Matt-rimonial bliss in Atlanta

Veteran QB Ryan fires Falcons into Super Bowl

Matt Ryan tumbled into the end zone and slammed the ball to the turf with a thunderous spike before letting out a bellow that showed just how much he wanted this game.

He wants the next one even more.

With another MVP-worthy performance and plenty of help from Julio Jones, Ryan guided the Atlanta Falcons to a 44-21 rout of the Green Bay Packers for the NFC championship on Sunday, erasing any doubts about whether the 31-year-old quarterback can win the big games.

In his ninth season, Ryan is finally headed to his first Super Bowl .

"We'll enjoy it because it's hard to get to this point. I know that from experience," Ryan said. "But our ultimate goal is still in front of us."

The Falcons (13-5) will face the New England Patriots on Feb 5 in Houston - the second Super Bowl appearance in Atlanta's 51-year history. Eighteen years ago, the Falcons lost to Denver in John Elway's final game.

Ryan threw for 392 yards and four touchdowns, but it was his 14-yard scoring run - his first rushing TD since 2012 - that really set the tone.

Jones was right in the middle of things, too. After barely practicing all week because of a lingering toe injury, he finished off the Packers with a 73-yard catch-and-run on Atlanta's second snap of the second half, pushing the lead to 31-0 and essentially turning the rest of the Georgia Dome finale into one long celebration.

"He's a beast," Ryan said. "I've been lucky to play with him as long as I have. He was impressive today. I know he wasn't feeling his best, but he's a warrior."

Jones finished with nine catches for 180 yards and two scores, which included a toe-dragging TD catch with three seconds left in the first half, sending the Falcons to the locker room up 24-0.

After the break came the play that showed every one of Jones' remarkable skills.

He blazed down the middle of the field, shook off LaDarius Gunter's attempt to grab him on a cut toward the sideline, hauled in the pass from Ryan, broke Gunter's diving tackle attempt and defiantly knocked away Damarious Randall with a brutal stiff-arm.

"I didn't practice that much throughout the week, but today I came out and gave it all I had," said Jones.

Ryan sparked more delirious chants of "MVP! MVP! MVP!" as he carved up an injury-plagued Packers secondary that had no way of stopping a team that averaged nearly 34 points a game during the regular season and romped to a 36-20 victory against Seattle the previous week.

Riding an eight-game winning streak and coming off a thrilling upset of the top-seeded Dallas Cowboys, the Packers got a taste of what they'd be in for on Atlanta's very first possession.

Driving 80 yards in 13 plays, the Falcons converted three third downs, capped by Ryan flipping a shovel pass to Mohamed Sanu for a two-yard score.

After Matt Bryant booted a 28-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead, Atlanta's much-maligned defense - one of the lowest ranked in the NFL - came through a momentum-swinging play.

Green Bay fullback Aaron Ripkowski was breaking tackles and rumbling toward the end zone when Jalen Collins stripped him of the ball from behind and pounced on it just across the goal line for a touchback.

Ryan then hooked up with Jones three times for 56 yards and finished it off from the 14 with some surprisingly nimble running skills, faking out a defender before sprawling into the end zone.

"I just saw a lane open up," said Ryan, who had a 1-4 record in the playoffs over his first eight seasons. "That's the longest run I've had in a while. It came at a good time."

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers finished 27 of 45 for 287 yards and three TDs, but he also threw an interception and was sacked twice.

Atlanta finished with a 493-367 edge in total yards.

Bookies backing Pats

Las Vegas oddsmakers like the New England Patriots by a field goal over the Atlanta Falcons in what experts think will be a high-scoring Super Bowl.

Most are also expecting an offensive showdown, with an over/under of 59 points at some sports books - the most in Super Bowl history.

"You've got the Patriots and then you have this scoring machine in Atlanta," said veteran oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro at the South Point. "There should be a lot of points on the board."

The AFC title game had barely entered the fourth quarter when oddsmakers began putting up their numbers. There was agreement all around that the Patriots should be a 3-point pick, though some had the over/under at 58 instead of 59.

There was also agreement that the legal handle on the game could exceed the record $132.5 million bet on last year's showpiece.

"I think we have a real shot at a record handle," said Chuck Espoito, oddsmaker for Station Casinos. "These teams are huge offensive teams and you're going to see a lot of action on the total."

Oddsmakers had plenty of history on their side in finding a line that could stick at 3 points all the way until kickoff. The Patriots have won four Super Bowls and the margin of victory in all but one was 3 points.

"Three seems to be the prevailing number for them in Super Bowls," Esposito said.

Westgate Super Book's Jeff Sherman said the Super Bowl handle might have gone even higher had Green Bay made the title game. Atlanta doesn't have a big following among casual sports bettors, but there will still be plenty of action.

"It won't be any problem," he said. "There are plenty of people with opinions on the game."

Sherman said the 3-point spread will probably stand because if it moved up a half casual bettors would go for the Falcons, and if it dropped a half the so-called "sharps" would be all over the Patriots.

In addition to the point spread and total bets, sports books will offer hundreds of different parlay bets, ranging from which team will win the coin toss to the third-quarter points total.

Atlanta Falcons players give coach Dan Quinn a celebratory soaking following their 44-21 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Sunday's NFC championship game at Atlanta's Georgia Dome. The Falcons will face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI in Houston on Feb 5. John David Mercerusa Today Sports