This week, the New Orleans Saints head into enemy territory when they take on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4 of the 2024 regular season. Tre'Shon Diaz of The Falcoholic joins us to preview Sunday's showdown between one of the league's most heated division rivals.

NJ: How do you think QB Kirk Cousins ​​looked after his return from season-ending Achilles tendon surgery? Does he seem capable of leading Atlanta to the promised land? If not, how soon should first-round NFL draft pick Michael Penix Jr. take over as the team's starting QB?

TD: I expected Cousins ​​to get off to a slower start after the serious injury and we saw that. Every week he chipped away at a layer of rust, and most of it seemed to be mental, not physical. People attributed his shaking in Week 1 to his medical condition, but the real problem was TJ Watt sitting on his lap the entire game.

At this point he has taken care of it. Cousins ​​still has enough left in the tank to get this squad into the playoffs, so I don't expect to see Penix until 2025 or 2026.

NJ: With Atlanta expected to be missing two starters on offense – RT Kaleb McGary (sprained MCL, day-to-day) and C Drew Dalman (high ankle sprain, IR) – are you concerned about the Falcons' ability to contain the Saints? 'Revived pass rush? New Orleans currently ranks fourth in the league with 11 team sacks.

TD: There's still a chance McGary plays this Sunday, but regardless of my health, I would still be concerned. The defense had numerous opportunities to ambush the passer due to the opponent's position and they took advantage of them. Ryan Neuzil filled in for Dalmn last year and was doing well until he faced the Saints. Storm Norton also filled in for Kaleb McGary in 2023, edging out rookie sensation Will Anderson, but he's been up and down in his other outings.

Last week the line adjusted well through the fourth quarter and I think with a week of preparation they will be able to come up with a game plan to protect Cousins.

NJ: Atlanta is 6 of 27 on third down conversions to open the season. What do you think is the cause of this – coaching or implementation? Do you think anything will change against New Orleans?

TD: It's a combination of both. There were drops and other execution errors on plays that had potential. New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has also put the team in a bad position. With a sample size of just three games, I'm not panicking just yet, but there is a healthy level of concern.

Something has to change against the Saints, and Robinson has shown he can adapt and has improved week-to-week as a play-caller. However, there will continue to be growing pains for the rookie coordinator.

NJ: It's clear that many fans are still upset over New Orleans' failure to land All-Pro safety Justin Simmons, especially after Philadelphia Eagles TE Dallas Goedert recorded 170 receiving yards on 10 receptions against the Saints on Sunday. That being said, was the superstar tandem of Simmons and Jessie Bates III as lethal as advertised for the Falcons' secondary?

TD: According to PFF, Simmons has 16 yards allowed, one interception and one forced incompletion in 101 coverage snaps this season while allowing a passer rating of 6.3 when targeted. Jessie Bates was named NFC Player of the Week after her performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, which included a game-winning interception.

The duo did everything the team hoped for. They have allowed defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and head coach Raheem Morris to take over their zone-heavy program from Los Angeles. The duo also helped cover up a subpar pass rush with coverage sacks.

NJ: According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Falcons (-120) are currently 1.5-point favorites over the Saints (+102) in Sunday's game; Who do you think will come out on top and what is your final outcome prediction?

TD: Derek Carr will have a long day pushing the ball around the field while Justin Simmons and Jessie Bates step up in the second round. We might even see another Pick-Six. I think Bijan Robinson will continue his dominance in this series and Atlanta will win 21-17.

Thanks again Tre'Shon Diaz for joining us this week! You can read the rest of his work here.

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