Niner Noise
FanSided

NFL Playoffs: Full Wild Card round preview

By Logan Stanley

NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 24: Running Back Todd Gurley II #30 of the Los Angeles Rams carries the ball against the Tennessee Titians at Nissan Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 24: Running Back Todd Gurley II #30 of the Los Angeles Rams carries the ball against the Tennessee Titians at Nissan Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 10: Running back Todd Gurley #30 of the Los Angeles Rams carries the ball in front of quarterback Jared Goff #16 in the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 10, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. The Eagles defeated the Rams 43-35. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 10: Running back Todd Gurley #30 of the Los Angeles Rams carries the ball in front of quarterback Jared Goff #16 in the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 10, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. The Eagles defeated the Rams 43-35. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /

Falcons vs. Rams

Game information: January 6 at 5:15 p.m., NBC

ATL ranking — DVOA

Offense: 9th

Defense: 22nd

Overall: 15th

LAR ranking — DVOA

Offense: 6th

Defense: 6th

Overall: 2nd

Fresh off a Super Bowl appearance, the Atlanta Falcons were able to fight off the hangover that drags down most teams and get themselves back into the playoffs. Admittedly so, the offense is less explosive with the departure of offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Matt Ryan has not been his same MVP self.

Atlanta, 10-6 and the No. 6 seed in the NFC, is not as powerful as the squad it was last year when it romped its way toward a trip to the Super Bowl. Ryan, as mentioned previously, is not the passer he was in 2016.

The 11-year veteran threw for 4,095 yards and 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Certainly not terrible numbers, but down 860 yards and 18 touchdowns and up five interceptions from just a season ago.

The Los Angeles Rams are the feel good story of the 2017 NFL season, becoming the first team in NFL history to finish as the No. 1 scoring offense after finishing as the No. 32 scoring offense the year prior.

Thirty-one-year-old head coach Sean McVay — who was hired in the offseason — has worked wonders on the offense, with quarterback Jared Goff and running back Todd Gurley II both excelling.

Goff, the No.1 pick in the 2016 Draft, passed for 3,804 yards with 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions. But it has been Gurley who has really been the catalyst behind the Rams finishing 11-5 and as the No. 3 seed.

The third-year running back had 1,305 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 279 carries. Gurley also was a serious force in the receiving game, recording 64 receptions for 788 yards and six touchdowns. His 92.0 overall PFF grade is No. 1 among all running backs.

Prediction: Rams 30, Falcons 21