The Falcons Week 1 matchup has an interesting QB storyline

The Atlanta Falcons will be preparing to take on their heated rival, the New Orleans Saints, to open the 2022 NFL season.

For more than a decade, Falcons and Saints fans got to watch one of the best quarterback matchups of all time twice a year, that being Matt Ryan vs. Drew Brees. However, those two have both moved on, but that does not mean the QB matchup is not still intriguing.

Falcons, Saints probable week one starters at QB have a big connection with one another

Right after the Atlanta Falcons traded Matt Ryan, the team signed Marcus Mariota, the former second-overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

The New Orleans Saints, as were the Falcons, were in full pursuit of Deshaun Watson before his decision to go to Cleveland. After Watson’s stunning decision, the Saints had to go back to their 2021 opening day starter, Jameis Winston.

Jameis Winston also happened to be the first-overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

We will get to see the first two players drafted in 2015 go head-to-head in week one., assuming both stay healthy and Mariota beats out rookie Desmond Ridder as the starter. It will be one of the biggest storylines between these two teams

And, obviously, neither of them are playing for their original teams after they both never showed they could be consistent starters for the team that drafted them. Jameis Winston was originally with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Marcus Mariota with the Tennessee Titans.

The Saints are Jameis Winston’s second team while the Falcons are Marcus Mariota’s third team as he had a stint as Derek Carr’s backup in Las Vegas the last two seasons.

So, what are the head-to-head records when these two quarterbacks face each other as their team’s starting quarterback? Well, the Falcons signal-caller has the advantage as they have played once going all the way back to the 2015 Rose Bowl.

Marcus Mariota led Oregon to a blowout win (59-20) over Jameis Winston and the Florida State Seminoles.

Both of them also happen to be former Heismann Trophy winners as well.

The two of them have been on teams that played each other in the NFL but Mariota was the backup to Ryan Tannehill, who led the Titans to a victory over the Buccaneers.

Hopefully, Mariota’s perfect record can continue through the 2022 season as Falcons fans would love nothing more than to sweep the Saints this year.