Falcons vs. Saints: 5 Storylines to Watch on Monday Night Football

Let's quickly run down the five storylines to watch in tonight's matchup between the Atlanta Falcons (9-5) and New Orleans Saints (11-3):

Rewriting History

With 305 yards Monday night, Saints quarterback Drew Brees will break Dan Marino's long-untouched record for passing yards in a single season. The way Brees has been playing recently, that number looks more than attainable. He deserves this national stage for what's been another breathtaking season. 

Clinch Scenario

The Saints can finally clinch the NFC South division title by beating the Falcons tonight. It's been the Saints division since the get-go, so clinching against their rivals tonight would be a fitting way for it to end.

Make Things Interesting?

While the Saints need to win just one of their last two games to secure the NFC South championship, the Falcons can make the division an interesting race with a win Monday night. That would force the Saints to beat the Panthers, who have played well over the past couple of weeks.

The Falcons play a struggling Bucs team in Week 17. If the Falcons win out and the Saints lose out, the NFC South will, for the second straight season, be Atlanta's.

Momentum

Both these teams are carrying a lot of momentum in Monday night's game. The Falcons have won four of their last five games and seven of the last nine since losing to the Packers in Week 5. Atlanta throttled Jacksonville 10 days ago and has to feel good about the way their offensive has transformed as of late.

On the other side, the Saints have been the best offense in football since losing to the St. Louis Rams in Week 8. They've won six straight games to climb to 11-3.

With just two regular season games remaining, tonight's winner could have that springboard-momentum effect that so many teams look for this time of year.

Firepower Aplenty

I'd be shocked if this game turned into a defensive affair. Both teams have offenses that want to attack defenses down the field, and I'm not sure either defense is up to the challenge. Brees is playing at a level right now that extraordinary even for him, and Matt Ryan has found a groove as of late. With both quarterbacks playing so well, there should be plenty of points scored.

Would a 38-35 final scoreline surprise anyone?