Rivals Clash in a Thursday Night Bash

My top NFL Week 14 expert pick is tonight's NFC South front-burner between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons.

This is a rivalry that often flies under the radar, but not this season.

The Saints are in the hunt for the NFC's best record, which the Falcons are scrambling just to make the playoffs.

Toss in the point that familiarity in football does breed contempt, and this shapes up to be an intense evening of competition.

As if they need to get to know each other any better, tonight's game will be meeting twice in the next 2½ weeks.

Maybe the Saints have won nine of their past ten games, but it's the Falcons who control their own playoff destiny. They've got four games left within the division.

The Saints got back on track last week with a nifty 31-21 win over the Carolina Panthers.

New Orleans rushed for close to 160 yards against Carolina’s stingy defense. Ranked first overall in the NFL, the Panthers’ D couldn’t stop Mark Ingram -- whose availability is gonna be a game-time decision -- or Alvin Kamara.

It served as a decent bounceback after dropping a 26-20 decision straight up to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12.

On the other side, the Falcons gave up 105 rushing yards to the Minnesota Vikings in their 14-9 loss last weekend.

Atlanta usually allows over 113 rushing yards per game.

Here's my ATS pick ...

Even in hostile territory, New Orleans has too much for Atlanta right now. I see it as a 7-10 victory for them, straight up. In fact, this is my favorite play of Week 14.

ATS pick ...  New Orleans -2.5

 

Result: Falcons 20 Saints 17 ... Atlanta covers

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Sportbet Columnist: Noah Williams

Noah lives and works with a simple philosophy of “Eat, Drink, Football.” This is embodied through a dedication to satellite TV, Indian delivery, Folgers in his cup, and Budweiser. He lives in a secret lair with his beautiful concubine.