Saints vs Falcons: Madden Simulation for Week 1

The wait is finally over -- The New Orleans Saints will play a football game that actually counts this Sunday when they take on the Atlanta Falcons. Oddly enough, the last time we saw the black and gold play in a game that mattered was against the Falcons. The Saints won that game and hopefully, they'll win on Sunday too.

Both teams didn't skimp on the drama in the offseason. After Sean Payton shocked everyone with his decision to step away from coaching, the Falcons traded Matt Ryan to the Colts and are rolling with Marcus Mariota as their bridge quarterback before Desmond Ridder is ready to take over.

While the Saints, on paper, are the better team, we all know that Sunday can bring all sorts of surprises. The Falcons won in the SuperDome last year and then the black and gold were able to knock off the dirty birds on their home turf in the season finale. You can always count on a competitive game when these two fierce rivals take the field against each other.

Does Madden think that the Saints will reign supreme in their first game of the Dennis Allen era?

Madden Sim - Saints 27, Falcons 17

Madden not only sees the Saints winning but sees them doing so by double digits. Honestly, the game is mostly a blowout until the Falcons add a garbage time touchdown in the final few minutes of regulation.

New Orleans strikes first with a run from Alvin Kamara minutes into the game, giving the Saints their first touchdown of the regular season. It doesn't take long for them to get on the board but it does take a little bit for them to get their next score, as the black and gold don't find the end zone again until midway through the second quarter when Jameis Winston connects with Jarvis Landry on a 41-yard touchdown. It's 14-3 good guys as half time kicks off.

After the Falcons fail to get a first down on their first possession of the second half, the Saints offense gets into a rhythm. The drive ends with a 13-yard Michael Thomas touchdown to get fans hyped.

Unfortunately, Atlanta lucks into a touchdown on their next drive after Bradley Roby bats the ball away but it falls into the arms of Kyle Pitts, who dashes 34 yards down the field into the end zone. It's 21-10 Saints at the end of the third quarter but the Saints have a promising drive going as we enter the final quarter.

That drive stalls, sadly, but Wil Lutz connects on his first field goal of the season (37 yards out) to put the good guys up 24-10. Mariota is picked off on the next drive by Marshon Lattimore and that Saints drive also ends with a Lutz field goal (good from 42 yards out). It's 27-10 and Atlanta doesn't have much time left to make something happen. They're able to capitalize on garbage time and Mariota scampers into the end zone to make the score look respectable, but this game was never close.

Winston has a respectable game, throwing for 266 yards, two touchdowns, and zero picks. Thomas and Landry are the two recipients of those touchdowns and each put up over 50 yards receiving. Rookie Chris Olave only had two catches but one went for 26 yards.

Kamara had the one rushing touchdown and in total, ran for 67 yards while hauling in another 34 yards through the air. Ingram only has a few carries and finishes with 13 yards rushing.

As for the defensive side of things, Cam Jordan sacks Mariota 1.5 times, Demario Davis leads the pack with 11 tackles, and Marshon Lattimore has the interception of Mariota, who finishes with 117 yards passing, one touchdown, and one interception while rushing for 54 yards. Cordarelle Patterson finished with 71 yards on the ground and rookie Drake London had five catches for 45 yards.

Saints fans would be happy about this result. Will this be similar to how the game plays out?