FLOWERY BRANCH -- The Falcons are heavy underdogs – 14.5 points – to the Bills for their game Sunday.
For the Falcons to stay in the playoff race, they first must pull off the upset. Their chances of making the playoffs are at 2%, according to the New York Times.
If the Falcons win Sunday and the following week at home against the Saints, their chances improve to 28%.
If the Falcons win out, and the 49ers and Eagles lose out, their chances improve to 100%.
The Packers (12-3), Cowboys (11-4), Rams (11-4), Buccaneers (11-4) and the Cardinals (10-5) have clinched playoff berths.
Currently, the 49ers (8-7) and the Eagles (8-7) hold the sixth and the seventh berths. The Vikings (7-8) are the eighth team in the pecking order, followed by the Falcons (7-8).
The easiest path is for the Falcons to win their final two games and the 49ers, Eagles and Vikings to lose their final two games.
The 49ers play at Houston and host the Rams. The Eagles play at Washington and host the Cowboys. The Vikings play at the Packers and host the Bears.
“That’s the NFL, really,” Falcons linebacker Foye Oluokun said. “You have to come out and play every week. The Lions (had won two of their past three) when we were playing them. They had just beat the Cardinals who were on a run before that.”
Beating Buffalo might be the biggest upset that’s required to clear the Falcons’ path to the playoffs.
“So, anybody can beat anybody in this league,” Oluokun said. “It’s really how you come out and play on Sundays. We’ll see what team they bring, but we know we have to handle our business on the first place.”
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