# Darius Hayes: Predicts the Falcons grind out a close road win, 20-17, behind the running game and late defensive stops.

**Claimed:** Oct 5, 2026
**Pundit:** Darius Hayes — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/darius-hayes
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/falcons/onsi/falconssi-staff-split-on-atlanta-falcons-vs-new-orleans-saints-predictions

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

The call scored 57.1 out of 100, against 1.6 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> The Atlanta Falcons will grind out a close victory over the New Orleans Saints.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Atlanta Falcons 20 — Saints 17**
  - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Atlanta Falcons
  - Verdict: scored 57.14 out of 100, against 1.56 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Atlanta Falcons — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/falcons

## What others said about the same people

- John Breech on Atlanta Falcons: Breech picked the Falcons to beat the Saints 26-23 on Monday night, and said if Lamar Jackson misses time, Tyler Huntley would start for Baltimore. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c4bf4b7f-a3aa-4f1d-ad2f-5cb5365d7188 (scored 57.14)
- Pete Prisco on Atlanta Falcons: Prisco picked the Falcons to outscore the Saints 33-30. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9a4e4baf-8389-4093-947a-ab7bc76151f3 (scored 57.14)
- Tyler Sullivan on Atlanta Falcons: Sullivan picked the Falcons to beat the Saints 26-24. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7ca93a36-aaa0-498c-bf42-f50c9e3d9603 (scored 54.76)
- Gerald Thomas, III on Atlanta Falcons: Predicts the Falcons win on the road in New Orleans by a score of 25-21. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7c2a262b-de54-48fd-bc89-74681a18b0da (scored 59.52)
- Scott Kennedy on Atlanta Falcons: Believes the Falcons' play in the trenches decides the game and picks Atlanta 27-20. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dbcb0b37-c4e9-4456-b382-7db18ff40296 (scored 66.67)
- Garrett Chapman on Atlanta Falcons: Picks the Falcons to win 24-17 in New Orleans. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a44c7c1e-5f83-4c2c-a273-90dc7220848e (scored 66.67)

## More score predictions

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Jared Dubin on New Orleans Saints: Dubin picked the Saints to beat the Falcons 28-20 on Monday night. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/95a815f1-2b07-45e9-bc0e-62ef4ea57b60 (scored 19.05)
- Jordan Dajani on New Orleans Saints: Dajani picked the Saints to edge the Falcons 23-20. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f7851ea7-0138-44f9-acf0-84e2a99fb6db (scored 7.14)
- Jared Dubin on New Orleans Saints: Dubin predicts the Saints beat the Falcons in a close Monday night game, 23-20, if New Orleans can avoid turnovers. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8801de90-3252-4723-825f-ce9ff20bec18 (scored 7.14)
- Jerry Jones on New Orleans Saints: Expects a shootout decided on the last possession, with the Saints beating the Falcons 31-27. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4aac81fb-1250-4d5a-a29f-d74d4b2fac61 (scored 9.52)
- Dan Parr on New Orleans Saints: Picked winners and exact scores for every Week 4 game, taking the 49ers to move to 4-0 over Denver, the Saints at home on Monday night and the Steelers in Cleveland. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/816599d6-f95e-4821-addf-bfd5466835e9 (scored 7.14)
- Bobby Kownack on New Orleans Saints: Picked winners and exact scores for every Week 4 game, including upsets by the Jets in Chicago and the Buccaneers over the Packers, plus the Jaguars at Cincinnati. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ab70bbf8-6373-48ac-af86-ce8d9da4da35 (scored 4.76)

---

Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=darius-hayes