We’ve reached the Conference Championships and in the NFC, the Packers are facing the Atlanta Falcons in what’s sure to be another high-scoring shoot-out. The Divisional Round game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys was easily the most entertaining game of the playoffs so far. It was youth versus experience and ultimately experience won out thanks to the downright-incredible play of Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has silenced any doubters from the beginning of the season and if his alleged family matters are bothering him, he’s not showing it on the field.
The longtime Green Bay quarterback put in an amazing performance throwing for 355 yards and two touchdowns, and he managed to turn his relatively weak receiving corps into a crop of quality players. The loss of Jordy Nelson didn’t do too much to hurt the Packers offense, and he could be healthy in time for the game against Atlanta. Rodgers is one of those players that manages to make the players around him better, and he managed to make the most of players like Jared Cook and Ty Montgomery.
The Falcons toppled Green Bay back in Week 8, but they’ll have their work cut out for them to win in the final game at the Georgia Dome. The Packers might have had a healthy Jordy Nelson back then, but they were also missing Cook, Montgomery, and Randall Cobb, who might make a bigger difference than you’d think. We’ve already gone on record saying that we think the Packers will defeat the Falcons. But we also admitted that it will probably be a close game, with the win going to the Packers by a field goal.
During the 2015 season, Aaron Rodgers was among the favorites to win the MVP and he’s still in the conversation for this year. Rodgers has been playing incredibly well and put the Packers on his back on the way to the NFC Championship. Despite Rodgers’ late season heroics, we’re leaning toward another QB taking the title—Matt Ryan.
The Pro Football Writers of America just gave Matt Ryan their MVP award for his amazing year that has cemented his place as one of the league’s best quarterbacks. Ryan led the league in passer rating (117.1) and finished the regular season in second-place for passing yards and touchdowns. It’s worth noting that whoever wins the PFWA MVP typically takes the league’s honor as well. The two have picked the same person since 2003, so to deviate now would be a shock, to say the least.
This is the best chance the Falcons have had of reaching the Super Bowl since 1998. With an MVP quarterback and arguably the best receiver in the league in Julio Jones, this is one of the best teams the Falcons have ever had. And if there was ever a team that was going to beat Green Bay, it’s this one. It’ll be a close game for sure, but you can definitely expect sparks to fly when Rodgers and Ryan face off.
