This is the game of the year for the Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs, at least for now.

They are sitting in the middle of one of the tightest playoff races the NFL has ever seen, as there are a lot of teams within one or two games of each other in both conferences. It is going to be a wild December and early January.

The Falcons game of the year comes in week 15 against the 49ers

Among the teams that Atlanta is currently in a battle with when it comes to getting a wildcard spot is the San Francisco 49ers, who they happen to play on Sunday.

This will be the week that will either destroy the chances of Atlanta making the playoffs or the team being put in a much more manageable situation, it is a must-win game.

Currently, the 49ers sit just above .500 with a record of 7-6, while the Falcons sit right under the mark with a record of 6-7.

With a win on Sunday, the Falcons will hold the tiebreaker over San Francisco, who then have a tough road ahead as they play the Titans and Rams. Meanwhile, the Falcons will have a much more doable schedule as they play the Lions and Saints but they do have a road game against the Buffalo Bills in the middle.

This is the week where the Falcons stock will either jump or fall, it is the biggest game of Arthur Smith’s coaching career. They will have to take to the road to play Kyle Shanahan who has his team rolling through the past month of the season.

This game will come down to the Falcons ability to stop Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, while also stopping Nick Bosa on the opposite side of the ball. If they can do that, they should stand a chance to boost their playoff hopes.

Matt Ryan and Cordarrelle Patterson also need to establish the tempo early on. They need to be able to control the clock.

When the season is over, this will be the game that everyone looks back on and sees as the shift in direction for Atlanta.