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ATLANTA — They like to exclaim “Rise Up!’’ around these parts. It’s a rally cry used by the Falcons, and so far so good, as it’s helped produce the first playoff victory in the Mike Smith-Matt Ryan era.
“One of the first things you hear when you walk in after they check your bags, the security and the attendants at the door yell it and they tell you ‘Rise Up’ ” Ryan said.
But it is entirely possible this is as high as the Falcons rise. Sure, they’re the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but as they nearly blew a 20-point lead last week against the Seahawks, the 49ers were unleashing turbo-charged Colin Kaepernick as they flew by the Packers.
Though the Niners are on the road for today’s NFC Championship inside the Georgia Dome, they are the highly regarded favorite, expected to take the step they failed to make last season — advancing to the Super Bowl.
“Last year we were just happy to be in the playoffs,” 49ers running back Frank Gore said, “and now we know we are supposed to be there.”
Ryan is no longer the quarterback without a playoff victory. He finally broke through in his fourth playoff game, firing three touchdown passes and triggering a 23-second, last-ditch scoring drive after the Falcons blew a 27-7 fourth-quarter lead, turning a shocking 28-27 deficit into a 30-28 victory over the Seahawks. It was a huge addition to Ryan’s resume.
The 49ers were in this spot a year ago, but couldn’t finish the job, losing in overtime to the Giants in soggy San Francisco. This time around, they have replaced Alex Smith with Kaepernick, who has been a game-changer. As electrifying as Kaepernick has been on the field, he is low-wattage off it. Informed the Falcons insist they will make him pay for running the ball with some heavy hits, Kaepernick reacted rather blandly to being labeled a target.
“[I’ll] run where they’re not,’’ he said. “You want to run away from where the defensive players are. When they get close, get down.”
A look inside the game:
MARQUEE MATCHUP
Falcons WRs Julio Jones and Roddy White vs. 49ers CBs Tarrell Brown and Carlos Rogers. It is going to be extremely difficult for RBs Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers to dent the formidable Niners defensive front. The onus will be on QB Matt Ryan to find big plays down the field with his big-play receivers. Both are tough to deal with, especially the physically gifted Jones. Brown and Rogers aren’t noted ball-hawks, and they usually rely on heavy pressure up front to augment their aggressive coverage.
REBOUNDER
Kaepernick threw just three interceptions this season, and each time he responded by directing a touchdown drive on the ensuing series. It happened again in his first-ever playoff game. After an early pick-six vs. the Packers, Kaepernick answered by capping the next possession with a 20-yard touchdown run. This immediate bounce-back ability is rare for such an NFL novice.
“As a quarterback you throw an interception in a game, there’s just a tendency the next time to double-check things,’’ coach Jim Harbaugh said. “You’re double-checking then double-checking. And that’s not the way to do it. That’s not the way you want to do it. So, you want him to be trusting what he sees and cut it lose. And I think he’s shown a rare ability … to not have to double-check.”
TIGHT END
Maybe it was a case of the Falcons worrying too much about Seahawks QB Russell Wilson’s scrambling ability, but their defense sprung a leak last week dealing with tight end Zach Miller, who caught eight passes for 142 yards and a touchdown despite playing on a foot he sprained early in the first quarter. That does not bode well for Atlanta’s chances against Vernon Davis, who is faster and a more dangerous pass-catcher than Miller. The other tight end, Delanie Walker, also could be a factor.
“I see opportunities if we play well and we prepare well,’’ Harbaugh said. “But, as to what we think will work or won’t work, we would be foolish to talk about that.”
TERROR ON THE EDGE
Only J.J. Watt (20 ½) had more sacks this season than 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith, who had 19 ½ as an edge-rusher almost impossible to keep from invading the pocket. Ryan knows he will have to be cognizant of where Smith lines up
at all times.
“He has his own unique skill set,’’ Ryan said. “He plays tandem with [defensive end] Justin Smith. Those two guys really play well with each other. He’s an extremely versatile player and certainly somebody that we’re going to have to be aware of where he is on the field.’’
HOME IS WHERE THE NOISE IS
The dome was rocking last week as the Falcons finally broke through with the first playoff victory for Ryan and coach Mike Smith. Ryan said he loves the home-field advantage but worries a bit about over-exuberance.
“They’ve been really, really loud,’’ Ryan said, “but we might need them to be a little bit quieter when we’re on offense.”
Smith said he wants a repeat of last week’s ear-splitting cacophony.
“I was told the decibel level got to 113 there at the dome,’’ Smith said. “We’re trying to get to 115 this week. I know it was deafening out there on the sideline. It took about a day and a half for me personally to recover and I had earmuffs on, so I can imagine how it was for a lot of folks.’’
THE END IS NEAR
With much less fanfare than the Ray Lewis Farewell Tour, TE Tony Gonzalez says he is 95 percent sure he is retiring whenever the Falcons are done playing. “I keep telling him that I’m convinced of the other 5 percent, Ryan said. “I think he can still play.”
There’s no doubt Gonzalez still can play. With everyone knowing he was a prime target, he came up with the play of the game last week, hauling in a 19-yard pass from Ryan to set up Matt Bryant’s game-winning 49-yard field goal.
“The thing that those guys once told me when I first got here, they say it’s all good and dandy when you come in, you can run as fast as fastest and move as quick as the quickest,’’ 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis said. “But they told me the older you get the more you have to have it up here and I didn’t understand that as much then as I do now, and Tony Gonzalez is a guy who plays by that. He may not be as fast as he once used to be, but he’s really crafty and he knows how to get open.”
paul.schwartz@nypost.com
Paul’s Pick
In the past a fast indoor track would not suit the rugged 49ers, but Colin Kaepernick might make this a track meet. Falcons really didn’t contain scrambling Russell Wilson last week and don’t have much of a pass rush. Run on the Niners defense at your own risk. Denied last year by the Giants, 49ers cash in this time.
49ERS 31, FALCONS 20