Falcons vs. Seahawks 2017 playoffs: What you need to know

We’re here. I’ll be honest with you, I’ve had a hard time getting as jazzed as I’d like to be up to this point, thanks to a lack of sleep and not knowing for certain who the Falcons would be playing. Now that I know it’s Seattle and the whole matchup feels real, this is going to be a very long week.

There’s a lot going on in this matchup. The Falcons’ 2012 win over the Seahawks in the Divisional Round is credited with giving Seattle the fuel it needed to turn into a juggernaut over the last few seasons, while the Seahawks beating the Falcons by two points earlier this year with a questionable call involved gave Atlanta plenty to feel bitter about. It pairs one of the league’s better defenses against its best offense, while raising questions about whether a up-and-down Seattle offense and merely so-so Falcons defense can rise to the occasion. It’s also perhaps the last NFL game in the Georgia Dome, depending on whether the Falcons win and Green Bay offs Dallas.

Here’s the basics you need to know. Check back Friday morning for a more detailed breakdown, including final odds and an injury report. I’m looking forward to this one.

Falcons vs. Seahawks playoff breakdown

What: #2 Atlanta Falcons vs. #3 Seattle Seahawks, Divisional Round

When: Saturday, January 14, 4:35 p.m. EST

Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Channel: FOX

Odds: Falcons favored by a little over a field goal

Key Story Lines: Can Atlanta avenge their loss earlier this season, or Seattle their 2012 playoff loss? Will the Seahawks be able to keep their passing attack firing against a Falcons team that can probably get through that paper-thin offensive line? Will the Falcons carry their huge offensive success into the postseason?