The Atlanta Falcons go into their matchup on Sunday against the New York Giants with the best record in the NFC. My predictions for this game favor the Falcons because they have dangerous wideouts and the home field advantage.
On Sunday, the Giants have too many battles to overcome, which is why they will lose. We saw their inadequate secondary get burned on back-to-back occasions by teams with top receivers. They lost to the Steelers as Mike Wallace ran right by their defense and then A.J. Green and Andy Dalton tallied up yardage and scores to crush the Giants.
The Falcons have Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez. While I love the way Steve Brown has fit into the Giants' defense, helping guys like Corey Webster and Antrel Rolle in the open field, Prince Amukamara will more than likely get picked on. It seems like opposing QB's always go after the Giants' second-year man.
Between White, Jones and Gonzalez, they have totalled 2,968 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in 2012.
Because of this dynamic duo, it's difficult to bet against the Falcons. Plus, the Giants play inconsistent football all year long. Who knows what Giants team will show up at the Georgia Dome?
However unstable the Giants present themselves, there are some keys to victory if they plan on escaping the Georgia Dome with a win.
Pass rush, David Wilson and Turnovers
Wilson and turnovers aren't independent of each other. The Falcons' defense is known for giving up yardage, however, they don't allow points, meaning they come up with stops when they matter most. The Falcons only allow 20 points per game, good for 5th in the NFL.
If Wilson has a decent running game and holds on to the ball while Eli Manning hits Giants receivers, then the Giants could have a chance. An active running game will give Manning the play action option which can prove lethal with a guy like Victory Cruz.
The key to helping their weak secondary is their pass rush, which has sacked opponents 31 times this season.
Score Prediction: I still have the Falcons' three receivers as the favorite to win the game. Ryan will go for 250+ passing yards, throw three touchdowns and one interception in this matchup. Falcons win 31-27.