Three things to know: Patriots vs. Falcons

Injuries: Several prominent Patriots are battling aches and pains, including WR Danny Amendola (ankle), TE Martellus Bennett (knee), LB Dont’a Hightower (knee), WR Chris Hogan (thigh) and WR Malcolm Mitchell (knee). But all should be ready to play. The biggest issue for Atlanta is WR Julio Jones (toe), but he should be fine with two weeks to heal. History: Patriots 7-6 all time vs. the Falcons but 4-0 since 2001 by an average of 10 points. 1. Something ’s got to give: New England surrendered 15.6 points per game in the regular season, fewest in the NFL. Atlanta scored a league-best 33.8, and its 540 total tied for eighth best all time. The Falcons have even hit an extra gear in the postseason with 80 total points in wins against the Seahawks and Packers. But if those units battle to a virtual draw, Atlanta will probably be in trouble. The Falcons defense plays well from ahead, as evidenced in the playoffs, but allowed the sixth-most points in the regular season and surrendered an average of 24.8 over all 18 games. 2. The QB question: The gunslinger trope is always fun. But the pairing of Atlanta’s Matt Ryan and Tom Brady is more akin to a faceoff between Swiss watchmakers. Brady’s fourgame Deflategate suspension to start the season might have cost him a third league MVP (Ryan will almost certainly take home the hardware). But “TB12” is far more focused on how he finishes this campaign than how he began, and one more victory might finally settle the debate about who’s the greatest all time if he can become the first quarterback to earn five Lombardi Trophies. From an individual perspective, he’s been as good as ever, too, with a record 28-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio in the regular season and a strong AFC Championship Game showing (384 passing yards, three TDs). Ryan proved he remains the hottest arm in the league. He led the NFL with a lofty 117.1 passer rating this season (Brady was second at 112.2) and set a record by averaging 9.3 yards per throw (while finishing with 4,944 yards, 38 TDs and seven interceptions).

3. Coming-out party: Many Americans will be getting a fresh introduction to the Falcons, who played only two prime-time games in 2016, one on a Thursday, the other overshadowed by a presidential debate. Ryan is hardly a household name. Jones and RBs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman are well known in fantasy circles but somewhat anonymous to the public at large. The Falcons also have terrific young defenders such as Keanu Neal, Deion Jones and NFL sack leader Vic Beasley.