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A preview of the NFC Championship Game matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons: When: Sunday, 3:05 p.m. ET (Fox) Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta Injuries: Falcons WR Julio Jones left Saturday’s playoff win vs. the Seattle Seahawks early, still coping with the foot and toe issues that cost him two games late in the season. The Packers hope to have WR Jordy Nelson back after injured ribs prevented him from playing Sunday.
1. Ball control: It’s a testament to two offenses that like to sling it that both also manage to be so careful with the ball. Torrid Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has fired 24 TD passes against just one interception (thrown Sunday) since Nov. 20. Green Bay has committed two turnovers during its eight-game winning streak. Atlanta’s 11 giveaways during the regular season were tied for fewest in the league, just one coming during their current five-game winning streak. Neither team coughed up the ball during the Falcons’ 33-32 win when the clubs met Oct. 30, so any mistake with a Super Bowl berth on the line is bound to be magnified.
2. High-flying birds: The Falcons scored 540 points in the regular season, tied for eighth most in NFL history. And they’re even better at home, where they’ve averaged 35.1. MVP frontrunner Matt Ryan, who was nearly as surgical as Rodgers down the stretch, had little problem carving up Green Bay in Week 8 (288 yards, three TD passes, 129.5 passer rating) despite a quiet day from Jones (three catches, 29 yards) and the absence of dynamic Tevin Coleman, whose 13.6 yards per reception led all running backs in 2016. A battered Packers defense — S Morgan Burnett is the latest casualty — is likely to struggle against a quarterback who is so locked in (Ryan has passed for 1,469 yards, 14 TDs and zero interceptions and has a 131.8 rating during the Falcons’ winning streak) and has an array of weapons at his disposal, even if Jones remains limited. 3. Building blocks: Offensive line play is sure to be a major key for both clubs. A huge part of Atlanta’s success is rooted in its front five, the only quintet in the league that started all 16 games together this season. But Rodgers also lines up behind a sterling wall, including David Bakhtiari, rated as the best pass-blocking tackle this season by the analytics website ProFootballFocus. Bakhtiari’s ability to negate NFL sack leader Vic Beasley could be crucial in keeping this offense rolling against an Atlanta defense that’s otherwise highly susceptible against the pass.