Jaguars vs Falcons: 4 Reasons You Should Tune in to Thursday Night Football

For most, tuning into the Jaguars-Falcons game may not be too interesting, as Jacksonville isn't in the playoff hunt and Atlanta won't be getting better than the NFC's No. 5 seed.

However, other than Jaguars and Falcons fans, there are some legitimate reasons why football fans in general need to watch these two teams come time for kickoff. So, prepare to be persuaded.

Tony Gonzalez: TE, Falcons

Since 1997 Tony Gonzalez has been one of, if not the best TE in the NFL. For his career through 13 games in 2011, Gonzalez has compiled over 13,000 receiving yards, scored 95 TDs and has caught 1,142 passes.

In addition, he's been one of the better blocking TEs as well, which is uncanny for a dominant receiving TE. Tony G. is a complete player to say the least. As a receiving target he can stretch the field, out-jump any defender and sit in the zone to be the reliable man at moving the chains.

It's no wonder he has averaged over 11 yards per reception throughout his career and has gotten almost 750 first-downs. Now however, Gonzalez is 35 years old, will be 36 in February and is currently in his fifteenth NFL season.

So, it's safe to say that he's on the back-nine of his career. Therefore, since Tony's time has become limited due to age, we as fans are only going to get to see this future Hall-of-Famer put on the pads so many more times.

And if you're a fan of football, you gotta love watching Tony G. line up every week.

Maurice Jones-Drew: RB, Jaguars

Although the Jacksonville Jaguars have the NFL's worst passing game, are currently plagued by what seems like an infinite number of injuries, and have no shot at the postseason, they do have one guy everyone should watch in RB Maurice Jones-Drew.

He's arguably the NFL's best RB because not only is he an every down back, but MJD literally has zero help around him. And despite not having any help, Jones-Drew is still on pace to surpass 1,300 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards.

Even against stout rush defense like Pittsburgh and Baltimore, Drew has ran the rock very well and has averaged 120 total yards per game. The thing is, he's doing that when defenses continually key in on him and MJD is still doing work and getting the job done.

He's only been in the NFL since 2006, but has already compiled almost 6,500 rushing and 2,500 receiving yards. Jacksonville may not be a major market city, but MJD would be the man wherever he played.

So, tune in for Maurice Jones-Drew because he's a premier NFL player that is performing well on a bad team. This warrants some exposure and recognition.

Fantasy Football Implications

If your into playing fantasy football and are in the playoffs right now, this game could be very big for you.

Whether you have a player on either team or are playing against someone with a player on either team, this game is a must-watch.

For one, most definitely if you have a player like RB Michael Turner, QB Matt Ryan, RB Maurice Jones-Drew or WR Julio Jones among others. Also, what if your opponent has one or more players?

Depending on how those guys perform can have an indirect affect on how you set your lineup for Sunday. Trying to find players who can out-perform them or match them at the very least will be crucial because let's be honest, who wants to lose in the fantasy football playoffs?

So, whether your a fan of either team or not, if some of the players in this game have an affect on your fantasy football season, well, there's really no option other than to watch is there?

Falcons' Playoffs Implications

Last season the Falcons were the No. 1 seed in the NFC but choked at home against Green Bay in the divisional round. Two years prior, Atlanta lost a wild-card game at Arizona in 2008. So, for Atlanta to have a shot at avenging their recent playoff woes, a win on Thursday is vital.

Another big reason is because a loss will significantly damage their odds. If the Bears and Lions both win this week, Atlanta gets booted out and is looking back in as they would sit behind Chicago and Detroit.

They may have the tiebreaker over the Lions, however, both are 8-5 right now and the Falcons do not have the tiebreaker over Chicago. So, if the Falcons and Bears are tied with an 8-6 record heading into Week 16, the Bears get the playoff nod.

And although Chicago has been mauled by injuries, the way 2011 has gone, anything can happen. Right now the Falcons control their own destiny en route to the postseason, but they lose that privilege with a loss to the Jags.

Being the current No. 5 seed is also the perfect spot too, because chances are they would play the NFC East champion (Giants or Cowboys). That said, there's a good chance The Dirty Birds would at least get a playoff win as the divisional round would most likely bring on the Packers at Green Bay.

Then again, Atlanta is still young so getting a playoff win (would be their first since 2004) will be a great confidence booster heading into the 2012 offseason.

Follow John Rozum on Twitter @ Sportswriter27