Alvin Kamara Opens Up About Mental Pressure Ahead of Saints’ Matchup with Falcons: "Fate is Testing Me"
New Orleans, Louisiana | November 19, 2025
As the New Orleans Saints prepare for their crucial trip to Atlanta, Alvin Kamara finds himself at the center of attention, not for the historic milestones he’s approaching, but for the heavy mental burden that the upcoming game has placed on his shoulders.
Kamara is closing in on several all-time NFL records for receptions by a running back, yet the statistics are not what is occupying his mind. Instead, what weighs on him most are the high expectations placed on him by head coach Kellen Moore, who believes Kamara is the key to unlocking a late-season surge for the Saints.
A Personal Battle: Facing the Falcons
What makes this particular matchup even more significant for Kamara is the emotional weight it carries. The Saints will face the Atlanta Falcons, the team representing the city where Kamara was born and raised—a place that has shaped his journey from his earliest practices to his dream of making it to the NFL.
In a deeply reflective interview, Kamara spoke candidly about the emotional and mental challenges he is facing as he prepares for this game. "This is not just a normal game," Kamara said, his voice heavy with emotion. "It has been a long time since I felt this kind of weight on my shoulders, from Coach Moore’s expectations to the pressure of proving my value, and now having to face the team from the place where I grew up, where my first NFL dream was planted."
Kamara continued, acknowledging the significance of this game in ways few fans might fully appreciate: "Honestly, it makes me think more than people realize, like this is the kind of game where fate is testing whether I am still strong enough."
Coach Moore’s Strategic Vision
Sources within the Saints’ organization say that head coach Kellen Moore has dedicated a significant portion of the team’s offensive game planning around Kamara’s involvement, especially in the passing game. Moore sees Kamara as the catalyst that could spark a much-needed late-season surge for New Orleans, who is still battling for a playoff spot in the NFC South.
While Kamara has not been used as heavily in the passing game this season, this particular matchup against the Falcons represents more than just strategy. It is a moment for Kamara to prove himself, not only to his new head coach but also to a fanbase that has high hopes for the future.
The combination of the Saints’ NFC South playoff push and Moore’s confidence in him adds significant pressure. Kamara understands that this game is not just about the numbers he can put up but about the leadership and determination he brings to the field.
A Test of Character
For most players, facing the Falcons would be just another game on the schedule. But for Kamara, this is personal. This is a game that is bound to test his mindset, forcing him to confront his past and prove that he is not only capable of meeting the expectations set before him but also resilient enough to overcome the emotional weight of playing against the team from his hometown.
Kamara enters this game with the heavy weight of a new head coach’s expectations, the tightening NFC South race, and the emotional burden of playing against a franchise that is intertwined with his childhood.
The question for Kamara is not only whether he can deliver on the field but also whether he can rise above the pressure and prove that he is stronger than the circumstances surrounding him. For the Saints, Kamara’s performance could very well determine their playoff fate, but for him, this game represents a much deeper challenge—one that could define his legacy, both on and off the field.
In the end, this game isn’t just about football. It’s about proving to himself, his teammates, and the world that the dreams of his childhood, the pressure on his shoulders, and the weight of fate itself cannot break him—but can only make him stronger.
Longtime NFL coach shares Bo Nix take that may concern Broncos fans
While the Denver Broncos entered their bye week at 9-2, second-year Denver quarterback Bo Nix produced a mixed bag of results over the team's first 11 games.
On Wednesday, Jeff Howe of The Athletic noted that Nix ended Week 11 leading the NFL with five fourth-quarter comebacks, 387 pass attempts and a 3.01 sack percentage. For a different article published on Wednesday, ESPN's Jeff Legwold spoke with a longtime quarterbacks coach about Nix's overall lack of consistency throughout the fall.
Why coach is concerned about what Bo Nix will offer 2025 Broncos
"They're winning and he's been really good late in games, and that's all that matters -- I know that," the coach said about the Broncos and Nix. "But big picture, I'd be concerned that they look hurried all the time even when they're not trying to play fast. I'm not there -- I don't know if they put more on his plate [than last year], but they look hurried, and not good hurried. And he plays that way after the snap sometimes, leaving-the-pocket-when-he-doesn't-have-to type thing. When he climbs [the pocket], it's not always looking for a play. It's more sudden, like 'Get me out of here.'"
ESPN stats show that the Broncos are responsible for the NFL's third-ranked defense in points (17.5) and yards allowed (274.4) per game. Denver is also tied for 16th with an average of 23.4 points scored per game and 17th with an average of 213.0 passing yards per contest.
According to Pro Football Reference, Nix began Wednesday ranked 20th in the NFL among qualified players with a 53.5 adjusted QBR, 27th with an 86.1 passer rating, 28th with a 61.2 percent completion percentage and tied for seventh with 18 touchdown passes on the campaign. That said, only five quarterbacks have thus far tossed more interceptions than Nix (eight) this season.
Why has Bo Nix sometimes looked uncomfortable outside of the final quarter of games?
Legwold mentioned that "several league offensive coaches and personnel executives" said that Nix's footwork "has been spottier this season than it was when he was a rookie." Such individuals added that "Nix appears to be uncomfortable with the pace of the offense, outside of the late-game drives when the team is in more of a hurry-up mode."
Perhaps Broncos head coach Sean Payton will go to a hurry-up mode earlier than the fourth quarter when Denver plays at the struggling Washington Commanders (3-8) on Nov. 30. Washington will also be coming off a bye for that game.
