Falcons' Wild Card Playoff Preview
Opponent: New York Giants
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Time: 1 p.m.
TV/announcers: FOX, Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (analyst) and Pam Oliver (sideline)
Point Spread (Danny Sheridan's odds as published in USA Today): The Giants are favored by 3 with an over of 48
Key Offensive Matchup: The matchup that has garnered the great majority of coverage – and rightly so – is between the Falcons' offensive line and the Giants pass rush. The Giants tied for third in the NFL in sacks with 48.0. Jason Pierre-Paul led the Giants with 16.5, Osi Umenyiora had nine in nine games and Justin Tuck had five in 12 games. Two of those players, Umenyiora and Tuck, have missed plenty of games because of injuries, but the Giants seem to be getting healthy at the right time – which could present a problem for the Falcons. The Giants use a multitude of fronts and blitzes. Those include a personnel grouping in which they used four defensive ends to rush the passer. Head coach Mike Smith noted earlier in the week that Pierre-Paul, at 278 pounds, will line up as a tackle, an end and as an outside linebacker. The Falcons will need to recognize those and then be able to protect quarterback Matt Ryan against that front – and be able to run the ball to slow them down. Will Svitek, Justin Blalock, Todd McClure, Joe Hawley and Tyson Clabo will have their hands full.
Key Defensive Matchup: Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw for a career best 4,933 yards and earned a Pro-Bowl berth in the process during the regular seaosn. He also threw for an NFL-record 15 touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Not only will the Falcons' pass defense, ranked 20th in the NFL, have to stand up against Manning, but it will need help from the pass rush, which has 33.0 sacks, ranking 19th in the NFL. Falcons starting left cornerback Brent Grimes (knee), a Pro-Bowler last season, has missed four of the last five games and will be inactive for the game. That means that Dominique Franks will take over that spot and that Christopher Owens – a frequent target in last season's playoff loss to Green Bay – will play in nickel situations. It's a tough blow to suffer against the Giants' passing attack, which includes wide receiver Victor Cruz. Cruz finished third in the NFL this season in receiving yards.
Special Teams: On Dec. 11 in a key win over Dallas that helped to propel the Giants into the playoffs, Pierre-Paul blocked a field goal in the final seconds to help preserve the win. He has an incredibly long wingspan. Placekicker Matt Bryant has been one of the NFL's most accurate this season. The Falcons can't afford to have one of Bryant's tries blocked. The Falcons also will have to manage the swirling winds, which are notorious at the Meadowlands and could be a factor.
Injuries: For the Falcons, WLB Stephen Nicholas (toe), CB Brent Grimes (knee) are out. For the Giants LB Mark Herzlich (ankle) is out.
Inactives: For the Falcons: QB John Parker Wilson, Grimes, Nicholas, C Brett Romberg, T Kirk Chambers, WR Kerry Meier and DE Cliff Matthews. For the Giants: WR Ramses Barden, RB Da'Rel Scott, Herzlich, C Jim Cordle, DE Justin Trattou, DT Jimmy Kennedy, T James Brewer.
