I received a lot of great suggestions for the player to watch this week, and there are a lot of worthy candidates. You could pick Kelvin Hayden, because he'll be matched up against Jordy Nelson. You could pick Matt Ryan, because he has the potential to light up the secondary.
I can't imagine a guy more likely to have a big game than Tony Gonzalez, though. The Packers have struggled to cover tight ends this season, and there are few better than Gonzalez. Sure, he's getting older, but he remains a sharp route runner, a physical presence and a sure-handed red zone target. The Packers don't have a dude capable of doing more than slowing Gonzo.
With Ryan poised to have a big day, someone's going to get a lot of targets. Julio Jones and Roddy White will benefit, but they have much tougher matchups than Gonzalez, who has enjoyed a revival season thus far in 2011. I see him wreaking havoc on the Packers' secondary, which will open things up for everyone else.
The Falcons would be smart to get him involved on short and medium routes throughout the game, exploiting every bad matchup the Packers throw out there. There should be plenty.
What are your thoughts on the player to watch?