NFL Wild Card Preview: Falcons @ Giants
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Scott Boehm/Getty Images(EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.) — The New York Giants will welcome the Atlanta Falcons to East Rutherford, New Jersey, Sunday afternoon in an NFC wild-card showdown.
Big Blue’s defense will look to stop a Falcons offense that is ranked 10th overall in the league behind quarterback Matt Ryan, running back Michael Turner and wide receiver Roddy White.
“They have that quote-unquote reputation,” the Giants’ Justin Tuck said about the Falcons offensive line. “But in a way it kind of is exciting. Most people, you would call them dirtbags. But it is what it is. We just got to make sure we do our job. If we are doing our job well, then they will be upset and they will be trying to do things to get us off our game and we got to take that as a compliment. But in the same sense you got to protect yourself.”
Falcons center Todd McClure responded that they play within the rules.
“We like to get on the field and protect our guys that have the ball and if that’s considering being a dirtbag, then that’s what we are.” McClure said.
New York qualified for the playoffs on the last day of the regular season when they defeated Dallas to win the NFC East title. It will be Tom Coughlin’s fifth postseason appearance as Giants head coach, tying him with Bill Parcells for the franchise mark.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Eastern.
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