Julio Jones

The Atlanta Falcons represented the AFC in the Super Bowl last season. The Los Angeles Rams haven't played a playoff game since 2005, when they lost 47-17 to the Falcons. They were the St. Louis Rams at the point in franchise history. You have to go all the way back to 1989, their first tenure in L.A., to find a playoff game involving the Los Angeles Rams.

Counted out by many when they sat 4-4 eight games into the NFL season, the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons have won four of their last five games to drive right back into contention for the NFC South title. In fact, if the Falcons sweep their remaining three games against division rivals the Buccaneers, Saints and Panthers, then Atlanta will retain the NFC South division crown earned a year ago.

Last week, the New Orleans Saints toppled the Carolina Panthers to move to the head of the class in the NFC South. Now they must deal with the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons to lock away the crown. The Saints and Falcons meet Thursday in Atlanta and again Dec. 24 in New Orleans, and in each of the past four seasons, the team that won the first game swept the series.

Are the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams to be taken seriously? Both have benefited from soft schedules to take control of their respective divisions - the Eagles in the NFC East and the Rams in the NFC West. But the true question remains, can they run with the big boys? As they face each other this week, both can take another step toward earning status as legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

Are the Atlanta Falcons finally starting to come around? Seemingly in a state of disarray ever since they blew their big lead and lost Super Bowl LI to New England, there was a definite hangover from that failure as the 2017 NFL season got underway, as the Falcons struggled to find their game. But last week in a decisive 27-7 win over Dallas, they looked like the defending NFC champs.

The thing to remember when wagering on the Super Bowl is to never underestimate the underdog. In fact, history suggests that you might want to favor the underdog when you make your Super Bowl play.