The Atlanta Fans' Official Guide To Falcons-Seahawks

ATLANTA, GA -- The most anticipated football game in years takes place Saturday afternoon in downtown Atlanta.

The high-flying Atlanta Falcons, still smarting from a two-point loss to Seattle earlier in the season, will have payback on their minds when the Seahawks come to town with a chance to advance to the NFL Championship.

After an electric regular season that saw Atlanta go 11-5 and claim first place in the NFL South, the Falcons are 4.5 point favorites to defeat the Seahawks in Saturday's divisional playoff game.

Read more: Atlanta Falcons 2017 Playoff Schedule: When & Where

As a fan, there are a few things you should know if you plan on going to the game -- or even enjoying it from the comforts of your living room, or local beer hall.

History

Aside from earlier in the season, the last time the two teams met in the playoffs was in a wild game in January 2013 when Russell Wilson, regarded then as an upstart running quarterback with moderate passing skills, led his team to a late score only to have Falcons kicker Matt Bryant boot a 49-yard game-winner in the closing seconds.

The teams have had wildly different resumes since then, with the Seahawks winning a Super Bowl and coming up just short the following year. In that same period, the Falcons have basically turned over their roster and fired/ hired a head coach to right the ship.

As the season ended, the Seahawks once again curated a nasty defensive reputation, evidenced by timely turnovers and big hits. But this time around, it's the Falcons who are feared. They boast the NFL No. 1 offense powered by a nearly unstoppable Julio Jones, a two-headed running attack that is the best in the business, and a rejuvenated Matt Ryan.

As game day approaches, there are some particulars that every Falcons fan should be up to date on:

Gear: You'll want to be properly dressed -- no, not for the weather, for the game -- in some variation of red, white and/or black. If you're in Buckhead, Dick's Sporting Goods has a bunch of Atlanta apparel. On the Southwest side of town, Home Team Apparel in Greenbriar Mall is basically a Falcons shrine right now. If you want to wait until you go to the game, the Georgia Dome has retail shops that offer a wide assortment of Falcons paraphernalia, from coffee mugs to car flags.

Parking: It's usually tough to get a good spot on game days so pre-purchased spots are often encouraged. Never the less, if you like your chances, near Spring Street and under CNN, the parking lot known as the Gulch offers covered spaces and a short walk up to the dome. Also the Red Deck, directly across from the dome but underground, is a great spot if you get there early. Farther away, you can try the Yellow and Blue lots along Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard.

Tickets: As of Monday afternoon, there were more than 4,700 tickets available on Ticketmaster, with upper deck prices hovering around $180. Resale sites such as StubHub and VividSeats also had deals on seats to the game.

What: Atlanta Falcons vs. Seattle Seahawks NFL Divisional Round

When: Saturday, January 14, 4:35 PM on FOX

Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia