Do or Die for Saints ahead of Week 18 showdown against Falcons

In week 16, the New Orleans Saints had the indistinct pleasure of setting a new NFL record by starting 57 players in a game this season, more than any other team in league history.

On top of that, the Saints are having their worst Superdome showing in 25 years.

All that and they’re alive in the NFC Wildcard playoff hunt in need of just a head-to-head win over NFC South rival Atlanta and a Rams win over the 49ers in week 18.

The Saints not quite used to playing in these kinds of games in the regular season, but got a pretty good taste of that ‘win or go home’ atmosphere in their week 17 victory over the Panthers. Linebacker Kwon Alexander said, “Man, we treat every game like a playoff game. Our main goal is just to get the W. Like I said, we try to get the mistakes short. We try to go out there and try to play perfect.”

Quarterback Taysom Hill said, “It is a unique feeling in that sense that it’s the regular season, but we’ve been in these games before, and shoot, obviously, last week was a must-win situation. We treated that week like it was a playoff game, and this week has more of a playoff feel for us knowing that if we don’t win, we’re for sure going home.”

Win or go home, the Saints and Falcons will kick things off at 3:25 p.m. Sunday from Atlanta on WXXV on Fox.