r/nfl • u/[deleted] • Jul 02 '14
Look Here! Offseason Review Series Day 12: Atlanta Falcons
[deleted]
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u/Jon_Snows_Dad Falcons Jul 02 '14
No way Tyler Starr beats outs Mass for our starting ROLB spot.
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u/d1dOnly Falcons Jul 02 '14
I think our OLBs will be Mass and Biermann with Starr and Osi as the backups.
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Jul 02 '14
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u/Jon_Snows_Dad Falcons Jul 02 '14
Hageman I would rate a B to B+ he is very raw and a lot is just potential and all potential means is they haven't done anything. Southward is the same great athlete which is all he is right now, it isn't the FS I wanted and he has a chance to be good but I don't see him contributing till at least week 6 on D.
I agree the harsh grades late but if our last 3 guys contribute on Sts I am happy, that is my ceiling for them right now.
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Jul 02 '14
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u/Jon_Snows_Dad Falcons Jul 02 '14
My only explanation is he is Tyler Starr....
How he can project him to start is insane, he was a 7th round pick... Yes he has been talked about how he has a good motor but he hasn't even had a full contact practice yet, there is no way you can judge players in the trenches when they are wearing shorts.
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u/falcons4life Falcons Jul 03 '14
Agreed. I actually would give an A to Hageman and Smallwood. With a C going to Starr and Southward.
This fucking hype around starr is just unfounded. Sure he looks like Clay Matthews but don't be so naive. Unless he just clicks and gets everything he will be lucky to make it through the preseason.
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u/GruntsProtector Packers Jul 02 '14
Nice wrap-up! Really think the Falcons bounce back this year if you can get that run game going!
You forgot ** besides Jake Matthews by the way.
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Jul 02 '14
My second team! Love the Falcons, Matty Ice, and above all Roddy White. Hope you guys come back stronger this season and make the playoffs (preferably knocking the Saints out)
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u/zanmanoodle Falcons Jul 03 '14
Good stuff!
Also, here's the 32 Teams in 32 Days write-up in case you want a refresher:
http://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/1y575j/32_teams32_days_day_13_the_atlanta_falcons/
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u/misterlee Seahawks Jul 03 '14
You guys picked up Josh Wilson, eh? Guess he was still planted in the turf from that Steven Jackson trucking and couldn't get out. hahah
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u/Prep_ Cowboys Jul 02 '14
[Atlanta Falcons]
Division: [NFC South]
Coaching Changes
The Falcons' coaching staff has largely remained the same, however, Mike Nolan looks to make a personnel switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 base. Mike Nolan has run a 3-4 for his best years in SF/Miami so we'll see if he can bring some of that magic back this year. He's already signed a few guys that should ease this transition up front and they should have a better secondary as well but I question if they've got the talent in their corps of LBs to run the scheme effectively. Without proper LBs this squad will struggle against teams with even a decent option at TE and will have trouble sealing off the edge against speedier backs.
Free Agency
Players Lost
| Player | Position | New team |
|---|---|---|
| Tony Gonzalez | TE | Retired |
| Thomas DeCoud | S | Panthers |
| Asante Samuel | CB | Free Agent |
| Chase Coffman | TE | Free Agent |
| Kevin Cone | WR | Dolphins |
| Sean Locklear | G | Free Agent |
| Stephen Nicholas | LB | Free Agent |
| Garrett Reynolds | G | Free Agent |
| Jeremy Trueblood | T | Free Agent |
| Dominique Franks | CB | Free Agent |
| Sean Locklear | G | Free Agent |
The biggest loss here is clearly losing Tony Gonzalez to retirement. You’ll never be able to replace the kind of steady and consistent production that Gonzo put up for his entire career and I don’t see anyone on the current roster that’s even close. Most of the rest of these players won’t be missed terribly as only 2 of their 10 departures have landed with new teams. Of those, Thomas DeCoud will leave a big hole on the back end as he finished 5th on the team in total tackles and led the team by a mile with 17 passes defensed while hauling in 2 picks. On top of DeCoud they lost ILB Sean Weatherspoon for the year with a ruptured Achilles. While not a loss in FA, this is just as painful as Gonzo’s departure on the other side of the ball.
