Matt Ryan knows exactly what to expect in Philadelphia come Sunday.

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback and MVP candidate grew up an hour from Philly and went to high school in the city. Although he'll have plenty of family and friends in the crowd for an NFC showdown with the Eagles, Ryan certainly understands the crowd won't be in his favor.

"It's a crazy sports town," Ryan said during his weekly radio appearance on Atlanta's 680 The Fan. "They are very loyal fans. They're tough fans. It's a brutal place to go in and play as an opposing team. They're probably harder on their own than they are on the opposing teams coming in. It's a tough place to play. I know that firsthand."

Ryan is 1-2 at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, winning his last trip there by a score of 30-17 (2012).

The 6-3 Falcons are 4-1 on the road this season, including a win over the defending Super Bowl champion but Peyton Manning-less Broncos. We'll see how they respond this week against a 4-4 Eagles team capable of applying plenty of pressure on Ryan.

Here are six opposing players to watch, courtesy of NFL Nation Eagles reporter Tim McManus:

OFFENSE

QB Carson Wentz: The rookie QB’s play has fallen off some of late. He has four interceptions over his last two games after throwing just one pick over his first five. There are multiple factors involved here: His receivers are not getting open consistently, the loss of tackle Lane Johnson to suspension has had an adverse effect, and it’s likely that defensive coordinators have a better feel for how to defend Wentz and Doug Pederson’s offense now that there is some tape out there. Many of the miscues have come early, as Wentz tends to settle in and show the ability that made him the No. 2 overall pick in the year's draft.

TE Zach Ertz: The coaching staff has been intent on getting the Wentz-Ertz connection going, and on Sunday against the Giants, they finally succeeded. Ertz led the team with eight catches on as many targets for 97 yards. Wentz looked for him early and often, and that will likely be a trend moving forward. The Eagles are lacking consistent playmakers at wide receiver, and need to lean on their tight end group over the second half of the season as Wentz searches for some security. Ertz should be his go-to guy along with Jordan Matthews from here on in.

RB Darren Sproles: Doug Pederson acknowledged this week that Sproles is currently the team’s No. 1 back. It wasn’t the plan to have the 33-year-old lead the way, but a combination of his play plus Ryan Mathews' lack of dependability has elevated Sproles to the top of the depth chart. He looks just about as quick as ever and is a threat both in the run and passing game. He’s averaging five yards per run and 10 yards per catch this season.

DEFENSE

CB Leodis McKelvin: McKelvin had a rough go against Odell Beckham Jr. and the New York Giants this past week. The same could be said for the secondary as a whole, as Eli Manning threw four touchdowns on the day -- three of which went for 25-plus yards. McKelvin was expected to be the team’s top cornerback but has been battling hamstring issues for the bulk of the season. He’ll need a good performance to help keep Julio Jones & Co. in check.

LB Jordan Hicks: The second-year player out of Texas had a rather quiet start to the season but has come on strong of late. A penchant for playmaking, Hicks led the team with tackles against the Minnesota Vikings, and has come up with an interception in each of the Eagles’ last two games -- including one late against the Giants that gave his team a chance to win at the end. At the center of Jim Schwartz’s defense, Hicks has a lot on his plate, but the 24-year-old is showing that it’s not too much for him.

DE Brandon Graham: Graham is playing at a Pro Bowl level. The former first-round pick leads the team in hurries (20) and tackles for loss (7) and is tied for the team lead in sacks (4). Now operating on the left side of the D-line, he has the strength to outmuscle his opponents, the quickness to beat a tackle off the edge and the motor to hunt the ball carrier down. While DT Fletcher Cox garners most of the attention nationally, Graham was the team’s best player over the first half of the season.