Falcons Vs. Giants, NFL Playoffs 2012: G-Men Advance, 24-2

Wild Card weekend in the NFL is finally over and we’ll do it again next weekend with four games in the Divisional round. For now, here’s a look back at Sunday’s Wild Card games.

The Giants defense is too good for Atlanta. That’s what this game really comes down to -- the New York defense dominated Atlanta, basically pitching a shutout. The Giants offense was nice but the real story is their suffocating defense, which is peaking at the right time.

SB Nation’s NFL bloggers made predictions for Wild Card weekend and here’s a look at the updated NFL playoffs schedule for Sunday. Check out Big Blue View for the latest on the Giants and The Falcoholic for the latest on the Falcons.

There’s no question the Packers will be favored in this game but the Giants gave them one of their few close games of the year back in early December when they hosted the Packers in New York. Green Bay won, 38-35, but it was one of just a few occasions all year when the Packers were at least tested.

If Green Bay wins the game, they’ll host the NFC Championship game against either the 49ers or Saints. If the Giants win then the winner of the 49ers and Saints game will host the NFC Championship game.

The only thing Atlanta could take away from their last drive was that it at least left some time on the clock. The Giants have the ball, a 22-point lead and less than nine and a half minutes to go before punching their ticket to the next round.

SB Nation’s NFL bloggers made predictions for Wild Card weekend and here’s a look at the updated NFL playoffs schedule for Sunday. Check out Big Blue View for the latest on the Giants and The Falcoholic for the latest on the Falcons.

It’s fairly safe to say that the New York Giants are going to win their NFC Wild Card game against the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday. With a 24-2 lead following Eli Manning’s fourth quarter touchdown pass to Mario Manningham, the Giants appear likely to win in style, too.

Manning found Manningham over the middle in the end zone on this beautiful touchdown pass to cap a 10-play, 85-yard drive that probably put this game out of reach for the Falcons.

The drive ended along with the second quarter. With a 15-point deficit, the clock is now working against the Falcons.

SB Nation’s NFL bloggers made predictions for Wild Card weekend and here’s a look at the updated NFL playoffs schedule for Sunday. Check out Big Blue View for the latest on the Giants and The Falcoholic for the latest on the Falcons.

Nicks, as you can see in this video, is wide open over the middle, but it’s what he does after the catch on the 72-yard touchdown pass — a career long — that is truly special.

The touchdown was Nicks’ second on the day. He has four catches for 104 yards. And the Giants have a 15-point lead at home over a Falcons team that has struggled on the road.

With the Giants’ secondary battling without cornerback Aaron Ross, the Falcons came out firing the ball on the last drive. Ryan hit Roddy White for a 21-yard gain, just the second pass out of Ryan’s __ that went for 20 yards or more. White dropped a pass on the next play. Two plays later, he caught a nine-yard pass for a first down.

The Falcons went back to Julio Jones after that, letting him turn on the power and speed on an end-around that picked up 13 yards. Two incomplete passes later and a third-down flag for an illegal substitution, Atlanta came up inches away from first down.

ESPN’s Rachel Nichols reported moments later that Ross will not return to the game. D.J. Ware is also out of the game with a possible concussion.

SB Nation’s NFL bloggers made predictions for Wild Card weekend and here’s a look at the updated NFL playoffs schedule for Sunday. Check out Big Blue View for the latest on the Giants and The Falcoholic for the latest on the Falcons.

The Giants stalled there, with another Manning throw to Nicks falling incomplete on a third down despite plenty of contact between Nicks and Chris Owens, but still extended their lead.

SB Nation’s NFL bloggers made predictions for Wild Card weekend and here’s a look at the updated NFL playoffs schedule for Sunday. Check out Big Blue View for the latest on the Giants and The Falcoholic for the latest on the Falcons.

There’s no other way to put it -- this is an ugly game. Both team’s defenses are playing well and creating pressure while the offenses haven’t been consistent.

Looking ahead to the second half...I’m leaning towards the Giants, especially if it’s a close game decided in the final minutes. New York has scored the third most points in the league in the final two minutes of each half and Eli Manning and Co. have been in big playoff games before (and won). The Falcons, for their part, have done nothing to make me think they can score on the Giants.

On the next set of downs, Ryan hit Roddy White on the right side for a three-yard gain. Then the quarterback, chased out of the pocket again, scrambled for another three yards, ending it with an awkward slide. Gonzalez converted again with a nine-yard catch.

Atlanta’s offense headed to the locker room with a total of 127 yards and seven first downs, but no points other than tw from a safety.

SB Nation’s NFL bloggers made predictions for Wild Card weekend and here’s a look at the updated NFL playoffs schedule for Sunday. Check out Big Blue View for the latest on the Giants and The Falcoholic for the latest on the Falcons.

Would the Falcons offense be able to answer with some points of their own?

With the first half almost over, the Falcons’ offense needs desperately to find some answers before things get out of control.

Check out the pass and catch here -- right in the middle of traffic but Nicks hangs on.

Late in the second quarter, Manning has completed 9-of-11 passes for 51 yards. He’s spreading things out as six receivers have caught at least one ball. The offensive star of the game so far is Giants running back Brandon Jacobs who has 48 yards on seven carries including a 34-yard run on the scoring drive.

They picked up just 20 yards on the drive, but rather than go for it on the fourth-and-one, Mike Smith trusted his defense.

SB Nation’s NFL bloggers made predictions for Wild Card weekend and here’s a look at the updated NFL playoffs schedule for Sunday. Check out Big Blue View for the latest on the Giants and The Falcoholic for the latest on the Falcons.

That was a bad idea: after a conference of the officials, Manning was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone, and the penalty gave Atlanta a safety and a 2-0 lead.

Atlanta’s bullpen is overworked, though, so the Giants should definitely have some opportunities to rally in the eighth inning.

Ryan then went back to Jones, after huddling the offense, to pick up another first down. Jones, so far, proving the Falcons right for trading the farm to draft him back in April.

On the next set of downs, just as the last seconds ticked off the first quarter, the Falcons handed it off to Jason Snelling. It was an attempt to power through the middle on third-and-two, but the Giants defense made a key stop on their own 24-yard line. Atlanta picked up 66 yards on the drive.

SB Nation’s NFL bloggers made predictions for Wild Card weekend and here’s a look at the updated NFL playoffs schedule for Sunday. Check out Big Blue View for the latest on the Giants and The Falcoholic for the latest on the Falcons.

SB Nation’s NFL bloggers made predictions for Wild Card weekend and here’s a look at the updated NFL playoffs schedule for Sunday. Check out Big Blue View for the latest on the Giants and The Falcoholic for the latest on the Falcons.

SB Nation’s NFL bloggers made predictions for Wild Card weekend and here’s a look at the updated NFL playoffs schedule for Sunday. Check out Big Blue View for the latest on the Giants and The Falcoholic for the latest on the Falcons.

SB Nation’s NFL bloggers made predictions for Wild Card weekend and here’s a look at the updated NFL playoffs schedule for Sunday. Check out Big Blue View for the latest on the Giants and The Falcoholic for the latest on the Falcons.