by Ken Sugiura; Staff , The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

With injuries to Falcons running backs Ovie Mughelli (calf), Jason Snelling (hamstring) and Jerious Norwood (right hip flexor), Stecker, who played for the Saints from 2004-07, will be pressed into service Monday night.

"He's picked it up pretty well," offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey said after Saturday's practice. "It's been impressive how quickly he was able to learn the system."

Snelling, Norwood and Mughelli are listed as questionable for the game. Snelling and Norwood did not practice Saturday. Also, defensive end Kroy Biermann was added to the injury report with a neck injury and did not practice. Also missing practice was defensive tackle Thomas Johnson (calf).

Stecker, 5-10, 213 pounds, is a nine-year NFL veteran who played at Wisconsin and Western Illinois. In 120 NFL games (16 starts), he has 381 carries for 1,511 yards and eight touchdowns. He also has 161 receptions for 1,141 yards and three touchdowns and 167 kickoff returns for 3,880 yards and one touchdown.

Saints defense playing well

New Orleans' defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, in his first season with the Saints, has his unit clicking. They have 13 interceptions and 18 takeaways.

"We've got to be on the ball with the atmosphere and the environment we're going to be in, communicating and making sure we're identifying and talking and making sure we're don't make ourselves vulnerable for a bad thing to happen," Mularkey said.

Houston ready

Right cornerback Chris Houston doesn't plan to back down from the Saints, who have one of the league's top passing attacks.

"We always welcome every challenge," Houston said. "From last week, we want to get back on that winning road."

New Orleans, with quarterback Drew Brees pulling the trigger, is averaging 427.3 total yards per game, tops in the NFL. They are sixth in passing with 272.8 yards per game.

"Besides the New England Patriots, when they were hot, other than that, they are as hot an offense you could play," Houston said. "Drew Brees is doing a great job of getting the ball to his playmakers, and they are making plays."

Houston said the Falcons' cornerbacks, per their normal practice, will defend whichever receiver shows up in the secondary.

"We have to make some plays like we did last year," Houston said.

Getting to Brees

With Beirmann, defensive end John Abraham (foot) and defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux (ankle) all hobbled, the Falcons are going to have trouble mounting a rush on Brees. All three are listed as questionable for the game.

With Babineaux and Johnson nicked up, rookie Vance Walker, a former Georgia Tech standout, could see his first action of the season.

"It's going to be very important for us to put pressure on the quarterback and get off the field on third down," middle linebacker Curtis Lofton said. "He's a tough guy to get to."

Streak in danger

Under Falcons coach Mike Smith, the Falcons have not lost two games in a row.

"That's been one of our goals as a team, not to drop back-to-back games," quarterback Matt Ryan said. "We are motivated to win and feel like we can do that."

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