NFC South rivals Falcons and Saints aim to finish season on high notes

The Falcons (7-9) have a three-game winning streak and the Saints (6-10) have won four straight with rookie Tyler Shough; both teams hope to end the regular season positively even though a final win would not reverse the season-long results.

The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints are both looking to end their regular seasons on encouraging notes after late winning runs. Atlanta has won three straight games while New Orleans has won four in a row with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. Both clubs remain out of playoff contention, so a final-week win would be viewed mainly as momentum going forward. Several roster and personnel questions remain for each team as they enter the offseason. Key facts: - The Falcons are 7-9 and have a season-best three-game winning streak. - The Saints are 6-10 and have won four straight with rookie QB Tyler Shough, whose play the article says may affect future quarterback decisions. - Atlanta can complete its first season sweep of New Orleans since 2016 with a win in the final regular-season game. - Saints receiver Chris Olave is expected to miss the game while receiving treatment for a reported blood clot in his lung. - Falcons running back Bijan Robinson set a team scrimmage-yardage mark and had a 93-yard touchdown run, plus a career-high 195 rushing yards in the recent win over the Rams. - Atlanta rookies James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker lead NFL rookies in sacks, and Xavier Watts has a rookie-best five interceptions as the defense has improved late in the season. Summary: Both teams are using late-season winning streaks to build momentum despite already having losing records; the final regular-season game on Sunday is framed as an opportunity to finish on a positive note. Undetermined at this time are how those results will affect coaching and front-office decisions, and several Saints veterans are playing the final game under current contract terms.