Atlanta Falcons at St. Louis Rams Line

The Atlanta Falcons (7-2) go after their fourth straight win when they visit the St. Louis Rams (4-5) Sunday.

Atlanta has benefited from the poise of third-year quarterback Matt Ryan this season, as it has managed to win five games by seven or less points.

Meanwhile, St. Louis has not been as fortunate in close games. Four of the Rams’ losses have come by four or fewer points.

Still, Atlanta figures to have its work cut out for itself against an improved St. Louis team. Atlanta has lost five straight road games to St. Louis. Plus, the Rams have won four in a row at home.

NFL odds makers have listed the Falcons as a 3-point favorite with the total set at 43 Sunday.

Ryan has made steady progress since 2008 when he took home NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. While he has a ways to go before he can be mentioned in the same breath as Peyton Manning, like Manning, Ryan has begun to master the no-huddle offense.

He is calling around 30 no-huddle plays per game, and he looked very comfortable doing so in last week’s 26-21 win over Baltimore.

Down by one with just 65 seconds remaining, Ryan engineered a game-winning touchdown drive, capped by a 33-yard touchdown pass to star wideout Roddy White.

Ryan threw the ball 50 times for 302 yards last week as the running game found little room. Ryan may have to do it with his arm again Sunday as the Falcons face a stingy St. Louis run defense.

St. Louis ranks sixth in the league against the run, allowing 97.8 yards per game. Over the Rams’ last six games, their only allowing 79.8 yards on the ground.

If St. Louis is able to slow down Michael Turner, who was held to a season-low 39 yards last week, it will have to be the Ryan to White show.

Ryan found White 12 times for 138 yards and two touchdowns against Baltimore. White currently leads the NFL with 70 grabs and is second with 934 yards.

It is certainly worth noting that St. Louis is just 1-5 against the spread in its last six home games as an underdog of 3.0 points or less.

St. Louis running back Steven Jackson is quietly having another terrific season. He needs just 243 yards to notch his sixth straight 1,000-yard rushing season.

Jackson picked up 81 hard-earned yards in last weeks overtime loss to San Francisco.  The yards figure to be tough to pick up Sunday against an Atlanta defense ranked seventh against the run (98.1 yards per game).

Atlanta has been most susceptible to the pass, giving up 245.3 yards per game through the air (23rd in the NFL). This means that rookie quarterback Sam Bradford may have to lead St. Louis on an aerial assault.

Wide receiver Danny Amendola has benefited from more playing time, and from playing with a better quarterback. Amendola already has nine more catches and over 100 more receiving yards than he did all of last season.

This is a big game for St. Louis.  The Rams really need to take care of business here, considering their next three games are on the road where they are 0-4 this season.

The home team is 5-1 against the number in the last six meetings in this matchup.