There was a lot of disappointment coming from the NFC South, and the Atlanta Falcons certainly had their hand in all the mediocrity. Failing to win the division in the final game of the season against Carolina – and ultimately failing to secure a playoff at the same time – just proves that there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done in Atlanta.
Have the Falcons done enough this offseason to put them back into prime shape like their 2013 campaign? Read on as we take a closer look at the team’s prospects this upcoming season. And while you’re at it, check out our other previews for the top dogs in the AFC in the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots.
[sc:Football ]
2015-2016 Atlanta Falcons Preview
Overview
After reaching their first NFC Conference Championship in eight years back in 2013, the Atlanta Falcons have done very little the two years after to support their bid in the middling NFC South. A dismal 4-12 2013 season followed by last year’s 6-10 record shows that the Falcons are not playing up to their supposed playoff potential.
[sc:NFL240banner ]The worst defense in the league would be the main culprit of Atlanta’s shortcomings. The team surrendered an average of 398 yards per game, with a whopping 280 passing yards (also worst in the NFL last season) accounting for most of the damage. Giving up 26.1 points per game is downright unforgivable just the same.
This 2015 season may see a significant change in the Falcons’ in-game attitude, beginning with the hiring of former Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as the team’s new head coach. Quinn will certainly have his hands full in remodeling the leaky Atlanta defense, but it seems as if he’s in the right path.
Offseason Review
The biggest move that Atlanta made in the offseason was wisely drafting Clemson’s standout linebacker Vic Beasley with their first round pick of the draft. Beasley, who broke his school’s all-time sack record in his senior year, will provide the much-needed fuel to Atlanta’s pass rushing. His 33 sacks during his four-year stay in Clemson broke the previous mark of 28.
Atlanta’s other rookies also need to make a splash right away. Second round pick Jalen Collins, a cornerback out of LSU, will have to patch up the holes in the Falcons secondary. Meanwhile, running back and third round pick Tevin Coleman will have to battle for his position as a starter, but his presence nonetheless adds depth to the team’s ground attack.
And of course, phenomenal wideout Julio Jones is still around to scorch opposing defenses in the open field. Jones is in the final year of his contract, so he’ll definitely want to outdo his 2014 amazing output of 104 receptions and 1,593 yards. The Falcons better double-down on his services soon if they want to remain competitive with the rest of the pass-happy league.
Key Player – Matt Ryan
Even with all of the Falcons’ inadequacies, the one constant beacon of hope has been their outstanding quarterback in Matt Ryan.
Ryan posted a 4,000-yard passing season for the fourth-straight season, going for 4,694 yards, 28 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions. Furthermore, he only has one season in his eight-year career with the Falcons where he failed to hit the 3,000-yard barrier. It was during his sophomore season, which happens to be the only season that he missed games (two of them to be exact) in his entire professional career.
Atlanta’s offense is in good hands as long as Ryan is healthy and has a capable receiving corps to throw to. If only the offensive line and the running game see strides of improvement, Ryan could very well be in the MVP hunt throughout this upcoming season.
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Key Game – at Carolina (December 13)
Atlanta’s rematch with division rival Carolina from last year’s winner-take-all Week 17 game won’t happen until Week 14 this season. The Falcons have the slight edge of winning four of their past six meetings against the Panthers, but it has been Carolina who has had the most recent success in general by making the playoffs the past two years.
A victory on Carolina’s home turf late into the season could have a large bearing on the division standings, so Atlanta must be amped up to pull off a convincing win over the team that ousted them from postseason contention last year. The Falcons can then even rub even more salt on Carolina’s wounds by winning at the Georgia Dome yet again for their Week 16 encounter to seal the NFC South crown.
Best/Worst Case Scenario for the Season
Best Case Scenario
The Falcons’ passing game soars, and Dan Quinn does indeed turn around the once porous defense into a stingy one. Ryan also ends up as league MVP (or at least as a top candidate) as Atlanta, a +200 favorite to win the division, does indeed take the NFC South by storm and makes it as far as another trip to the NFC Conference Championship Game.
Worst Case Scenario
Atlanta’s offensive line caves in, leading to Ryan’s worst season with the club. The defense shows very little improvement against both the pass and the rush. They hit rock-bottom by finishing last in the division.
Complete Schedule
WEEK
DATE
OPPONENT
TIME (ET)
1
Mon, Sep 14
Philadelphia
7:10 PM
2
Sun, Sep 20
@ N. Y. Giants
1:00 PM
3
Sun, Sep 27
@ Dallas
1:00 PM
4
Sun, Oct 4
Houston
1:00 PM
5
Sun, Oct 11
Washington
1:00 PM
6
Thu, Oct 15
@ New Orleans
8:25 PM
7
Sun, Oct 25
@ Tennessee
1:00 PM
8
Sun, Nov 1
Tampa Bay
2:00 PM
9
Sun, Nov 8
@ San Francisco
5:05 PM
10
Bye Week
11
Sun, Nov 22
Indianapolis
2:00 PM
12
Sun, Nov 29
Minnesota
2:00 PM
13
Sun, Dec 6
@ Tampa Bay
2:00 PM
14
Sun, Dec 13
@ Carolina
2:00 PM
15
Sun, Dec 20
@ Jacksonville
2:00 PM
16
Sun, Dec 27
Carolina
2:00 PM
17
Sun, Jan 3
New Orleans
2:00 PM
Writer’s Prediction
Atlanta has a huge 2015 comeback campaign with an 11-5 record and wins the division. No first round bye in the playoffs, though, as The Falcons bow out of contention in the wild card round.
