Falcons vs. Rams: TV Schedule, Odds, Ticket Info, Game Time and More

In Super Bowl LI, the dominant storyline contrasted a well-oiled New England Patriots playoff machine against an untested young group on the big stage in the Atlanta Falcons. 

But the 2017-18 NFL playoffs will flip the script. 

Suddenly, the (still young) Falcons are the playoff vets heading into a Wild Card Weekend matchup against the impossibly young Los Angeles Rams, where head coach Sean McVay is younger than some of the players. 

But it's not just McVay's first rodeo. Second-year quarterback Jared Goff and third-year running back Todd Gurley will also make their playoff debuts. 

Below you'll find everything you need to know to watch this NFC showdown, whether you're traveling to Los Angeles or watching from the comfort of your couch.

Then we'll break down the matchup and predict which team will advance to the divisional round to face either the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles or the No. 2 Minnesota Vikings. 

How to Watch

Date: Saturday, Jan. 6

Time: 8:15 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Tickets: StubHub

Odds: Rams -5.5 (OddsShark)

What to Watch

The bar wasn't set that high for the 2017 Los Angeles Rams. 

All they really had to do for the season to be considered a success was post a record above .500 for the first time since 2003. 

Instead, first-year coach McVay took a young squad that finished 4-12 in 2016 and turned them into a team that is most likely going to defeat the Atlanta Falcons, fresh off Super Bowl LI, on Saturday. 

Not only that, but they're favored by more than five points. 

It's been a long and wild road for the Rams, who finished as the league's top scoring offense in 2017 with 29.9 points per game on average. 

But the constant throughout the entire thing has been sensational running back Gurley. 

This isn't an offense to be sniffed at, by any means. Wide receiver Robert Woods put up 781 yards and five touchdowns, while rookie Cooper Kupp 869 and five scores. 

Both weapons benefited from the rapid development of quarterback Goff, who has thrived under McVay's guidance. 

But Gurley has been the linchpin for this team's sudden success.

He dominated the 2017 season, putting up 1,305 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns, both career highs. Having not had a single receiving touchdown in his first two seasons in the league, Gurley nabbed six of them in 2017. 

It's a lot for the Falcons to handle.

Atlanta's defense was effective against the run, allowing an average of 104.1 rushing yards per game for ninth in the league. 

The Falcons also only gave up 19.7 points per game during the regular season. 

Los Angeles, on the other hand, was vulnerable to the run, and that weakness could rear its ugly head in this matchup.

The Rams allowed opposing running backs to average 4.7 yards per attempt in the regular season, and the Falcons will look to exploit that with a two-pronged attack led by Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. They'll hope that, in turn, it opens things up for Matt Ryan in the passing game. 

But is this really a Falcons team that can match the Rams blow for blow?

Atlanta put up 22.1 points per game, but there were a few notable blemishes on its 10-6 schedule. 

In losses to the New England Patriots in Week 7 and Minnesota Vikings in Week 13, the Falcons put up single digits.

Those are the kinds of teams Atlanta needs to be able to beat in the regular season, because the road to the Super Bowl will match them up again.