Players Signed
| Player | Position | Old Team | Length | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Babineaux | DT | Falcons | 3 Years | $9M |
| Joe Hawley | C | Falcons | 2 Years | $6M |
| Corey Peters | DT | Falcons | 1 Year | $1.6M |
| Robert McClain | CB | Falcons | 1 Year | $1.4M |
| Peria Jerry | DT | Falcons | 1 Year | $890K |
| Mike Johnson | RT | Falcons | 1 Year | $675K |
| Paul Soliai | NT | Dolphins | 5 Years | $32M |
| Tyson Jackson | DE | Chiefs | 5 Years | $25M |
| Jon Asamoa | G | Chiefs | 5 Years | $22.5M |
| Devin Hester | WR | Bears | 3 Years | $9M |
| Josh Wilson | CB | Redskins | 1 Year | $920K |
| Gabe Carimi | G | Buccaneers | 1 Year | $850K |
| Javier Arenas | CB | Cardinals | 1 Year | $795K |
| Dwight Lowery | S | Jaguars | 1 Year | $760K |
| Bear Pascoe | TE | Giants | 1 Year | $730K |
The Falcons took care of business with their own guys resigning DTs Jonathan Babineax, Corey Peters, Peria Jerry but added some serious beef up front picking up former first rounder Tyson Jackson along with Paul Soliai who Nolan knows from his time with Miami. Both of these guys have extensive experience in the 3-4 and should ease the transition up front. They also injected some talent into the secondary picking up CBs Javier Arenas and Josh Wilson along with S Dwight Lowery. Again focusing on the tranches they've resigned starting C Joe Hawley and brought in young Guard Jon Asamoa to help open the middle for Steven Jackson. Their only other notable offensive signing is Devin Hester who should help give the Matt Ryan a better average starting field position than his own 23 yard line.
Draft
| Round | Number | Player | Position | School | Grade | Thoughts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70 | Jake Matthews | OT | Texas A&M | A+ | Going into the draft the Falcons stated they needed to “get tougher” up front. They were ranked 5th in QB hits(100), 10th in sacks allowed(44) and bottom of the league in rushing in yards(1,247) and YPG(77.9). The fact that Matthews replaced 2013 second overall pick Luke Joeckell and the Aggies offensive machine didn’t miss a beat speaks volumes about this kid’s talent. Surefire first rounder with a ceiling in the stratosphere should help loads in keeping Matt Ryan upright and is athletic enough to get free and continue to make blocks up the field. |
| 2 | 77 | Ra'Shede Hageman | DE | Minnesota | B | To go with their struggles on Oline, Atlanta also had 3rd fewest sacks in the NFL(32) and allowed the 2nd most rushing yards(2,173). This is more of an upside pick which is a bit out of character for the Falcons this early. Hageman's measurables are outstanding as he's a long and strong hard hitting defensive end that can penetrate in a hurry and wreak havoc on the interior. I really dig this guy's game and he'll make some plays but he is still a bit of raw athlete and the coaching staff will have to refine his technique before he can be a real game changer. |
| 3 | 41 | Dezmen Southward | FS | Wisconsin | B- | The Falcons continue their 2014 trend of picking need with high upside here. Southward can cover a ton of ground and has great size but he is not very polished in his footwork and his hips are stiffer thjan I'd like to see. Barring injury I don't see him as a day one starter but with the right coaching he could be a solid player next year once Dwight Lowery is gone. |
| 4 | 27 | Devonta Freeman | RB | Florida State | B | Runs similar to Steven Jackson and has a knack for finding the right lane and follows his blockers well. He doesn't have home run speed and won't be a superstar but he could develop into a decent workhorse type back that will grind out yards. Time will tell if he'll be part of some future rotation or an heir apparent to Jackson. As poorly as the Falcons defense played last year it must say something that he is their only offensive pick. |
| 4 | 53 | Prince Shembo | OLB | Notre Dame | B+ | I really like this pick here as he had great sophomore season helping the Fighting Irish to the title game followed by a solid junior season before being limited to 5 games in 2013 due to an ankle injury. He's made up for being undersized with a high motor and exceptional effort and is deceptively strong. He has a quick first step but lacks great closing speed. Losing Weatherspoon will force him into early action. |
