Falcons at Saints Marks 20 Years Since Gleason's Superdome Block

New Orleans honors the 20th anniversary of the 2006 Superdome reopening against Atlanta on Monday night, with the spread at Saints -1.5 and a 47.5-point total.

The Atlanta Falcons visit the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football, 20 years to the day after Steve Gleason blocked a punt and Steven Deloatch recovered in the end zone on Oct. 5, 2006 — the night the rebuilt Superdome reopened after sheltering many during Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans, which later won Super Bowl XLIV, will celebrate that anniversary at the rivalry game. Oddsmakers opened the Saints as 2.5-point favorites, but money on Atlanta has moved the line to -1.5, with the total set at 47.5.

Atlanta arrives off a 35-point road win at Lambeau Field last Thursday in which quarterback Michael Penix Jr. attempted only 25 passes. The defense held Green Bay to eight carries and kept heat on Jordan Love once the Packers had to lean on the pass.

That defensive showing comes with caveats. The Falcons' first three opponents — the Steelers, Panthers and Packers — sit 25th, 24th and 27th in adjusted Success Rate, and the unit is without James Pearce (eight-game suspension), Jalon Walker (out for the season) and A.J. Terrell (injured reserve). Divine Deablo, described as the centerpiece of the defense, is questionable with a hamstring issue.

New Orleans carries its own injury concerns. Kaden Elliss and Carl Granderson are out, Pete Werner is questionable with a neck problem after logging 19 snaps last week, left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. was lost in Week 2 and running back Travis Etienne sits on injured reserve. Last week against Las Vegas, the Saints gave up the Raiders' first 30-point game in years and lost on a four-turnover fourth quarter; without Banks, Maxx Crosby and the Raiders pressured Tyler Shough more than earlier opponents had.

The lead recommendation in the Yahoo Sports preview is the over on 47.5 points at -115. The case: punts tend to keep scoring down, but turnovers create short fields and possible defensive touchdowns; neither Penix nor Shough hesitates to attack downfield; and Bijan Robinson brings long-distance scoring ability. The pick expects the Superdome crowd to fuel points rather than suppress them.

Among the player props, Penix is backed under 30.5 pass attempts at +100 on FanDuel, projecting a run-first plan built around Robinson and chunk plays. Rookie Zachariah Branch, a Georgia product who missed Week 1, is backed over 4.5 rushing and receiving yards at -115 on Bet365 after drawing two targets in each of the past two games; two of his three catches have gained at least 7 yards. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has had extra preparation time, and the combined rushing-and-receiving market covers the possibility of a designed carry.

Tight end Juwan Johnson is backed over 3.5 receptions at -111 on DraftKings. Shough threw four touchdown passes to Johnson and Noah Fant last week, and the two tight ends have drawn 31 combined targets through three games. Johnson has recorded receptions in eight of the 10 games in which Shough played significantly — including a half-game relief appearance in place of Spencer Rattler last season — and in two of three games this year.

Two anytime-touchdown plays are also recommended: Drake London at +130 on Bet365 and Olamide Zaccheaus at +750 on DraftKings. London, who caught nine passes for 194 yards last week, scored in 12 of 25 games before Penix went down with an ACL tear last season, a 48% rate that outpaces the 43.5% implied at +130; his only touchdown without Penix came in his lone game against the Saints. Penix has favored London, while Kyle Pitts produced more with Kirk Cousins after the injury. Zaccheaus, back in Atlanta after stops in Chicago, Washington and Philadelphia, has eight touchdowns over the past three seasons.

The Falcons and Saints kick off Monday, October 5, at 8:15 p.m. EDT at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The game airs on ESPN.