Falcoholinks: All the Falcons news you need for Friday, Dec. 17

A must-win game is on the horizon for Sunday, as the Falcons head out west to take on the 49ers. If Atlanta hopes to even sniff the playoffs they have to best San Francisco on the road.

Here’s Falcoholinks to start your Friday.

Niners on deck for Week 15

The Falcons’ offensive line had an impressive showing against a stout Panthers front last week, and that unit will have to build on that performance to contain the likes of Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead.

Atlanta’s banged-up secondary will also have to contend with a Kyle Shanahan offense fully capable of putting up point. So who do we predict will come out on top in this one? Well...

Along with our thoughts on the Falcons - 49ers tilt, we’ve also got predictions for the entire slate of games for the week.

Injury report

The Falcons enter this one with a ramshackle secondary, and linebacker Dante Fowler missed yesterday’s practice as he nurses a calf injury. He’ll likely be a game-time decision.

The good news is: Atlanta is not nearly as banged up as San Francisco!

Now’s the time

It remains almost a comical consideration at this point, but it’s real: Your Atlanta Falcons can actually make the playoffs this season. Amid the roster turnover, the injuries, the growing pains, the chaos — this team still has a fighting chance as a wildcard entrant into the 2021 NFL Playoffs.

So what do they have to do over the course of the next four games to make that happen? Well, our Allen Strk breaks it down in his latest piece.