Falcons vs. Jaguars: TV Schedule, Radio and Online Live Streaming Info

Where: EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla.

When: Friday, Aug. 19, 8 p.m. EST

Watch: FOX Nationally Televised Game; online at NFL.com (must pay $19.99 for leaguewide package), live look-ins on NFL Network; game replay: 2 a.m. EST Monday, NFL Network

Listen: Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 92 (Atlanta) and Channel 136 (Jacksonville)

The Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars are two franchises headed in opposite directions, which makes their preseason game on Friday night that much more intriguing.

The Falcons led the NFC with 13 wins last season, but were unceremoniously eliminated from the postseason by eventual champion Green Bay in the divisional round. Matt Ryan will have to continue his evolution from game manager to star quarterback if this team wants to take the next step.

The Jaguars overachieved last year when they won eight games, and by drafting Blaine Gabbert, they have signaled that they are building for the future instead of trying to win this year, which is a smart move for this franchise.

Falcons' Key Additions

The Falcons' biggest weakness last year was in the secondary.

Drew Brees exposed them in a Monday night game in week 16 and Aaron Rodgers picked them apart in the playoffs. They didn't make any upgrades to that unit, but did add Ray Edwards to upgrade the pass rush and take pressure off the defensive backs.

This team needs Edwards and John Abraham to have big seasons if they want to compete with the upper echelon teams in the NFC.

The offense was efficient but lacked explosiveness. Drafting wide receiver Julio Jones to play alongside Roddy White should open things up for Matt Ryan, who has shown flashes of brilliance in his first three seasons and is primed for bigger things in 2011.

Jaguars' Key Additions

The Jaguars surprised people by taking Blaine Gabbert with the 10th pick in the NFL draft. He is going to be the quarterback of the future, and given David Garrard's inconsistent play, he should see time this year.

This team needs someone to step up and take the quarterback position by the throat, and they really hope that it will be Gabbert.

Defensively, the Jaguars were not good last year and they did make two signings that could turn things around for them. Paul Poslszny is a tackling machine and Matt Roth could turn out to be the biggest bargain of the offseason.

Roth is a pass rushing specialist who is better suited to play in a 3-4 defense but can play well in a 4-3. He is only making $3 million this season, so if he plays better than average, the Jaguars got a great deal.

Falcons' Biggest Loss

The Falcons didn't lose anyone important this offseason. Every key contributor from the 2010 team will be back in 2011.

But it's not like the Falcons didn't give up anything during the offseason. They traded two first-round draft picks, a second-round pick and two fourth-round picks to acquire Julio Jones.

That is a massive package to give up for an unproven player. If Jones turns out to be a bust, those picks are going to be missed when this team has to fill some holes.

Jaguars' Biggest Loss

Mike Sims-Walker is not a great receiver, but for a team that does not have a lot of playmakers at the position, losing him was big for the offense.

Sims-Walker finished second on the team with seven touchdown catches and third in receptions with 43.

With him gone, more pressure falls on the shoulders of Marcedes Lewis, Mike Thomas and Maurice Jones-Drew.

What They're Saying

These two teams held a joint practice on Wednesday night with the Falcons offense looking good. According to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, both the first- and second-team offense performed very well with Matt Ryan looking particularly impressive on an 80-yard drive.

Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union tweeted that Gabbert and Garrard are locked in a battle for the starting quarterback position entering the season. Gabbert is the future, so it would make sense for the team to want him on the field as soon as possible.

Falcons' Player To Watch

Julio Jones is the man that this team bet a lot on, and his progress this preseason will go a long way to determining how good this offense is in 2011.

Rookie receivers tend to struggle, especially early on, because the NFL game is faster than the college game.

Jaguars' Player To Watch

Blaine Gabbert is the man for the Jaguars and has a chance to be the starter right away. If he has a good game against a solid Falcons' defense, he could take the lead in the competition.

His performance in this game is going to tell you whether or not he has what it takes to start the season No. 1 on the depth chart.

Prediction: Atlanta's depth advantage over Jacksonville will be the difference in this game. 27-20 Falcons.