In their last matchup, which was in the playoffs last season, the New York Giants (8-5) defeated the Atlanta Falcons (11-2) on the way to a Super Bowl championship.  However, many experts aren't anticipating this Sunday's regular season showdown to go as productively.

With the aspirations of making the playoffs once again, the NFC-East leading Giants may need another strong performance out of the backfield from rookie RB David Wilson along with its defense at the Georgia Dome.

However, New York doesn't expect Atlanta to be as beatable this time around, as its tied with the Houston Texans for the best record in the NFL.

"They have two new coordinators in (defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and (offensive coordinator) Dirk Koetter.  They do bring their own personality and style to the way that they're playing, so there is a difference," coach Tom Coughlin told ESPN.

Koetter's offensive attack depends heavily on QB Matt Ryan, who needs just 68 more passing yards to become the first Falcon to have back-to-back 4000-yard seasons.  He also racked up 24 touchdowns and needs five more to surpass his career- best from last year.

Ryan only threw for 199 yards when the Falcons last faced the Giants in the postseason in January.  Overall, Atlanta is ranked fourth in the NFL with a 289.2 passing average, while its running game is only 28th with 86.9 yards per game out of the backfield.

Nonetheless, New York thinks that the NFC South champions have the potential to effectively utilize Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers out of the backfield.

"They're a little bit mixed up.  I thought at the end of last year, they were a little bit more leaning on the pass," defensive end Justin Tuck stated.

CLICK HERE to watch the New York Giants take on the Atlanta Falcons via free live stream.  Coverage of the game is set to begin at 1 p.m. EST on Dec. 16.

Tags: NFL. new york giants