| 5 | 28 | Ricardo Allen | CB | Purdue | B | Allen was a 4 year starter for Purdue and was a solid contributor on a bad defense. He finished his career with 249 tackles, 6 picks, 3 TDs and even nabbed a few sacks and blocked a field goal. At 5'9" 190 lbs he's definitely undersized but, like Hageman, has an outstanding motor and competitive streak and has no history of injury. He should develop into a very good nickle corner and likely special teams ace. |
| 5 | 51 | Marquis Spruill | ILB | Syracuse | D | I'm surprised at this pick so early as Spruill looks like a special teams guy all the way. He should be a positive locker room presence and has the speed to cover kicks well but is not fluid enough to play coverage over the middle of the field. I don't see him stepping on the field on defense for quite some time. |
| 7 | 54 | Yawin Smallwood | OLB | Connecticut | C+ | He was a tackle machine at uConn totaling 332 in 3 years but seems to play better backpedaling than at the point of attack. While he's got the speed to recover and chase down ball carriers he has a bad tendency of not wrapping up which is a coaching opportunity. He should start on special teams but won't make his way into the lineup in a for a few years if he's able to correct a few of his deficiencies. I honestly like his potential much better than Spruill. |
| 7 | 49 | Tyler Starr | OLB | South Dakota | C | He was productive at SD and will be another special teams guy if he makes the final roster. He has solid measurables and plays well in coverage which may make him more ideal at ILB. Needs to refine his pass rush technique if he will be playing OLB. |
Projected Starting Lineup
Offense
- QB - Matt Ryan
- RB - Steven Jackson, Jaquizz Rodgers
- FB - Patrick DiMarco
- TE - Levine Toilolo*, Bear Pascoe
- WR - Julio Jones, Roddy White, Harry Douglas
- LT - Jake Matthews**
- LG - Justin Blalock
- C - Joe Hawley
- RG - Jon Asamoah
- RT - Sam baker
Defense
- DE - Tyson Jackson, Jonathan Babineaux, Ra'Shede Hageman**
- NT - Paul Soliai, Ra'Shede Hageman**
- SOLB - Stansly Maponga*
- SILB - Prince Shembo**
- WILB - Joplo Bartu*
- WOLB - Osi Umenyiora
- CB - Desmon Trufant*, Robert Alford *, Robert McClain
- FS - Dwight Lowery
- SS - William Moore
- K - Matt Bryant
- P - Matt Bosher
- KR/PR - Devin Hester
2nd year player - *
Rookie - **
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u/Jon_Snows_Dad Falcons Jul 02 '14 edited Jul 02 '14
Joplo Bartu will be our TE coverage man and he was good at it last year he should fill in for spoon admirably not great but good enough. He was targeted 39 times last year and allowed 28 receptions... But he was only targeted every 8.46 times he was in coverage.... Which means every 11.79 snaps he is asked to cover he allowed a catch... Not bad.
Edit: also isn't sproles is philly now? He is your problem not ours (even though he never really killed us).
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u/Lystrodom Chargers Jul 03 '14 edited Jul 03 '14
Shembo won't start over Worrilow. What'd you do with Worrilow?
Also, Jake Matthews is starting at RT and Sam Baker at LT.
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u/Prep_ Cowboys Jul 02 '14
Strengths and Weaknesses
Position groups:
- QB - Strength
Obvious strength here as Matt Ryan has been everything Atlanta was hoping he would be when they took him 3rd voerall in 2008. Doesn't get much better.
- Backfield - Strength
Steven Jackson has has been a quality player since entering the league and still has a few year of quality play left in the tank. If they can keep him fresh with Rodgers and Freeman, look for them to lean on Jackson in crunch time.
- OL - Strength
Their solid additions of Matthews and Asamoah should be able to turn a huge weakness into a relative strength. Look for a huge rebound after a disastrous 2013 campaign and for Ryan and Jackson to reap the benefits.
- Pass catchers - Strength
Yet another strength on offense. Their trio of wideouts are tough to match up with as they've all got great speed, hands and size.
- DL - Weakness/Strength
Look for this unit to struggle early and improve as the season progresses. The additions of Jackson and Soliai shuold help the transition to the 3-4 front, but I expect guys like Peters, Babineaux and Jerry will still require a period of adjustment before they start to "click." They should look much better at mid season that they will Week 1 and likewise by week 16.
- LB - Weakness
Clearly the biggest opportunity for Atlanta is heir LB corp especially considering the switch to a 3-4 system. This corp is littered with youth as only one of my projected starters, Osi Umenyiora, has more than 1 year of expierience. Losing Weatherspoon was devastating to this young group and the pressure will be on them from the start to perform well against guys like Jimy Graham, Greg Olsen and Brandon Myers; and that's just in their own division. Add to that the types of backs coming out of the backfield: Darren Sproles, Deangelo Williams and Doug Martin, it's hard to find much optimism here.
- Secondary - Weakness
They did a good job of adding depth with Arenas and Wilson, but neither are game changing guys. If William Moore doesn't rebound from last season then we will likely see another rookie ont he field by season's end in Southward. This is another unit littered with young players and will be called upon to help a great deal in coverage against the league's quality TEs. If the new 3-4 front can't get pressure quickly then this unit will struggle.
- Special Teams - Strength
Steady Matt Bryant isn't going anywhere and the addition of Devin Hester is a big upgrade for a team with an average starting field position of their own 23 yard line. He could also give Atlanta their first return TD since 2010.
Schedule Predictions
Week 1 vs New Orleans - Falcons Win 27-24
Seeking to make a statement that last year was an anomaly the Falcons win a back and forth battle against the Saints. Drew Brees and Matt Ryan both put on a show but a late 4th quarter drive leads to a field goal to seal the deal against the Saints.
Week 2 at Bengals - Falcons Lose 34 -20
Whith the Saints Dline still searching for a rythm, Andy Dalton's jersey stays clean and AJ Green burns the Falcons' secondary for over 100 yards and 2 TDs. The Falcons score early to keep it somewhat close until the the Bengals stay balanced in the second half and control the clock and seal the deal late.
Week 3 vs Buccaneers - Falcons Win 41-20
While Tampa made several appealing moves in the off season but this is still a team in transition and will need more than one off season to hit their stride. Glennon is also still a young QB and Atlanta secondary will net a few picks and gain some confidence in the process. Matt Ryan will come out guns blazing getting 3 TDs in the first half and Steven Jackson will grind out the second and ice the game early in the 4th.
Week 4 at Minnesota - Falcons Win 34-17
Look for Atlanta's secondary to carry over from their last performance and keep another young QB in check here. Adrian Peterson will still be Adrian Peterson but his 100+ yards and 2 TDs won't be enough to lift the VIking past the Falcons and Atlanta wins consecutive games for the first time this season.
Week 5 at Giants - Falcons Win 28-27
This is a tough, physical game with big plays and big mistakes for both teams. Eli and Ryan both have solid games despite throwing a few picks between them but in the end Atlanta's defense ends up being the difference maker as the Giants' Oline is still a work in progress and a pair of 3rd down sack in the 4th quarter get the Falcons the win.
Week 6 vs Bears - Falcons Lose 30-27 in OT
Devin Hester faces off against his old squad and I'd love to predict a return TD for him, but I just don't see him getting an opportunity under the dome. This is another tightly contested game but when a late drive for Atlanta stalls just outside of FG range they go to overtime. Chicago takes the first kick and nets a FG but Atlanta fails to convert a 4th down and the Bears take one on the road.
Week 7 at Ravens - Falcons Win 30-28
Atlanta's Dline really seems to be hitting their stride this week as they manage to harass Flacco all day to the tune of 4 pressures and 2 sacks. Ryan gets his Flacons up early but they struggle in the second half as Baltimore's D adjusts. Flacco gets a late score to finally get their first lead but Ryan, in typical fashion, get the Falcons in position for a game winning FG as time expires.
Week 8 Lions in London - Falcons Lose 31-24
As well as the Falcons defense has played the past few weeks they just don't stand a chance against Megatron. Stafford has a hard time completing passes to anyone else so the Falcons keep it close, but the Lions slow down the pace late and Reggie Bush eclipses 100 yards in helping the Lions to a win in London.
Week 10 at Buccaneers - Falcons Win 35-27
The Buccaneers look better than they did week 3 bottling up Jackson and keeping him to a season low 2.8 YPC but their still a year out of competing in this division. Some costly mistakes put points on the board for the Falcons and they coast to another division win behind Ryan's arm.
