Falcons vs. Giants: Spread Info, Line and Predictions for the NFC Wild Card Game

Two NFC sleeper teams, the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants, will match up Saturday on Wild Card weekend.

Each team boasts a top 10 offense, but while their defenses field a handful of playmakers, their stop units as a whole are mediocre. Whichever pass-rush can cause the most disruption will have a huge leg up in winning this one.

Where: MetLife Stadium; New York City

When: Sunday, Jan. 8th at 1:00 p.m. EST

Watch: FOX

Listen: 97.3 ESPN

Betting Line: New York -3 (according to oddsshark.com)

What’s At Stake?

Everything is at stake for both teams, because it's playoff time, and that means win or go home.  Neither squad is young enough to be considered up-and-coming, so thinking big picture, a loss means the same to each side.

Falcons Injury Report:

According to USA Today, Brent Grimes—whom Atlanta needs to play well to slow down Eli Manning—will be slow himself, as he's probable with knee soreness from his surgery. Wideout Kerry Meir is questionable, and Stephen Nicholas is doubtful against New York.

Giants Injury Report:

New York's pass-rush will be complete, but not at 100 percent, as Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck are probable for the contest. Da'Rel Scott, Jake Ballard and Mark Herzlich are also questionable for Sunday's action.

What They’re Saying:

According to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Matt Ryan is making it a goal of his this postseason to ignore the pregame hype, as he told the media:

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"The biggest thing is to not let all the outside stuff, the extracurricular that goes with the playoffs, the hype, not let that affect the way you prepare and the way you play. Once the coin is flipped and the game starts, it's the same deal. It comes down, as a quarterback, to making good decisions. Anybody that says they never hear or see that stuff, to a certain degree, is lying. But I think at this time of the year, it comes down to really making a conscious effort of, 'you know what, not paying attention to that' and not turning it on.  It's just experience, having learned from those past situations, having been through it. I think that's probably the biggest thing. I think it's us, collectively as a unit, not anybody telling us that, but us collectively as a unit kind of learning from that."

 

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Speaking of pregame hype, Mike Garafolo of the Star-Ledger tweeted this bulletin board material from Roddy White for Victor Cruz:

Falcons Player to Watch:

Matt Ryan's teammates call him "Matty Ice," but he hasn't won a playoff game. In his fourth and arguably best season as a pro, now is the time to live up to his nickname. 

Ryan finally has the weapons in Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez—no more excuses.

Giants Player to Watch:

With two top-notch quarterbacks and subpar secondaries, this game will turn into a shootout early. 

Eli Manning must outplay Ryan, and he is capable of doing just that. After boldly calling himself an elite quarterback and getting ripped to shreds for it, Manning is making his critics eat their words by recording the best statistical season of his career.

Key Matchup: Will Svitek vs. Jason Pierre-Paul

Atlanta's starting left tackle will have his hands full on Sunday afternoon against Jason Pierre-Paul.

In just his second year as a pro, JPP brought down the opposing quarterback 16.5 times. Will Svitek must keep Pierre-Paul's massive hands off Matt Ryan for the Falcons to keep pace with NY.

On the Hot Seat:

Before the Giants went on a run to win the NFC East and sneak into the playoffs, Tom Coughlin was on the hot seat big time. The only way Coughlin should lose his job now, though, is if New York gets hammered.

Prediction: New York 31, Atlanta 28

Like I said in the intro, it will come down to whichever pass-rush can be the most disruptive, and that will be the Giants'. New York is tied for third in the league in sacks this season, while Atlanta is 19th.

The contest will be close, but Manning and the Giants will just edge out the Falcons with a late score.

David Daniels is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer. Follow him on Twitter.