ClutchPoints
While both teams are eliminated, the matchup between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons has playoff implications. If Atlanta wins, the Carolina Panthers advance regardless of the outcome of their Saturday game. The Saints, looking to play spoiler, will be without wide receiver Chris Olave due to a blood clot found in his lungs.
“Chris Olave will be out this week, per source. A blood clot was detected in his lung. Got caught early before anything bad could happen and will be fine. But not playing this week,” Nick Underhill of New Orleans Football reported.
Olave reached 1,000 yards for the third time in four seasons in the Saints’ Week 16 win over the New York Jets. His connection with Tyler Shough has led to five consecutive wins in the bayou. But they will be without the first-round wideout for their final game of the season.
Olave has been sensational for the Saints over the last seven games. With 45 catches for 603 yards and six touchdowns, he has become the top wide receiver he was promised to be this season. After finally getting a solid quarterback to throw to him, the Saints have an offense to build around in the future.
The Saints won’t put more on tape between Shough and Olave. While that is unfortunate for the final game of the season, they have seen enough to go into the offseason as a sneaky riser in the NFC South. They finish the season against a hot Atlanta Falcons team. It will be an intriguing game because of the team’s recent form, even though both teams cannot make the playoffs.
This is far from the first injury Olave has suffered in his career. He missed nine games in 2024 due to a concussion, which was the only season he did not reach 1,o00 yards. Can the Saints still pull off the win?
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