Sunday 22 January 2017 20:10, UK
The Atlanta Falcons have impressed throughout the year with a free-scoring offence and entertaining performances.
The organisation has never before lifted the Vince Lombardi trophy, though they did make the Super Bowl in 1999, coming up short against the Denver Broncos.
It is the Falcons' first trip to the post-season since 2012, where they lost at this stage to the San Francisco 49ers. However, wide receiver Julio Jones says they are a different team now.
But what makes them good enough to beat Aaron Rodgers and the in-form Green Bay Packers? Sky Sports makes a case for the NFC South outfit.
In the last five games, Green Bay's defence has given up over 300 yards, and they haven't played a quarterback in the same league as Matt Ryan.
The Falcons QB led the league in a number of passing categories, including yards per attempt and yards per completion.
His quarterback rating is the fifth best in NFL history. If this game is going to a shoot-out, having 'Matty Ice' in your corner is no bad thing.
While Ryan has been phenomenal, the weapons around him give Atlanta a wide-ranging attack. Thirteen different touchdown scorers is an NFL record and helped the Falcons lead the league on offence all year.
Jones is always a threat, but has been outscored this season by free-agent Taylor Gabriel, who found himself surplus to requirements in Cleveland.
Mohamed Sanu gives cornerbacks another headache, and then you have the running game. Twenty-six touchdowns from the Devonta Freeman-Tevin Coleman tandem makes this Falcons team dangerous, both in the air and on the ground.
Three different tight ends have also come in as role-players on this team. Their strength in depth is unquestionable, and incredibly tricky to defend against.
Sunday's epic encounter between the Packers and Dallas Cowboys was exhausting, and that was just watching the game!
The Packers then had to head back to Wisconsin, rest up, get prepared for the Falcons and make another trip to Atlanta, all within a week.
Compare that with the Falcons' relatively comfortable home victory 24 hours earlier, and they will have had a great deal more time to ready themselves for this one.
As if that wasn't enough, this will be the curtain call for the Georgia Dome. The Falcons will move into their new, state-of-the-art stadium next year. What better way to bid farewell than a final NFC Championship banner, hanging from the rafters?
The weakness in the Packers team is their secondary, and it may just get worse before Sunday. Morgan Burnett, the team's starting strong safety, faces a battle to be fit after injuring his quad.
Add that to a team who is missing three of their top wide receivers, and it couldn't be a better time for the Falcons to take on an in-form Packers team.
Jordy Nelson missed the game against the Cowboys with a rib injury, and continues to be limited. Fellow wide receivers Davante Adams and Geronimo Allison didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday, and will be game-day decisions.
Falcons head coach Dan Quinn has never lost to Aaron Rodgers. On the face of it, this isn't that impressive, given the Falcons have only played Green Bay once under his charge (a 33-32 shootout win earlier this year).
However, Quinn also got the better of Rodgers on three occasions during his time as a defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks.
Of course in Seattle, Quinn had the benefit of a Super Bowl-winning defence, but at the very least he knows what it takes to stop #12.
Sky Sports is your home of NFL. Watch both Championship match-ups live on Sky Sports 1, on Sunday January 22, from 7:40pm.
