In week 15, the Atlanta Falcons can become the second team to clinch a 2010 playoff spot, after the New England Patriots, who play in the soft and squishy AFC, where they hand out playoff spots like Chick Fil A coupons on Halloween. The Birds need to beat the Seattle Seahawks, of course, and they need a little bit of help. And boy do I mean little.
↵The Falcons also need either the Philadelphia Eagles or New York Giants to lose, and those teams are playing each other in the 1 o'clock slot. If the Falcons win, they're in the playoffs as soon as the final whistle blows or rain siren chirps or [grunge coffee joke] or whatever they do in Seattle.
↵As we keep reminding you, the Falcons can seal up home field advantage with two wins over any combination of the Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, and Carolina Panthers. Dropping a win against a bad Seahawks team would put a lot of pressure on the Birds for that Monday nighter, but if Atlanta can get past the Seahawks in Seattle, they should be home free, and by home free I mean playing several more games at home.
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