Falcons vs. Jaguars: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Radio, Game Time and More

It's been an up-and-down preseason for the Atlanta Falcons. At first, it was down. But coming off Friday's demolition of the Miami Dolphins, it's a resounding up.

Up next is the Falcons' fourth and final preseason test against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Falcons are a bit banged up, and their exhibition season has been one in which quarterback Matt Ryan has been good, but they have still failed to prove that this is going to be the year they'll advance beyond the divisional round of the playoffs.

Sure, the preseason doesn't really matter—and some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL have looked awful, which certainly is no solid indication of how they'll fare in the regular season—but one more win would be nice.  

All it will take to set the Falcon faithfuls' minds at ease is a win over the 2-1 Jags, who have been sufficiently distracted all preseason by the ongoing Maurice Jones-Drew drama.  

Here's everything you need to know about where and when to catch all the action.

Where: Everbank Field, Jacksonville, Fla.

When: Thursday, August 30, at 6:30 p.m. ET 

Watch: CBS in Atlanta

Listen: Star 94 FM and 790 AM The Zone in Atlanta

Live Stream: NFL.com 

What's At Stake

One last burst of confidence heading into a tough regular-season slate that kicks off with the Chiefs (Falcons) and the Vikings (Jaguars) is at stake.

Thus far in the preseason, the Falcons' premiere offensive stars—Matt Ryan and Michael Turner—have looked great and decent, respectively. Ryan has been improving each week, as evidenced by his 220 passing yards and one touchdown against the Dolphins. And Turner's mediocre-at-best numbers can't be too much of a concern, given that these games are meaningless. 

But for the Falcons, coming off a 2011 season in which they once again lost in the first round of the playoffs, the fans want to see something more. They want to see that this team is one that is capable of doing some damage in 2012.

Given the fact that Ryan hasn't played in a Week 4 preseason game since 2009, there's little to suggest this year will be any different. That means it'll be up to the reserves to submit a decent performance in the final preseason tuneup. 

The Jags, meanwhile, have had an OK preseason, but all of that has been overshadowed by MJD's demand for either a trade or a more lucrative contract, and management's unwillingness to accommodate him. And now, to add insult to injury, they're coming off an embarrassing 48-17 loss to Baltimore, which erased any momentum the Jags built with consecutive wins over the Giants and the Saints.  

Against the Falcons on Thursday, they have one more opportunity to put all that aside and focus on getting ready for 2012—with or without MJD.

Key Injuries: Falcons (via CBSSports.com)

DL Corey Peters (foot) is questionable for the regular-season opener.

LB Lofa Tatupu (chest) is out for the season.

Key Injuries: Jaguars (via CBSSports.com)

DL George Selvie (knee) is questionable for the regular-season opener.

DB Aaron Ross (ankle) is questionable for Thursday's game.

TE Zach Miller (pectoral, leg) is questionable for Thursday's game and for the regular-season opener.

Fantasy Prospect to Watch: Justin Blackmon, Jaguars 

Blackmon has yet to play a single professional game that counts, but there's a good chance that he'll end up being one of the most productive rookie receivers in the league this year. 

The Oklahoma State product was the top-rated wideout heading into this year's draft, and for good reason: He scored 35 touchdowns in his final 28 collegiate games, according to CBSSports.com, and he has the speed and the hands to develop into a serious NFL talent. 

Last time out, in a loss to the Ravens, Blackmon led all Jacksonville receivers with four catches for 72 yards. Another solid performance will solidify him as one of the fantasy risks worth taking this season. 

What They're Saying

As far as Ryan goes, everyone is impressed—the fans, the media and especially Ryan's coach. 

The QB has been nearly flawless this preseason, and he's done just enough to prove that he's ready without having to play every snap of every game. Though Mike Smith has been a big fan of what he's seen, he's being careful not to get too carried away.

In an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's D. Orlando Ledbetter, Smith said:

"

You do game plan somewhat in this third preseason game. There were still some things we wanted to work on and in turn, that fit into what we were doing game-plan wise. I think Matt maybe was somewhere over 72, maybe somewhere closer to 75 percent in his completions here in the preseason. Matt did a nice job. I think he has a really good understanding of what we are trying to get done with our new staff.

"

And in Jacksonville, the dialogue continues to be dominated by MJD—but there are definitely a couple of positives to take away from the story lines coming out of the Jaguars' camp over the last few days. 

Though Jones-Drew doesn't seem to be willing to end his holdout in the immediate future, Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey still thinks there's a chance the star running back will be on the field in the first game of the regular season. 

Mularkey told NFL.com's Brian McIntyre: 

"

I'm not going to put him in a position where he has any chance to fail because in the long run, we all fail. I'm not going to expose him to failure. It's not going to happen. If he's ready and all those conditioning-wise [things], and he picks it up immediately, the faster he can progress, yes. 

"

Getting MJD back would be the biggest possible boost the Jags could get at this point—his antics this offseason aside.

Atlanta's Key Addition

Asante Samuel's career has been one big series of ups and downs, but there's a far better chance he's going to help this Falcons secondary than hurt it. That much can be expected from one of the best corners in the league. 

The Falcons stole Samuel from the Eagles this offseason, acquiring him in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick. But although he may be a four-time Pro Bowler, there's no guarantee he'll even be a starter for Atlanta this season.

According to CBSSports.com's Mike Singer, he could start the season behind Brent Grimes and Dunta Robinson on the depth chart.

Having a four-time Pro Bowler as a backup corner, however, is a situation the Falcons are fortunate to have—especially facing a team with an unproven receiving corps. 

Jacksonville's Key Addition(s)

In 2011, the Jaguars finished 30th in the league in passing offense. With the help of Laurent Robinson and, of course, first-round draft pick Justin Blackmon, they're gunning to change that very fast. 

In mid-March, the Jags signed Robinson to a five-year, $32 million deal, via CBSSports.com, after the former Cowboy capitalized on Miles Austin's absence, compiling 858 receiving yards and 11 TDs in 14 games.

Blackmon was the top-rated receiver on the board in this year's draft, and the Jaguars—who needed him more than anybody—made the right call in bringing him aboard.

Between the two of them, this receiving offense should be able to transition from one of the worst in the NFL to one that is at least capable of more than 12 collective touchdowns.

Prediction: Falcons Win

Even if Matt Ryan doesn't play this week (which, by all indications, he won't), the Falcons have enough momentum to get the job done in this final preseason matchup—and they're running into the perfect defense to help them get this last win. 

The Jacksonville defense has allowed a whopping 103 points this preseason, and even without Ryan, it won' be able to stop Atlanta.