ATLANTA — It really doesn’t matter whether Robert Griffin III plays today, whether the overhead scoreboard at the Georgia Dome flashes the taunting news to the visiting sidelines that the Redskins are taking care of business in Cleveland.
And it doesn’t really matter whether the Cowboys beat the Steelers later on in the 4:25 p.m. game.
All that matters is whether Big Blue are ready to soar, higher than Falcons, and they believes that they are.
Justin Tuck, 48 hours before a playoff game before the playoffs that champions dare not lose, is asked for a State of the Giants.
“Ascendant,” he said.
In what way?
“Upward,” he said.
Why do you say that?
“’Cause we’re winning, and we’re gonna continue to win,” he said.
How do you know that?
“I believe,” he said.
Are you gonna win today?
“I plan on it,” he said.
What do you like about the way this team is ascending?
“We’re starting to play together,” Tuck said. “Last game I thought we played together in all three phases … and just history around here, we play well in December. … I have a lot of faith in this football team, and I think we’re starting to put it together.”
Matt Ryan and the Falcons would love to avenge January’s 24-2 playoff humiliation at MetLife Stadium, and make a loud statement against a foe they will use as a measuring stick.
“Who hasn’t used it against us?” David Baas said. “You think San Francisco thought the same thing? They were mad about the NFC Championship game. You think we care?”
Apparently not.
“If you look at it that way,” Tuck said, “then Green Bay was looking to make a statement against us, and San Francisco was looking to make a statement against us, whoever else we beat last year was looking to make a statement against us. … The fact of the matter is, we’re the Super Bowl champions, and every team we play is looking to make a statement against us.”
The Falcons have clinched the NFC South and understand that their season will be defined on whether Ryan and Mike Smith finally can win a playoff game after three failures. Eli Manning’s Giants, fighting to hold playoff destiny in their hands, to build that bridge to Super Bowl XLVII, are the more desperate team.
“I think we’re in attack mode,” Lawrence Tynes said. “We’re trying to get into that groove before the playoffs. … I feel like practices last week and this week are playoff-caliber. Energy levels are high, and guys are flying around and there’s less chit-chat. You can see it in practice. There’s not a lot of balls hitting the ground, and people are talking on defense. You can kinda sense a little bit of a little buzz around here.”
Ryan, an ascendant quarterback under new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, had no chance in that playoff game without the semblance of a running game. He may have picked the wrong time to face Jason Pierre-Paul, sackless in four games, and his fellow predators who practically are begging Perry Fewell to turn them loose.
Ryan has big-time targets in WR Julio Jones and TE Tony Gonzalez, but will need help from Roddy White (knee), who will be a game-time decision.
“We stopped their run, and we got after the quarterback,” Tuck said of last season’s playoff rout. “Matty didn’t feel comfortable in that pocket, and again, we just played all together-football.”
Ryan will try to target rookie cornerback Jayron Hosley, who is starting for Prince Amukamara.
“He’s a natural instinct player,” David Wilson said, “so even if he misses his assignment, his instincts will take over and he’ll be right on top of it. But he’s been doing all his assignments right in practice, so I think he’ll definitely be ready.”
Hosley expects fellow rookie Wilson to flourish when he starts today for Ahmad Bradshaw following his breakout game against the Saints. They were teammates at Virginia Tech.
“One minute he’s there, next thing he’s gone,” Hosley said.
The Giants bullied the Falcons on both sides of the ball the last time and Ryan, sacked twice and harassed, didn’t complete a pass longer than 21 yards.
“Getting hits on the quarterback, I think that’s gonna play a huge part in the game,” Henry Hynoski said.
Parental guidance Mattinee.
steve.serby@nypost.com