NFL

Falcons say Giants can conquer Packers in next round

Dunta Robinson doesn’t see any reason why the Giants should be considered certain roadkill against the mighty Packers on Sunday.

The Falcons’ veteran cornerback wouldn’t go so far as to predict an upset in the NFC Divisional playoff matchup, but Robinson thinks the defending Super Bowl champs will have their hands full if the Giants play like they did yesterday in ending his season at MetLife Stadium.

“If that defense goes out and plays [that way], they have a chance against anybody,” Robinson said after the Falcons exited the playoffs early once again with a 24-2 Wild Card loss that really wasn’t that close.

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Robinson and the rest of his teammates — both on defense and offense — could only marvel at the destruction caused by the Giants’ jailbreak of a pass rush and the Big Blue defense as a whole.

Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked just twice, but was hurried on at least 10 other plays and knocked down at least five times while throwing for just 199 yards.

Ryan called it “right up there” with the best pass-rush units he has ever faced, and Robinson said the Giants are entirely capable of giving Aaron Rodgers similar problems.

“That kind of pass rush today would be very disruptive [to the Packers],” said Robinson, noting that the Falcons played both teams this season (and lost both games). “And if they can stop the run, they’ll be a force. It’s going to cause a great matchup.”

The Giants also stuffed Ryan on two fourth-and-1 sneak attempts while holding 1,300-yard rusher Michael Turner and the Falcons’ vaunted running game to just 64 yards on 21 carries (a 3.0 average).

And that was just on defense. The Giants’ offense chewed up Atlanta’s injury-thinned defense for 172 yards on the ground when Eli Manning wasn’t throwing one of his three touchdown passes on the day.

Although the Falcons had one of the most explosive attacks in football during the regular season, they had just two plays longer than 13 yards yesterday and their longest was a 21-yard pass to Roddy White.

“Green Bay should be worried, because they like to pass the ball while the Giants like to rush the passer and do a very good job of that,” Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez said after a quiet day in which the future Hall-of-Famer caught four passes for just 44 yards.

Of course, the Giants’ vaunted pass rush wasn’t much of a factor the first time they met the Packers. Rodgers torched them for 369 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-35 win at MetLife Stadium.

But Robinson didn’t put much stock in that game’s impact, especially considering the Giants were in action yesterday while the Packers were on a bye.

“The key for the Giants is, they’re still playing,” Robinson said. “I know people say the bye week is a good thing because it allows you to heal your body, but sometimes the team that’s continuing to play has the momentum.”