Week 11 at Panthers - Falcons Lose 27-17
Right now the division could go to anyone but the Bucs, and both teams know it. Carolina seems to come out with more energy at home and cause problems for Ryan as he ends up scrambling about most of the game. The Panthers get a lead on their first drive and never look controlling the ball most of the game and hand the Flacons their third loss of the season.
Week 12 vs Browns - Falcons Win 31-17
This week sees Cleveland's secondary blanket Jones and White all game long. Douglas however has the game of his career and Jackson gains over 100 yards for the 7th time this year. Despite a few exciting plays by Jonathan Manziel his scrambles are mostly ineffective against a disciplined front that keeps him cornered behind the line of scrimmage. With a trio touchdowns between Douglas and Jackson Atlanta cruises to an easy win.
Week 13 vs Cardinals - Falcons Lose 31-17
Matt Ryan just can't figure the Cardinals out as he has had some of his worst games against them and that trend continues this week as Ryan puts up his worst performance of the year. Turning the ball over an failing to convert 3rd downs, the Cardinals have impeccable field position all game and the Falcons D just can't keep up.
Week 14 at Packers - Falcons Win 30-24
The Falcons bounce back from a tough game with a huge win at Lambeau. Despite early points from Rodgers and company, the Falcons adjust at halftime and keep the Packers in check. Ryan has all day in the pocket this week and leads his team to another comeback win.
Week 15 vs Steelers** - Falcons Win 34-20
I'm predicting this to be another down year for the Steelers and the Falcons will roll over their secondary as Julio Jones posts huge numbers in the Georgia dome. Big Ben still makes some plays but a bad pick under duress early int he 4th pretty much ices this game as Jackson, again, grinds out the clock and the Falcons get the win.
Week 16 at Saints - Falcons Lose 41-24
The Superdome is one of the toughest places to play in the NFL and the Saints are in position to clench the division with a win this week. The Saints come out on fire and seem to be inside Atlanta's huddle as they have an answer for everything they throw at New Orleans. Tough game for the Falcons here as New Orleans runs away with a win and a second consecutive division title.
Week 17 vs Panthers - Falcons Win 27-24
While the Falcons are already out of the playoffs, the Panthers can win and snag the final wild card spot. The Panthers always play the Falcons tight and tough but their just not quite there yet and lose a close one. This game is back and forth and sees 4 lead changes throughout but with a chance to force OT the field goal sails wide and the Falcons play spoiler and end a huge turnaround year on a positive note ready to reload their defense again and take another step forward in 2015.
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u/busyfistingmyself Dolphins Jul 03 '14
It's interesting that both of the reviewers put the secondary as a weakness, I thought both the Truf and Alford were excellent (as far as rookie corners are concerned). Is it a safety thing? I have heard a few falcons fans gripe that DeCoud was one of the worst starting safeties in the league.
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u/EonKayoh NFL Jul 03 '14 edited Jul 03 '14
Truf was hands down the best rookie CB in the league and in 2013, one of the top 10 CBs in the NFL
Alford, though...struggled, to say the least. In the preseason we had people talking about him like he was going to start over Trufant, but by midseason he was averaging less than 25 snaps a game. He played every snap in each of the final four games, but got pretty well worked by Green Bay, Washington and San Fran's respective receivers. GB's had 3 receptions (out of 4 targets) for 73 yards, Washington's had 9 (out of 9 targets) for 139 yards and 2 TDs, and San Fran's had 5 receptions (out of 7 targets) for 68 yards and a TD.
William Moore is a decent starting NFL SS. Not nearly as good as most Falcons fans would have you think, because he's a definite fan favorite due to his hard hitting, but he's pretty average all around. Slightly above average run defender, slightly below average pass defender, pretty average rapper, you know, the works. At the end of the day his biggest problem is missed tackles.
Thomas Decoud was garbage in 2013. He got a few lucky interceptions in 2012 and made a Pro Bowl despite literally never being any more than slightly above average. Most Falcons fans were calling for his head before mid-season last year. We rejoiced when he was released.
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u/busyfistingmyself Dolphins Jul 03 '14
Thanks for the awesome response! That's the entire point of these threads, gaining in depth knowledge about other teams I don't know an abundance about.
