Atlanta Falcons vs New York Giants: Tale of the tape

The offenses

Sunday’s battle is between the fifth- and seventh-ranked passing offenses of 2014, with the Falcons finishing two spots higher than their hosts. It will be no surprise to see plenty of good offense played from both teams, which you can expect when the two quarterbacks combine for six Pro Bowl selections, five division titles and two Super Bowl MVPs, although the latter both belong to Manning.

Running the ball has been a bigger problem. Last term, the Giants’ finished 23rd in total rushing yards, with the Falcons just behind in 24th. Atlanta invested a third round pick in Tevin Coleman to play in Kyle Shanahan’s zone-blocking scheme, and he impressed on debut against the Eagles, rushing 20 times for 80 yards.

Rashad Jennings is a talented runner for New York so long as he can stay healthy, and the addition of Shane Vereen in free agency adds a versatile threat much like Devonta Freeman is for Atlanta.

There will be no shortage of talented wide receivers on the field, and many will focus on the battle between Julio Jones and Odell Beckham Jr. Jones flew out of the gates against the Eagles last week, catching nine passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns. Beckham had a quiet opener, making five receptions for just 44 yards, but don’t expect him to stay down for long.

This one should be a battle of two strong offenses, with the team more efficient in the red zone and able to turnover the football the least will likely win. This should be a fun back-and-forth battle.

Next: The defenses