ON THE FALCONS BEAT
ON THE FALCONS BEAT

Florio on Falcons: ‘One of the most dangerous six seeds the NFL playoffs have ever seen’

**EMBARGO: No electronic distribution, Web posting or street sales before FRIDAY 3 a.m. ET JAN. 5, 2018. No exceptions for any reasons. EMBARGO set by source.** Dave Stanley, top right, who is part of a group of die-hard Los Angeles Rams fans who wear hollowed-out watermelons on their heads when they sit in a section at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum known as the Melon Patch, with fellow fans in Los Angeles, Dec. 24, 2017. A new stadium is under construction for the Rams and Los Angeles Chargers in Inglewood. (Jake Michaels/The New York Times)

Credit: JAKE MICHAELS

Credit: JAKE MICHAELS

**EMBARGO: No electronic distribution, Web posting or street sales before FRIDAY 3 a.m. ET JAN. 5, 2018. No exceptions for any reasons. EMBARGO set by source.** Dave Stanley, top right, who is part of a group of die-hard Los Angeles Rams fans who wear hollowed-out watermelons on their heads when they sit in a section at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum known as the Melon Patch, with fellow fans in Los Angeles, Dec. 24, 2017. A new stadium is under construction for the Rams and Los Angeles Chargers in Inglewood. (Jake Michaels/The New York Times)
By
Jan 6, 2018

Just how dangerous are the 2017 Falcons, the defending NFC champions, who open the playoffs against the third-seeded Los Angeles Rams at 8:15 p.m. Saturday at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum?

"With (Matt) Ryan, (Julio) Jones, and an array of other offensive weapons, the Falcons could be one of the most dangerous six seeds the NFL playoffs have ever seen," wrote Mike Florio of NBC and Pro Football Talk earlier this week.

Who’s on the hot seat? Who’s the X-factor?

Here are the links to all of the FALCONS GAMEDAY preview package:

ExploreThe X-factor: #Falcons linebacker Deion Jones
ExploreOn the hot seat: The #Falcons’ offensive line vs. #Rams All-Pro DT Aaron Donald and his mates.
Explore3 key matchups: Falcons at Rams
ExploreWhat #Falcons QB Matt Ryan had to say about the #Rams
ExploreAnalytics: Jared Goff is starting to blossom in his second season 

About the Author

Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.

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