Atlanta Falcons host Green Bay Packers in NFC Championship
Sunday 22 January 2017 20:09, UK
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu says he isn't feeling the pressure ahead of their NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
The Falcons host the Packers - live on Sky Sports 1, from 7.30pm - with the reward for the winners a trip to Super Bowl LI in Houston on Sunday, February 5.
Sanu - in his first year with the Falcons, after four with the Cincinnati Bengals - is part of the top-scoring offence in the NFL this season, and says he has learned so much already from his team-mates, particularly from the "spectacular" pass-catcher, Julio Jones.
"We've got a lot of dynamic players who bring a lot of different things to the table," said Sanu. "They're all phenomenal players, but even better people. I'm so glad to be part of this group.
"We learn a lot from each other. You've got Julio - I've never seen anyone as physically gifted as him, the way he is on the field, and can produce spectacular plays.
"It helps give me a lot of one-on-one coverage too, which I'm hopefully able to take advantage of.
"I'll just treat Sunday like any other game, try not to think too much about it. When you do that, you add 'pressure', but I don't think there's such a thing as pressure if you prepare, and work hard throughout the week, throughout the year.
"You're in the league for a reason, they've got you on the team for a reason, so it's just a case of going out there and doing your job."
Sanu entered the league in 2012 as a third-round draft pick for the Bengals, and suffered four straight Wild Card defeats with Cincinnati, before tasting victory for the first time in the play-offs as the Falcons beat the Seattle Seahawks 36-20 last week.
"It's amazing, to be part of something like this, and get that first play-off win," added Sanu. "I've been a part of some really good teams, so defeat was tough in those first couple of years.
"But to now have all the hard work we're putting in as a team pay off, and to be able to enjoy it with the guys, it's something special.
"We know we're going after something bigger than just our individual stats or records. We have a big goal in mind as one unit, and we're chasing it."
In order to achieve their goal of winning a first Super Bowl, the Falcons first need to get past Green Bay Packers, who they edged out 33-32 in the same fixture in Week 8 of the season, thanks to a late touchdown catch by Sanu from Matt Ryan.
"It was a real back-and-forth game when we played them," said Sanu. "But we stayed on an even keel, and just handled it one play at a time.
"Then Matt was able to throw me a great ball and I was able to make a good catch for the touchdown.
"Matt is amazing. You see the way he plays in tight situations; he is always coming through and making plays for us. He can make every throw in the book, so it makes our job so much easier, we just need to go grab the ball.
"Green Bay have got a great quarterback over there too - Aaron Rodgers, you see him make unbelievable throws, and as an athlete you can appreciate it and go 'wow'.
"Obviously this Sunday though, when we go up against him, we don't want to see those kind of plays happen."
Sky Sports is your home of NFL. Watch both Championship match-ups live on Sky Sports 1, on Sunday January 22, from 7:40pm.