Saints vs. Falcons: Comparing the NFL's Two Most Explosive Offenses

The New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons is the third-most popular NFL matchup this week, according to the NFL Ticket Exchange Index, and you have to believe their offenses play a big part in this huge matchup.

The general census around the league is that the Saints have one of the best offenses in the league because of Drew Brees' aerial assault and all of the weapons at his disposal. But the Falcons offense isn’t too bad, either.

The Falcons feature a well-balanced attack that will wear teams down with Michael Turner, use their speed with rookie Jacquizz Rodgers and let the cold ice that runs in Matt Ryans’ veins lead them to victory. It's a formula that has proved to be a successful one for the Falcons, but then again, they are going against Brees and Sean Payton’s spot-on play-calling.

So, which offense has the more explosive weapons at hand, and which offense would you rather have going into this huge NFC South matchup?

Quarterback: Advantage Saints

Ol’ Matty Ice is a great quarterback, don’t get me wrong, but he’s no Drew Brees.

Brees leads the NFL in completions and yards, and he ranks second in touchdowns and quarterback rating. Not to mention, he led his team to a Super Bowl victory in 2009.

As for Ryan, he ranks 15th in the NFL in passing yards and 12th in passing touchdowns, and Ryan has managed a quarterback rating of 83.3. That’s not bad at all, but that’s not elite.

When you talk about elite quarterbacks, you can’t mention Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning without mentioning Brees, and because of that, the Saints win this position battle by a landslide.

Running Back: Advantage Falcons

The Saints have a great rotation of backs with Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory and Darren Sproles, but running the football is the Falcons' bread and butter.

The Saints showcase both power and speed with all of their running backs, but the Falcons showcase that with Michael Turner alone.

Turner is seventh in the league in rushing yards and tied for third in the league in rushing touchdowns. Over the past couple of years, Turner has established himself as one of the top running backs in the league, and the Falcons display quite an impact with this two-man punch from Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers.

The Falcons will get their tough-earned yards with Turner and leave the juking and jiving to speedy back Rodgers. The Falcons use Rodgers like the Saints use Darren Sproles. While Sproles is having himself an amazing year, I still have to give the edge to Turner and Rodgers in the rushing game.

Wide Receivers: Even

I couldn’t decide which team to give the edge to when it comes to having the best wide receiver core. Don’t get me wrong, I think Roddy White and Julio Jones are amazing, but the Saints are deep at the wide receiver position.

While I think White and Jones are two of the better wide receivers in the league, the Saints have everything they need at wideout.They have their deep threats with Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem, their sure-handed receiver in Lance Moore and their physical go-to-guy in Marques Colston.

Sorry folks, but I’m afraid this one is just too close to call.

Tight End: Advantage Saints

I’m sure I’m surprising most of you with this pick, but give me a chance to defend it.

Yes, Tony Gonzalez is the best tight end of all time in my opinion, but this is 2011 and it’s Jimmy Graham’s time. Even at the age of 35, Gonzalez is still one of the best tight ends in the league, as he has 416 yards receiving and five touchdowns, but I think Graham is a prodigy.

In just his second year in the league, Graham has 791 yards receiving and five touchdowns.

There’s no doubt in my mind that this game will showcase two of the best tight ends that the NFL has to offer, and I’m giving the edge to the young lion over the veteran in this matchup.

Offensive Line: Advantage Falcons

The offensive line for the Saints has been a bit of a letdown this year.

I thought this would be a strong part of this team before the season, with the Saints starting four Pro Bowlers on the line, but that hasn’t been the case. It wasn’t until last week that the Saints were able to muster up gaping holes for running backs and provide Brees with ample amount of time. Because of this, I give the edge to the Falcons for the big guys up front.

While the Saints are averaging seven yards more rushing a game, the Falcons have given up five fewer sacks. Advantage dirty birds.

Verdict: Saints

Come on, this one really isn’t that close. The Falcons have playmakers, but the Saints' explosiveness on offense is the difference-maker.

The Saints lead the league in total offense, with 445 yards per game, and as long as they have Brees manning the ship, they’ll continue to rake in those yards.

When it comes to choosing between these two offenses, I’d take the Saints in a heartbeat every single time.