It's more and more likely that Drew Brees will miss the Week 11 game between the Falcons and the Saints, despite the Saints' refusal to openly admit it. And that should benefit the Falcons.
Brees left the Week 10 win over the 49ers after a second half hit to his ribs and after the game it was announced he had suffered multiple fractured ribs and a collapsed lung.
With the possibility of the NFL expanding the playoffs to an eighth team in each conference, the playoffs are not yet out of reach for the Falcons. And in a season where every win could matter, Atlanta will take them however they can get them.
The Falcons are 3-1 since the dismissal of Dan Quinn. Raheem Morris and the organization, coming off a bye week, can jumpstart any hopes of a playoff run with a win over the Saints on Sunday.
John and Hugh chat about the idea of missing out on Drew Brees and facing Jameis Winston instead.
"Right now you need wins and you need to get them by any means necessary. If that means you have an opportunity to beat the Saints without Drew Brees playing, you take that," says Hugh Douglas. "Your defense is starting to play better and you need everything that you can get to build that confidence in that defensive unit. You want to beat the best, but you're trying to salvage as much of the season as you can."
"Jameis Winston has beaten the Atlanta Falcons a few times now, it's not like Taysom Hill at QB, this is Jameis Winston. He can beat you," explains John Fricke. "He led the NFL in passing yards last year, Jameis is not bad, he's not Joe Webb."