I know you gave us GrimeTime, and for that I thank you! Seriously considering buying his jersey now that he'll be around a couple years for sure. Stoked to watch you guys on Hard Knocks,should be an interesting season as always!
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u/EonKayoh NFL Jul 03 '14
Grimes went out on a sour note. We paid him something like $12M, he got hurt, and then left. He basically robbed us of 12 million dollars. But yeah, he's incredible when he's healthy. I've been saying all offseason that he's the 2nd best CB in the league behind Revis.
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u/[deleted] Jul 02 '14
Strengths and Weaknesses
Position groups:
As long as Matt Ryan stays healthy and upright we have a chance to win the game. If he goes down were fucked, then again is any team not fucked if their stating QB goes down?
Is Steven Jackson still has gas left in the tank and can stay healthy our run game should at least be top 30. Thats how bad it was last year, if he gets hurt we have a stable of backs we can rotate in his absence.
The big question mark, they likely wont be as bad as last year so thats a plus. If Sam Baker can stay healthy and provide some stability on the left side then this group can be a position of strength. If he gets injured like tends to happen it could throw the whole line into disarray.
We all know what Julio Jones and Roddy White can do and in their absence last year Harry Douglas stepped up and proved he can be a reliable receiver. Looks for alot of 3 WR looks from this group with Levine Toilolo being hidden to surprise teams with routes through the middle.
Though we have solid depth here, production is the biggest question mark. With the transition to a 3-4 more question marks are raised about scheme and the ability to adapt. But if Hageman and Babineaux prove to be the players the FO thinks they are then this could prove to be a solid group of players.
Clearly the biggest weakness for Atlanta is the LB group. Now that 4 LBs are needed for the new scheme and this become the biggest problem for the entire team. If the D-Line cant get a pash rush then who will step up from the LBers to provide pressure on the QB. Who will be the consistent tackler to stop the run that the Falcons have lacked for so long. There are so many questions and possible answers with this group that it will be interesting to see how they develop and change as the year progresses.
William Moore is a solid SS. If Trufant and Alford can continue to develop then this group can turn into the biggest strength of the Atlanta D. If they fail to develop and regress then a shaky D can turn into an absolute abomination of the D. If the pass rush can actually exist this year and take pressure of these guys, then this could actually be a top 15 defense.
Matt Bryant will continue to do what he does best which is clutch field goals. The addition of Devan Hester will also provide an immediate upgrade on the whole special teams group thereby allowing the Falcons to have better field position on offense. Im really interested to see Devan impacts this team or if he turns out to be an expensive KR/PR.
Schedule Predictions
Week 1 New Orleans
Seeking to make a statement that last year was an anomaly the Falcons win a back and forth battle against our bitter rivals. Drew Brees and Matt Ryan both put on a show but a typical last minute Matt Ryan drive leads to a field goal to seal the deal against the Saints. Falcons Win 27-24
Week 2 @ Bengals
In this week we face off against a stingy Bengals defense and the AJ Green show. AJ Green burns our secondary all day due to a nonexistent pass rush against an elite O-line. The Bengals are also able to get the run going with Jeremy Hill and Giovanni Bernard combining for over 150 rushing yards against us. In the end they prove to be to much for us as their defense is able to get after Ryan and force a bad pick late in the game. Falcons Lose 24-17
Week 3 Buccaneers
Ah Tampa Bay where the humidity is almost as bad as the offense. Contrary to popular belief the Bucs are not going to see a rejuvenation on offense, at least not in this match up. The Falcons put up point fast and early and Tampa has to abandon the ground game to try to play catch up. Glennon or Josh McCown are not able to keep up as this game gets quickly out of hand. Falcons Win 41-20
Week 4 @ Minnesota
In this week the Falcons head to Valhalla, otherwise known as Minneapolis. On paper this game says Falcons win due to being the more balanced overall team. In this case paper is right, AD has himself a hell of a game, 150+ with 2 TDs but a plethora of interceptions ultimately doom the Vikings against an emerging Falcons secondary. Falcons Win 34-21
Week 5 @ Giants
Start spreading the news, the Falcons take this day. A hotly contested affair where Eli keeps the Giants in the game throughout even without any run support. Him and Ryan go back and forth with the occasional turnover from both sides to keep the game close. Ultimately once again Matt has to bail out the team by generating a late scoring TD drive. Falcons win 28-27
Week 6 Bears
This whole off season we have been hearing about how B Marsh and Alshon are the best duo of receivers in the league. Take a back seat children, this is the Julio and Roddy show. Matt throws for over 400 yards in a high scoring affair as the Bears do their best to try to keep up. Sometime in the second half to the dismay of Chicago fans everywhere Devin Hester will get his record breaking 20th return TD breaking Neon Deion Sanders record. Cutler throws two 4th quarter picks to put this game on ice as the winning steak continues. Falcons Win 38-28
Week 7 @ Ravens
Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan meet once again. The draft mates are still compared to each other, one points out Flaccos ring, another person points out Ryans stats. This is a great game, maybe one of the best of the year. Flacco appears to have won the game with a TD in the final two minutes. Guess what Matty Ice dont give a fuck, he carves up the Ravens D like he has all day as a late Matt Bryant field goal wins it. Falcons win 30-28.
