Thursday Night Football Week 6: TV Schedule, Live Stream for Falcons vs. Saints

One of the NFL's grittiest rivalries takes center stage on the Week 6 edition of Thursday Night Football when the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints get together for an NFC South clash.

It's a tale of two teams for this national affair, although things would be much closer if the Falcons didn't have the clutch gene. Atlanta stands at 5-0, with several close calls going in its favor. 

The same doesn't apply to the 1-4 Saints, owners of one of the league's leakiest defense. Drew Brees has missed time with injury, too, so they'll be in now-or-never mode at home in a somewhat open division race.

Viewing Info

When: Thursday, October 15, 8:25 p.m. ET

Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Television: CBS, NFL Network

Live Stream: NFL Game Pass

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Betting Lines (via Odds Shark):

• Over/Under: 51.5

• Spread: Atlanta (-3.5)

Team Injury Reports

Player	Position	Status
Julio Jones	WR	Probable
Leonard Hankerson	WR	Probable
Devonta Freeman, RB	RB	Probable

Player	Position
Marques Colston	WR

Injury reports via ESPN.com.

Grinding in Crunch Time 

Brad Penner/Associated Press

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan isn't having a bad season by any means, but he's taking a back seat to breakout star running back Devonta Freeman, who has the team looking like the most balanced unit in years.

Ryan's completing 64.9 percent of his passes with six scores and four picks, but it's Freeman's 405 yards, eight scores and 4.4 yards per carry that grab the spotlight.

It's not hard to see why after ESPN Stats & Info put it into perspective:

Still, Atlanta can't be too thrilled—it's the first team to ever sit at 5-0 despite entering the final frame down. While it's impressive that the team can pull off comebacks to remain perfect, it's not an encouraging sign going into a divisional matchup in one of the league's loudest venues.

To make the challenge more difficult, Julio Jones remains a question mark. He's got the "probable" tag, but he's been the subject of speculation for days and last week managed just five grabs for 67 yards.

The challenge, then, is shutting down what can be an elite offense while taking advantage of an exploitable defense. On the road, it won't be easily done.

Lapses and Distractions

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

The plight of a one-win team isn't usually hard to figure out.

For the Saints, it's defensive miscues and the injury that sidelined Brees. He's back and looking good with six scores and three picks on a 66.5 completion percentage, but it's been hard even for him to overcome the defense so far.

Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan can't seem to get his unit playing in a cohesive manner, as it ranks last in the league with 409.9 yards allowed per game. The unit has allowed a minimum of 26 points in four of its five games, the exception being the lone win of the season—an overtime triumph against the Brandon Weeden-led Dallas Cowboys.

Lineman Cameron Jordan spoke with the media about where the team can improve, via ESPN.com: "We're playing with passion, and we're playing our butts off. At the same time, we're not capitalizing on plays that we should. We're missing some minor details, and that is something that you can't be proud of. Going forward, we have the chance to rectify a lot of this."

Also a problem? The report noted rumblings about coach Sean Payton possibly leaving the team after the season. It's something everyone involved denies, of course, but possible distractions plaguing a one-win team need to be mentioned.

On paper, New Orleans has the talent to compete and get back in the divisional hunt. Overcoming the large hurdles facing the organization will take a playoff-caliber performance.

Prediction

The Falcons went to New Orleans last year and escaped with a 30-14 victory.

It's unwise to place a major emphasis on the past, but it's telling that Atlanta looks better this year and New Orleans...well, not so much. The Saints don't look like the same offense without Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills, and the offensive line continues to struggle. Returns from injury haven't helped the defense, either.

The Falcons, though, have one of the league's most balanced offensive attacks. Loud dome or not, Ryan, Freeman and Co. shouldn't have problems moving the ball. It's concerning that the team continues to fall behind near the end of games, but if there's a defense to exorcise these demons against, it would be the Saints' unit.

Look for Ryan to lead a game-winning drive late after a slow-paced, bitter affair.

Prediction: Falcons 20, Saints 17

Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.