Three Key Stats: Breaking down the Atlanta Falcons with help of FOX Sports South

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Atlanta Falcons (10-6) vs. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)

Saturday, 5:15p on NBC

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 

The Rams are back in the postseason and face a stiff challenge vs. Atlanta.

We asked our friend Zach Dillard from FOX Sports South to give us a little breakdown on the visiting Falcons:












76: The Atlanta Falcons' defense played four games against running backs who finished top-six in the NFL in rushing this season: LeSean McCoy, Mark Ingram and Jordan Howard. The highest individual rushing total Atlanta allowed in those games was 76 yards to McCoy in Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills. With the league’s second-leading rusher on tap in Todd Gurley, the Falcons' 13th-ranked rushing defense -- a group that has allowed 100 yards or more on the ground in just one of its past six games -- faces its biggest test to date.




 

4: Falcons superstar Julio Jones (above) tied an NFL record with his fourth consecutive season collecting 1,400 or more receiving yards, finishing among the league's top three receivers each time. The only other player to accomplish the feat? Hall of Famer and former Colts star Marvin Harrison, whose streak lasted from 1999 to 2003. The Rams ranked 13th in passing yards allowed and only nine defenses gave up fewer touchdowns through the air this season. Still, Jones presents a significant challenge.






44.7: Matt Ryan & Co. know how to extend drives. The Falcons were the NFL's most efficient third-down team this season, converting on 44.7 percent of their opportunities. In terms of yards per play, this wild-card matchup presents two of the league's most explosive offenses, so the focus falls on which defense can come up with stops.