4 Atlanta Falcons who must take a step forward to beat New Orleans

2. Any Atlanta Falcons pass rusher

This isn't Justin Fields or Jalen Hurts you have to attempt to chase or bring down. Or even Patrick Mahomes who is seemingly given every call and is surprisingly mobile. Derek Carr is far closer to Kirk Cousins than any of the quarterbacks the Falcons have faced so far this season. He isn't leaving the pocket and he will hold the ball a bit too long at times.

Atlanta's pass rush is yet again at the bottom of the league with only Matthew Judon registering a threat. Can anyone put Carr under pressure consistently? This is where a first-round edge rusher would have made sense. You have Lorenzo Carter and Arnold Ebiketie both looking completely useless without a single reasonable answer to replace them.

Someone needs to have a surprising week or Judon must continue to carry the load. With the Saints' speed, you cannot sit back and allow Carr to pick you apart. This is an offense that lives and dies by the big play and the Falcons cannot allow them the time to hit one. If the Saints win this game after Kirk Cousins it will be a lack of a consistent pass rush that is blamed.