5 things to know about the Falcons ahead of Monday night matchup vs. Rams

Here are five things to know about the Falcons this morning:

1. Matt Ryan report: The Falcons reportedly are interested in hiring former quarterback Matt Ryan for a “significant” front-office position, according Jay Glazer of Fox Sports. The team didn’t respond to requests for clarity on the matter.

2. Saints game time: The NFL set the Week 18 schedule. The Saints will play the Falcons at 1 p.m. Jan. 4. The Falcons won the first matchup against the Saints, 24-10, in Week 12.

3. NFC South champs? If the Falcons can beat the Rams on Monday night and the Saints, they could end up tied for first place in the NFC South at 8-9. If the Bucs (7-9) beat the Panthers (8-8) on Saturday, all three could finish 8-9, with the Panthers winning the tiebreakers with a 3-1 head-to-head record among the three teams. Also, if the Falcons lose to the Rams and Saints (6-10), they would finish in last place at 6-11. The Rams are favored to bet the Falcons by 7.5 points, according to BetMGM.

4. One impressive win: The Falcons have only one victory over a team with a winning record, topping the Bills (11-5) in Week 6. The other five wins were over the Vikings (8-8), Saints (6-10), Commanders (4-12), Bucs (7-9) and Cardinals (3-13).

5. Malik Willis auditioning: The Falcons selected Desmond Ridder in the third round (74th overall) in 2022 while Tennessee picked Malik Willis (Roswell High/Westlake) in the third round (86th overall). Willis, who’s set to become a free agent, looked good in the Packers’ loss to the Ravens on Saturday. He completed 18 of 21 passes for 288 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for two touchdowns and finished with a 134.6 passer rating.