NFC Championship Game 2017: Updated Odds, Prop Bets for Packers vs. Falcons

The buildup to Super Bowl LI is rapidly approaching its crescendo. By the time Sunday is over, we'll know which two teams will be playing in the big game, and the preparation for said game will officially begin.

In the first of two conference title games to be played this Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons will host the Green Bay Packers. The winner will take home the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

This game promises be a hotly contested, exciting and—if the oddsmakers in Las Vegas are correct—high-scoring contest. We have two of the game's top quarterbacks in Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan. We also have a whole host of explosive offensive weapons between the two teams. If this game doesn't turn into a shootout, we'll be surprised.

Today, we're going to take a look at the game and the latest odds—courtesy of OddsShark. We'll also make our predictions and examine some of the top picks and props for the NFC title game.

NFC Championship Game

What: Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons

Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta

When: Sunday, January 22

Time: 3:05 p.m. ET

Line: ATL -6

Over/Under: 60

Picks and Props

Atlanta and Green Bay OVER 60

The over/under for the NFC title game is historically high—and for good reason. In addition to the quarterback matchup, we have a game that's chock-full of explosive playmaking weapons.

Guys like Julio Jones, Taylor Gabriel, Davante Adams, Ty Montgomery, Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman have the ability to change the course of the game in a single play. If Packers wideout Jordy Nelson—who racked up 14 touchdowns in the regular season—is able to suit up, there will be even more explosive potential.

Nelson has been out since Wild Card Weekend with broken ribs. However, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the Packers sound optimistic about his potential return:

All told, we have a ton of scoring potential in this game. Just consider the fact that the Falcons averaged an NFL-best 33.8 points per game in the regular season. During Green Bay's eight-game winning streak, the Packers have averaged 32.1 points per contest.

This is part of the reason why we believe the game can surpass the 60-point mark. The other is that neither team fields a defense that could be called elite. Pro Football Focus rates the Packers 15th in overall defense and the Falcons 17th in overall defense.

Barring some unforeseen development, we'd expect each team to score 30-plus points in this one.

Matt Ryan OVER 315.5 Yards Passing

One interesting prop we found over at Oddschecker involves Ryan and an over/under of 315.5 yards passing. There are a couple of reasons why we believe Ryan will hit the over here.

One is that, while the Falcons have two talented running backs, the team may be forced to rely heavily on the pass. The Packers defense has proved to be strong against the run in most games this season. As a team, Green Bay is rated sixth in run defense by Pro Football Focus and allowed an average of just 94.7 yards per game in the regular season.

We also have to take into consideration that the Packers may be without starting cornerback Quinten Rollins again this week. Rollins has been dealing with a concussion and is listed as questionable, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.

Ryan could easily look to pick on a banged-up secondary in this game, and he could also look to supplement the run with short passes. Since both Freeman and Coleman excel at catching the ball out of the backfield—the two combined for 85 receptions in the regular season—this is a strategy that makes sense if rushing proves difficult.

Of course, short passes to running backs still count toward Ryan's passing-yardage total.

Aaron Rodgers OVER 20.5 Yards Rushing

Another intriguing little prop we found over at Oddschecker involves Rodgers and his total rushing yards. One over/under is set at 20.5 yards rushing.

There are a couple of reasons why we believe Rodgers can hit the over in this game. One is that, even with the emergence of Montgomery as a runner, the Packers will likely look to supplement the ground game against Atlanta's suspect run defense.

As a team, the Falcons are rated just 27th in run defense by Pro Football Focus.

While Rodgers hasn't been called upon to carry the ball much in the postseason thus far—he has just 16 yards through two games—designed runs could be a part of the game plan this week.

We also have to consider Rodgers' ability to scramble against a steadily improving Falcons pass rush. Atlanta is rated 12th in pass rush by Pro Football Focus. A good way to counter that rush would be to roll Rodgers out and allow him to scramble when the opportunity presents itself. Atlanta will be less likely to bring heavy pressure if Rodgers is consistently picking up first downs with his legs.

The last time these two teams met, Rodgers rushed six times for 60 yards. While we're not sure he will match this total on Sunday, reaching 30 yards or more is realistic.