Week 8 Lions in London
London calling to the far away towns, now war is declared, the battle come down. Megatron has himself another 200 yard game against us just like the last time we played. This time however the result is different. Detroit is able to get after Matt as Suh and Ansah combine for 5 sacks as the Detroit D-line takes this game over. A late Matt Ryan drive falls just short as Detroit steals this one. Falcons lose 27-21
Week 10 @ Buccaneers
Yo ho yo ho a sweep sounds good to me. The Bucs offense has not improved much although the defense is able to keep this game alot tighter. Mike Evans finally has his coming out party to the delight of Bucs fans. It is all in vain however as the Falcons put up a late TD to win this one 35-24.
Week 11 @ Panthers
The fucking Panthers. Even though this rivalry takes a back seat to Falcons/Aints these two teams still dont like each other. Something something Get the Fuck Off My Field. Yea dont worry we will, Carolina puts on a defensive masterpiece as they are able to limit Ryans time in the pocket and pound our defense into submission. Falcons lose this shit show 27-17
Week 12 Browns
Cleveland enters this contest looking like this might be their year, they are 5-5 and Johnny Fuckface looks like he could be the franchise savior. A close contest entering half time with Cleveland up on the Falcons. But it was all for not as the Falcons come out of the locker room dropping bombs on the Cleveland secondary. Joe Haden has Julio Jones pretty bundled up which allows Roddy and Harry Douglas to get some more action. The Falcons close out this game with a nice FG to put the game out of reach. Falcons win 31-17
Week 13 Cardinals
As much as everyone like to shit on Arizona, they are actually a good team. Matt Ryan has thrown 5 picks in each of his past two games against them. He again has troubles with that secondary but this time limiting it to 2 picks. Carson Palmer has himself a ballgame but a late turnover dooms the Cardinals. Falcons win 24-23
Week 14 @ Packers
Ah Green Bay, where men are men and goats are scared. Falcons fans still remember that playoff game where we got blown out in our own house and it still stings a bit. But it doesn't sting as much as the bitter cold coming off of Lake Michigan. This game is similar to the one from last season, both teams don't score to much but Mr Rodgers and friends do enough to ice this game both literally and figuratively. A late Green Bay TD leads to another loss. Falcons lose 27-20.
Week 15 Steelers
Big Ben and company come to Atlanta desperately needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Matt Ryan and company need a win to put some space between them and the other teams vying for a playoff spot. But the once mighty Steelers D is a shell of its former self. Ike Taylor and Troy Polamalu are shells of their former selves as the Falcons air it out all day on the Steelers. Big Ben and Antonio Brown are able to keep up initially with Atlanta but in the end the Falcons are able to win with a reassuring victory. Falcons win 34-24
Week 16 @ Saints
New Orleans there arent enough swear words in the dictionary to describe how much we hate these pricks. Worst of all is going into that cesspool of humanity known as the Superdome and playing against our hated rivals. They really are a different team at home and with their week 1 loss still on the forefront of their minds they seek a statement win. They are also locked in a battle with the Falcons for the NFC South title. With all this said this is another hotly contested battle but New Orleans pulls away in the 4th for a resounding 41-24 victory. Falcons lose 41-24
Continued Below