2012 NFL NFC Wild Card Playoff Matchup: Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Giants

New York Giants vs. Atlanta Falcons 

Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, Metlife Stadium

This game will be the first playoff game in Metlife Stadium and the first playoff game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Giants in history. We have two solid quarterbacks heading into the game Sunday. Pro Bowler Giant's quarterback Eli Manning just missed being in the 5000 club with Brees, Stafford and Brady with 4933 yards passing. He did set an NFL record with 15 fourth quarter touchdowns, so watch for the late in the game heroics. They both threw for 29 touchdown passes in the regular season tying for sixth in the NFL. The 10-6 Falcon's Matt Ryan passed for 4,177 yards and had a passer rating of 92.2 both career highs. Leading his team with a balanced controlled offense. He will need to cut down on the chance of interceptions in the playoffs, the 12 he had in regular season could haunt him. With playing the averages it will be a duel to watch between these two talented quarterbacks.

Advantage  - Draw


Eli Manning



Matt Ryan





The backfield of the Giants will have a balanced look with Ahmad Bradshaw healthy and Brandon Jacobs grinding out the tough yards the Atlanta defense will have to pay attention to the running game. The two backs carried 323 times during the season combined and rushed for 1230 yards from scrimmage. The injury to Bradshaw slowed him down but at full strength going into Sunday we should see touches that count!

Atlanta has the back of the game with Michael "Burner" Turner he was third in rushing in the NFL with 1340 yards rushing. A downhill runner that loves to run between the shoulder pads of the tackles just hammers the defensive line and gets their eyes focused on him and not Ryan who will be seeing pressure all day from the blitzing defensive rushers of the Giants. Turner wants to redeem himself. Over the last two years in the playoffs he has only rushed for 81 yards on 28 carries. Jacquizz Rodgers should see limited time like he did all year with only 208 yards rushing.

Slight Advantage - Falcons

Bradshaw

Turner



Jacobs

Rodgers





The talent on both sides of the ball are in their young and experienced receivers. Hakeem Nicks the leader on the Giants had a down year but still ended up with 1192 yards receiving and 7 touchdown grabs. His superstar status and experience rubbed off on the speedy rookie Victor Cruz who in the last few games became a target for Manning on long throws and touchdowns. The balance between the two receivers separates the field in halves and causes defenses to second guess doubling teaming. Cruz went on to a regular season 82 receptions, 1,536 yards and 9 touchdowns. Beware secondary!

Hold on to your chin straps Giants secondary. The Falcons have some speed and size that can make match ups almost impossible. Like the Giants they have a Pro Bowl receiver in Roddy White that loves to catch the ball, his 100 receptions proves it. The balanced offense and the emergence of rookie Julio Jones in the latter half of the year stymied White's ability to shine brighter. The payoff was a trip to the playoffs and a 10-6 record. Jones's payoff was the 959 yards receiving and showcasing his ability on the big stage. Both receiving corps have what it takes to win!



 Advantage - Draw



Nicks

White



Cruz

Jones

Prediction Giants 17- Falcons 10

*Defense*

So fans lets stand up and cheer for your team to win!

2010-2011 Divisional NFC Playoffs Green Bay Packers vs Atlanta Falcons

2011 NFC Divisional Playoffs

Atlanta Falcons

vs

Green Bay Packers

Saturday January 15 2011, 8:30 PM EST

Offense, offense and offense is all we are going to see in this match up. These two teams love to air it out. The long ball is the best ball should be their mottos! In their only meeting this year Atlanta won the game 20 - 17 on a field goal with 9 seconds left in the game! With that earlier score a shoot out should happen this time around. 

The offense of the 13 - 3 regular season Atlanta Falcons has been a Matt Ryan led team with an offensive game plan to score more points than the opposition! Matt has one of if not the best offensive weapons in Roddy White. The speedy, athlectic, and big target has skills that can make any defensive player seem defenseless! With excellent hands and ability to leave any defender in his wake Matt needs to get the ball in his hands and lets the playmaker do his thing! The passing game is set up by the great running ability of  Michael Turner. Just give him the ball and magic happens. In their last meeting he carried 23 times and had 110 yards rushing giving the balance Atlanta needed to win! So if they have any chance these three players need to be at their best!

Offense and Green Bay Packers are one and the same! Aaron Rodgers has carried this team on his back this year with all the problems they have had with injuries and now they are ready to look toward the next level! Aaron's talents lye in his arms and guts, he is willing to put it all out for the team! In their last meeting Aaron threw for 344 yards and a touchdown. He'll be looking to add to that by capitalizing on the yardage and put more balls in the endzone. Will Greg Jennings be his go to guy? A long standing receiver that has been looked to get that pass to the promiseland! What about the running game? Will James Starks keep the ball out of Ryan's hands and get 25 to 30 carries? Can Starks be a hero in the end. Unknown factor could just prove to be the difference!

The defense of the Atlanta Falcons is where the game could be won or lost. Defense in the 2010 season has not been there best but it has kept them in the game and a 13-3 record dictates. With the 10th ranked rushing defense the team should contain Starks, but will Curtis Lofton and John Abraham have their defense ready for Aaron Rodgers. Shut down corner Dunte Robinson will have his hands full with Jennings flying all over the field!

The very fast defense of the Green Bay Packers usually has the advantage of Aaron Rodgers taking all the possession time up with the offense. But, when called Clay Mathews and Charles Woodson will be looking to lock down from all angles the Ryan led offense! Both defensive players are two of the best at their position in the NFL and will come to disrupt Aaron in many ways! The energy from Mathews always bleeds into the rest of the defense so he better bring it! The rushing game will be assisted by BJ Raji filling the gaps. The pass defense will need Tramon Williams to take advantage of the speedy Roddy White, a tall order!

They hunger of the defense will need to create turnovers and let the offense play their game to win!

The two teams will need great coaching to get the advantage! Packers head coach Mike McCarthy and Falcons head coach  Mike Smith will need to get their staff ready for a shootout! The game should be close as it was in their last meeting unless of of these coaches found a secret in the game film!

Good luck to both teams!

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