First-place Falcons expect the Saints to be motivated by a coaching change

NEW ORLEANS - Kirk Cousins and the first-place Falcons don’t hesitate to list the pitfalls of overlooking the last-place New Orleans Saints.

The Falcons needed a last-second field goal to win the previous meeting in Atlanta in Week 4 and now face a Saints squad that is trying to get interim coach Darren Rizzi off to an auspicious start.

When a coach is replaced, as third-year Saints coach Dennis Allen was earlier this week, "the team plays very well the following week, in my experience," Cousins noted. "So, I see it as a real challenge that we’ve been thrown.

"They’re going to be emotionally and mentally at their best — and then playing at their place," Cousins continued. "There’s a lot of factors coming together where you feel like we have to be at our best to have a chance."

The coaching change in New Orleans came a day after a deflating loss to struggling Carolina extended the Saints losing streak to seven games — the club’s longest in a quarter century.

Allen, who was well liked by ownership and management, and who’d spent 15 seasons with the Saints in varies capacities since 2006, was dismissed after going 18-25 in 2 1/2 seasons as the successor to Sean Payton.

Rizzi, a 54-year-old special teams coordinator who is popular with Saints players, was tapped to take over.

The Saints trail the Falcons by four games with eight to play and are trending toward missing the playoffs for a fourth straight season.

Still, Rizzi scoffed at suggestions that he’d focus more on long-term concerns such as player development than with winning now.

"Do I think in any way shape or form that we’re giving up on this season? I don’t," Rizzi said. "I don’t think the locker room thinks that we’re giving up on the season. The front office doesn’t think we’re giving up on the season."

Or as 14th-year Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan put it, "It’s Atlanta hate week."

Rare Wednesday walk-through

The Falcons’ Wednesday practice was closed to reporters because the team deviated from its usual schedule by holding a light walk-through.

Even offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was surprised, adding he didn’t think a midweek walk-through was an option.

Robinson called the decision by coach Raheem Morris "really cool," because more can be taught in the slower session without pads.

"Those are basically meetings on the grass," Robinson said. "We’re able to talk through a bunch of different looks. … I know the players love it."

Morris said the decision was "performance based" and also meant to "take a little wear and tear off the body."

"Get ready mentally. Get the sharpness right," Morris said. "Get ready to perform and be the best version of ourselves."

Bijan the receiver

Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson is also producing as a receiver. He has back-to-back games with seven receptions and four straight games with at least 100 scrimmage yards — including his career-best 145 combined yards rushing and receiving last week against Dallas.

"That was the vision," Morris said, adding that he believed heading into the season that Robinson’s versatility resembled that of San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey.

The Falcons even had Robinson line up wide at times against the Cowboys.

"As much as he can touch the ball, we’re definitely going to try to do that," Zac Robinson said.

Robinson has 38 catches for 303 yards this season.

‘Player favorite’

To Saints kicker Blake Grupe, Rizzi was the obvious choice to take over for Allen.

Grupe even marked his coordinator’s promotion earlier this week by wearing a "Merry Rizzmas" shirt that Rizzi had made for special teams players during the 2023 holiday season.

"He’s always been a player favorite," Grupe said. "He has a good relationship with everybody, whether it’s always having a conversation or side jokes.

"That’s how he gets the most out of people," Grupe added. "That’s why guys want to play for him."

Catching on

While Saints QB Derek Carr is heading into his second game since returning from injury, the receivers he was throwing to before he went down won’t be playing.

It’s unclear how long Chris Olave will be sidelined — or if he’ll return at all — following his second concussion of the season last week at Carolina. Deep option Rashid Shaheed is on injured reserve. A.T. Perry was cut and picked up by the Broncos. And 2024 fifth-round draft choice Bub Means is on injured reserve.

Meanwhile, reserve receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. hasn’t practiced this week because of a shoulder injury.

Healthy receivers on New Orleans’ active roster are veteran mid-season signing Marquez Valdes-Scantling and undrafted rookies Mason Tipton and Jermaine Jackson. New Orleans also could bring up Kevin Austin Jr., Equanimeous St. Brown or Dante Pettis from the practice squad.

"We got some guys that have a unique opportunity," offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said. "I’m excited for the young guys that are going to get to play."