NEW ORLEANS — Defensive end Cameron Jordan has spent all 16 seasons of his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints, who selected him in the first round of the 2011 draft, and he can be counted on to echo the sentiments of many of the team’s fans whenever the rival Atlanta Falcons are next on the schedule.

Which just happens to be a “Monday Night Football” matchup at the Superdome.

“You know the importance of this game,” Jordan said. “‘Can’tlanta’ comes to the Dome. We have to turn them into ‘Trashlanta.'”

The Falcons and the Saints have identical 1-2 records and are tied for first place with the Carolina Panthers for first place in the underwhelming NFC South Division, but New Orleans has played close in all three of its games, while Atlanta has been more erratic.

After being booed by their own fans during a 34-3 home loss to Carolina in the second week, the Falcons stunningly routed the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field just four days later.

They’ll have had 10 days rest when they enter the hostile, emotionally charged Superdome on what is also being celebrated as the 20-year anniversary of when the Saints played their first game in the rebuilt stadium since it had been damaged while sheltering desperate residents during Hurricane Katrina.

That also was an “MNF” game against the Falcons. It started with Steve Gleason’s famous punt block and ended with the city celebrating a 23-3 triumph for the Saints.

“That’s the fun part for us,” Falcons first-year coach Kevin Stefanski said. “In this league, you go on the road, you get to experience some incredible crowds.”

Stefanski takes confidence from how well Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. — who missed the first two games of the season while recovering from the injury that ended his second pro season last fall — and his offense handled Green Bay’s crowd, not committing one presnap penalty.

“That’s no small feat … in some of these road environments,” Stefanski said. “Mike did an outstanding job both in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage the other night, and getting us in and out of the correct plays, making adjustments when necessary.”

The result was a number of impressive statistical lines for the Falcons as Penix passed for 256 yards, running back Bijan Robinson rushed for 194 yards and scored twice, and receiver Drake London tallied nine catches for 194 yards.

Last weekend, the Saints looked to be on their way to a victory that would have given them an early edge in the NFC South, only to squander an 11-point lead during the second half to the AFC West’s Las Vegas Raiders, committing four turnovers in the process.

“We’ve only played three games. It’s nothing to panic over,” Saints tight end Juwan Johnson said. “We’re playing really aggressive, really strong, really physical, really smart and really fast. There’s just a few things we can clean up, and we’ll be fine.”

In New Orleans, a city oozing with mysticism, there are bound to be more than a few rituals, superstitious or otherwise, practiced up to and during the game.

Stefanski, though, sounds intent to just focus on the game plan.

“I’m not superstitious,” he said. “It’s bad luck.”

Atlanta Falcons first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski claps and shouts on the visitors' sideline at Hard Rock Stadium during a preseason exhibition game against the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 28 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray)Atlanta Falcons first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski claps and shouts on the visitors’ sideline at Hard Rock Stadium during a preseason exhibition game against the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 28 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray)

ATLANTA FALCONS (1-2) at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1-2)

When: Monday, 8:15 p.m. Eastern

TV: ESPN

Odds: Saints by 2 1/2.

Last week: Falcons beat the Green Bay Packers 35-14; Saints lost to the Las Vegas Raiders 35-27.

Last meeting: Falcons beat the Saints 19-17 on Jan. 4, 2026, in Atlanta.

Series record: Falcons lead 58-56.

Matchup to watch: Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson, who rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns at Green Bay, against a New Orleans defense that ranks 27th in the NFL against the run, allowing close to 129 rushing yards per game. The Saints allowed 113 against the Raiders, including a 36-yard touchdown run by Mike Washington that ignited a Las Vegas comeback from 11 points down in the third quarter.

Stats and stuff: The Falcons are coming off the best performance on run defense in franchise history. In their win at Green Bay, they allowed only 17 rushing yards. Thanks to that effort, the Falcons rank first in the NFL this season with 47.7 rushing yards allowed per game. … Atlanta ranks second in rushing offense, averaging 173 yards. … Since 2014, the Falcons are 9-2 when playing on Monday night. … In the win at Green Bay, Robinson and London made the Falcons the first team in NFL history to have a player rush for 190 or more yards and another player with at least 190 yards receiving. … The Falcons closed their 2025 season with a home win over the Saints to finish 8-9. The win completed Atlanta’s first sweep of the season series in the rivalry since 2016. The Falcons won 24-10 at New Orleans earlier in November. … Saints quarterback Tyler Shough passed for 255 yards and a career-high four touchdowns with a 106.7 rating at Las Vegas, but the second-year pro also turned the ball over three times on two fumbles and an interception. … New Orleans receiver Chris Olave had nine catches for 107 yards last weekend, his 14th career game with 100 or more receiving yards. Through the first three weeks of this season, Olave is tied for first in the NFL in catches with 27 and ranks second in receiving yards with 375. … All four of the Saints’ touchdowns against the Raiders came on passes to tight ends, two each to Noah Fant and Juwan Johnson. It was just the second time that NFL tight ends on the same team each had two touchdown catches in the same game. … Saints edge rusher Chase Young had two sacks last weekend, tying his single-game career high.