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Reggie Bush

Monday Night Football: Saints stumble into Atlanta

The Falcons, under first-year coach Bobby Petrino, are already playing with an eye towards next season.  The Saints, meanwhile, still have a shot at the postseason but will need to win out and do so without top running threat Reggie Bush who could be lost for the season with a knee injury.

An inconsistent team fighting to stay alive will take on a team that has been struggling to find an identity this season, when the Atlanta Falcons (3-9, 6-6 ATS) host the New Orleans Saints (5-7, 4-8 ATS) on Monday night.

The Saints started the season 0-4, only to win four straight games to get themselves back into the NFC playoff picture. True to its inconsistent form that has plagued the team all season, New Orleans has dropped three of its last four to put its backs against the wall. No loss was more stinging than last week’s 27-23 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when a botched trick play by running back Reggie Bush cost the Saints the payday as 5½-point home favorites. Head coach Sean Payton took the blame for calling the play in the first place, saying that the game was his worst coaching job since taking over last season.

New Orleans will be without Bush against Atlanta, as the second-year back is out with a tear in the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee. Bush could very well be out for the remainder of the season, especially if the Saints can’t get the cover against the Falcons. While this writer never wishes injury trouble on any player, the Saints might be better off without the former USC standout for the time being.

The Saints’ running game has been anemic this season, ranking 28th in the league at 86 yards on the ground per game. Bush has been the main culprit in this sad display, with only 581 yards rushing and four touchdowns to go along with an average of 3.7 yards per carry.

Bush has also fumbled eight times and has lacked the explosiveness New Orleans backers saw last season when he combined with the injured Deuce McAllister to give the Saints a formidable backfield. Expect backup Aaron Stecker and third-string running back Pierre Thomas to get the bulk of the carries when quarterback Drew Brees isn’t slinging the ball downfield.

Journeyman quarterback Chris Redman will get the start for the Falcons, as head coach Bobby Petrino looks for some semblance of offense from his squad. Atlanta ranks 26th in the league in total offense and 31st in scoring at a meager 14.2 points per game. While Redman is no Tom Brady, he’s no Byron Leftwich or Joey Harrington either, so he should at least give the Falcons a look at what could be in store for next season.

A former first-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens, the knock on Redman is that he doesn’t have the arm strength to be a regular starter at the professional level. What Redman does bring to the table is a solid knowledge of the offense and an accurate throwing arm, which will be much welcomed by the Atlanta receiving corps.

Expect backup running back Jerious Norwood to get a bigger share of the carries this week, as the Falcons are playing for next season. Petrino has stated publicly that Norwood is the most explosive talent on the Falcons’ roster, and that the back will used extensively in the final weeks of the season. Norwood has 442 yards rushing yards this season on only 69 carries, good for an average of 6.7 yards per carry.

Between Norwood and veteran running back Warrick Dunn lies any hope the Falcons have of covering on Monday. The duo needs to get the dormant Atlanta running game going so that there’s not too much pressure on Redman to match drives with Brees. If that’s the case, it could be a long night in Georgia, as the Saints have the fifth-ranked passing game in the league.

This game is tough to handicap, as the Saints are inconsistent and the Falcons are plain bad. If Stecker and Thomas can give New Orleans an average night running the ball, and Brees doesn’t turn it over, there’s no reason the Saints can’t get the cover on Monday night. The Falcons will need a solid night from everyone on the offensive side of the football to have a chance to pick up a payday, which hasn’t exactly been their forte this season.

Kickoff is 8:30 pm ET with ESPN handling the coverage.