, you'll just have to take my word for how much fun it really can be."
The September 25, 2006 match-up, which served as the Louisiana Superdome's official reopening after Hurricane Katrina, was considered a major milestone in New Orleans' and the Gulf Coast's recovery from the effects of the storm as well as the Saints' return to the city after their own year-long exile after the storm; the Saints later erected a statue outside the Superdome of Steve Gleason blocking Michael Koenen's punt to commemorate their win in that game.
The rivalry is currently tied, 55–55, after the Saints’ victory on January 7, 2024. The 31-point victory is the largest margin by either team since the Saints' 38-0 win in 1987.