No two teams are heading in opposite directions more than the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars. Despite Atlanta's superior record, the team has collapsed after a 5-0 start, while Jacksonville has bounced back from a 1-5 start to climb into contention in the AFC South race.
Falcons vs. Jaguars 2015 live stream: Start time, TV schedule and how to watch online
The Jaguars and Falcons are headed in opposite directions, although both are still technically in the postseason hunt.
The Falcons haven't yet been eliminated from a possibility at an NFC Wild Card berth, but they might as well be considering the team's downward spiral. The team hasn't won since October and is stubbornly sticking to an approach that flat-out isn't working. While the team has at least been competitive for most of its slide, the Falcons were completely blown out by the Carolina Panthers in Week 14, and now face a Jaguars offense that is firing on all cylinders.
In the last two weeks, the Jaguars have posted 90 points, including a franchise-record 51 points against the Indianapolis Colts last week. Sunday presents a must-win situation for Jacksonville too, now that the team is in the thick of the race for the AFC South crown. A matchup of the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans on Sunday will decide the division's leader, but if the Jaguars can beat the Falcons, they will stay just a game behind the division leader with two weeks left, assuming there isn't a tie.
For the Jaguars, the key will be to continue to find the offense that found success against the Tennessee Titans and drowned the Colts in the last two weeks. Quarterback Blake Bortles already smashed the franchise record for touchdown passes in a season which was previously 23 and is now 30 and counting. Wide receiver Allen Robinson also broke the Jaguars record for touchdown receptions and is tied for the NFL lead with 12, while Allen Hurns continues to rack up numbers and Julius Thomas has a touchdown in four straight games after a slow start to the year.
To the Falcons' credit, the team is No. 14 in points allowed and has given up just 17 passing touchdowns. While no team in the NFL has fewer sacks than the Falcons, Cam Newton is the only quarterback who has managed to record three touchdowns in a game against Atlanta. Aaron Rodgers was the only one able to do it against the Falcons in 2014.
Atlanta is plenty capable of putting points on the scoreboard too. While the Falcons were shut out in Week 14, the team is still No. 7 in total offense and has five games with more than 400 yards of offense. That means that the Jaguars, who are tied for the second-most points allowed in the NFL, could have difficulties stopping the No. 7 passing offense of the Falcons.
The Jaguars and Falcons unsurprisingly have very little history with each other. The two franchises have faced off only five times, with the Jaguars winning three. In the last meeting in 2011, the Falcons dominated the game in a 41-14 win with Matt Ryan throwing for 224 yards and three touchdowns, while Blaine Gabbert finished with just 12 completions for 141 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.
How to watch
When: 1 p.m. ET
Where: EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Fla.
TV: FOX
Announcers: Dick Stockton, David Diehl
Online: NFL Game Pass
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