The 6th seeded Atlanta Falcons, led by quarterback Matt Ryan and receiver Julio Jones, meet the 3rd seeded Los Angeles Rams, led by quarterback Jared Goff and running back Todd Gurley, in an NFL NFC Wild Card playoff game on Saturday, January 6, 2018 (1/6/18) at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.
The Rams reached the postseason by winning the NFC West. The Falcons are a wild-card team.
Here are NJ Advance Media's picks and predictions for the game.
Here's what you need to know:
What: NFC Wild Card playoff game
When: Saturday, January 6, 2018
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Time: 8:15 p.m. Eastern
TV: NBC
Livestream: NBC Sports Live
Line: Rams -6.5
Injury report: FALCONS: No players listed. RAMS: DOUBTFUL: WR Mike Thomas (ankle).
Falcons notes: QB MATT RYAN has 41,796 career pass yards & surpassed PEYTON MANNING (41,626) for most pass yards by player in his 1st 10 seasons in NFL history. Passed for 4,095 yards, his franchise-record 7th consecutive season with 4,000+ yards. In his past 3 games vs. Rams, has 864 pass yards (288 per game), 7 TDs & 0 INTs for 114.4 rating. Has 1,410 pass yards (352.5 per game), 12 TDs & 1 INT for 129.2 rating in his past 4 playoff games. Aims for his 5th in row in postseason with 100+ rating. * RB DEVONTA FREEMAN had 1,182 scrimmage yards, his 3rd consecutive season with 1,000+ scrimmage yards. In 3 career playoff games, has 330 scrimmage yards (110 per game) & 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 rec.). RB TEVIN COLEMAN aims for his 4th playoff game in row with TD. * WR JULIO JONES led NFC with 1,444 rec. yards. Has 9,054 career rec. yards & reached 9,000 yards in his 95th game, fastest in NFL history. In his past 4 postseason games, has 30 receptions for 516 yards (129 per game) & 5 TDs. WR MOHAMED SANU has TD catch in 2 of his past 3 playoff games. * LB DEION JONES ranked 2nd in NFC with career-high 138 tackles. Has FF, INT & 3 PD in 3 career playoff games. S KEANU NEAL led NFC safeties with 113 tackles. Had career-high 13 tackles in SB LI. LB TAKKARIST MC KINLEY was only NFL rookie with 5+ sacks (6) & 2+ FFs (2). DE ADRIAN CLAYBORN led team with career-high 9.5 sacks. CB ROBERT ALFORD ranked 4th in NFL with 20 PD.
Rams notes: QB JARED GOFF ranked 3rd in NFC in rating (100.5) & tied for 5th in NFL in TD passes (28). Had 3 games with 300+ pass yards, 3+ TD passes & 0 INTs, most in NFC. * RB TODD GURLEY led NFL with 2,093 scrimmage yards & 19 TDs. Is 3rd different player in NFL history to have 2,000+ scrimmage yards (2,093), 10+ rush TDs (13) & more than 5 TD catches (6) in single season (HOFers O.J. SIMPSON, 1975 & MARSHALL FAULK, 2000 & 2001). Had 83 scrimmage yards & rush TD in last game vs. Atl. * WR ROBERT WOODS had career-best 781 rec. yards & tied career-high with 5 TDs. WR COOPER KUPP ranked 2nd among NFL rookies in rec. yards (869), 4th in receptions (62) & tied for 4th in TD catches (5). Set franchise rookie records in receptions, rec. yards & TD catches. WR SAMMY WATKINS has TD in 4 of his past 5. * DT AARON DONALD led team & tied career-high with 11 sacks & had 5 FFs, most among NFL DTs. Had sack in last game vs. Atl. Since entering league in 2014, leads NFL DTs with 39 sacks. LB ROBERT QUINN has 6 sacks & 2 FFs in his past 6. Had sack in only career game vs. Atl. (9/15/13). Since 2011, is 1 of 3 in NFL with 60+ sacks (62.5) & 20+ FFs (20). LB ALEC OGLETREE led team with 95 tackles, his 4th time in past 5 seasons leading Rams in tackles. LB MARK BARRON has 2 FRs in his past 3 vs. Atl. CB TRUMAINE JOHNSON led team with 14 PD. -- NFL Communications