Are Saints, Falcons overrated after ugly Week 1 showings?

The New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons both had tough outings in Week 1, despite high expectations. Are they both overrated?

Last season, the NFC South sent three teams to the postseason — the division-winning New Orleans Saints, followed closely by the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons. Entering this season, it’s fair to say expectations were high for all three teams.

In the first game of the NFL season on Thursday night, the Falcons traveled to Philadelphia to take on the Super Bowl Champion Eagles. It was a tight game, but Atlanta ultimately fell thanks to a lack of late-game execution from quarterback Matt Ryan. Outside of Julio Jones’s outstanding 10-catch, 169-yard, the offense fell flat. The team rushed for 74 total yards and Ryan threw for 251 yards and no touchdowns.

The defense showed out — specifically the pass defense — holding Philly to 18 points and Nick Foles to 117 yards. They did give up 113 yards on the ground and two touchdowns to Jay Ajayi, however.

Moving forward, the main defensive concern will be replacing Keanu Neal — who tore his ACL. Damontae Kazee, the 2017 fifth-round pick, played well in place of Neal and will likely be his long-term replacement.

The offense, on the other hand, has some work to do. The jury is still out on the unit being able to replicate its league-leading output of 2016, orchestrated by now 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. Atlanta’s offense dropped from first to 15th last season.

Ryan was an MVP that season, and Atlanta let a Super Bowl victory slip through its fingers. If they hope to get back to that point, they need to get back to what worked two years ago.

New Orleans hasn’t done much since it’s Super Bowl victory in 2009, seeing the playoffs just three times in eight seasons. After three-straight seasons going 7-9, New Orleans won the division at 11-5 last year. Many expected them to improve upon that number this season.

Facing Tampa Bay in Week 1, arguably one of the worst teams in the NFL entering the season, New Orleans had no reason but to run all over the Buccaneers.

Not only did the Saints not blow Tampa Bay out — they didn’t even beat them! Fourteen-year veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, replacing the suspended Jameis Winston, had the best game of his career vs. New Orleans in Week 1. Fitzpatrick threw for 417 yards and four touchdowns and also ran for 36 yards and a touchdown.

New Orleans did keep up with Tampa Bay, scoring 40 points. Drew Brees threw for 438 yards and three touchdowns himself. Michael Thomas was outstanding, catching 16 balls for 180 yards and a score. Alvin Kamara, getting all the work with Mark Ingram suspended, scored twice on the ground and once through the air.

Unlike Atlanta, it’s too early to worry about the Saints. The weapons are there for the offense to score 30 points a week (at least), and the run defense actually did a fine job in Week 1. The secondary certainly needs to tighten things up, however.

Overreacting to the first week of regular season action is usually a mistake, so forming opinions this early isn’t worth much time. Both Atlanta and New Orleans need to turn things around quickly, though.