Two teams growing accustomed to playing close games - but having varied success winning them - will meet Sunday when the visiting Atlanta Falcons put their three-game winning streak on the line against the Cleveland Browns.
The Falcons (3-1) needed a late rally and a bit of luck to extend their winning streak to three games, getting a 43-yard field goal from Matt Bryant with 2 seconds left for a 16-14 win against the 49ers last week.
Atlanta appeared to have committed a turnover that would cost it the game when Nate Clements intercepted a Matt Ryan pass with less than two minutes left, but Clements fumbled on the return and the Falcons took advantage, driving for the winning field goal.
It was Bryant's second game-winning field goal in two weeks - he made a 46-yard kick for a 27-24 overtime win against the Saints the previous week.
Now Atlanta is tied with the Saints atop the NFC South standings and seeking its first four-game winning streak since 2004, the year of the Falcons' last division title.
The Browns (1-3) picked up their first win of the season last week, beating the Bengals 23-20 after squandering fourth-quarter leads in each of their first three games, which they lost by a total of 12 points. Three of Cleveland's four games have been decided by three points or fewer.
Cleveland hopes to have quarterback Jake Delhomme back this week. Delhomme hasn't played since suffering a severe ankle sprain during a season-opening loss to Tampa Bay in which he completed 20 of 37 passes for 227 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
In three starts in place of Delhomme, Seneca Wallace completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 554 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Whoever starts at quarterback will have to face an Atlanta defense that leads the NFL with eight interceptions.
The instability at quarterback has led the Browns to lean on their running game, and they've found an unexpected weapon in hard-running Peyton Hillis, who has rushed for 322 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and four touchdowns. Hillis had 102 rushing yards last week, his second consecutive 100-yard game.
Hillis is the first Browns running back to score a rushing touchdown in each of his first four games since Greg Pruitt in 1975.
Atlanta's offense has been a bit more balanced, ranking sixth in the league in total yards and ninth in scoring.
The rushing duo of Michael Turner (281 yards, 1 TD) and Jason Snelling (226 yards, 2 TDs) has been a big part of the offensive success, but Ryan has led an effective passing game as well.
Even without No. 2 receiver Michael Jenkins, who has missed the first four games with a shoulder injury, the Falcons rank 10th in the league in passing. Roddy White had seven catches for 104 yards last week and leads the NFC in receptions (32) and receiving yards (362).
The Browns have won eight of the past nine meetings and 10 of 12 overall, but the teams have not met since 2006.