For the Atlanta Falcons, the Present is Key to the Future

As the Falcons prepare for a playoff run, they can’t afford to look past these next few games

Yesterday, I wrote about who the Falcons could expect to meet in the playoffs, even extrapolating likely opponents should Atlanta reach Super Bowl LI. While I feel that this discussion is warranted given how well this season has gone for the team, the Falcons can’t afford to ignore or look past the final two games on their schedule.

Atlanta’s final two games are divisional contests against the Carolina Panthers (6–8) and the New Orleans Saints (also 6–8). These games are important for the Falcons’ seeding, but also because it is still technically possible for the team to miss the playoffs.

As this tweet shows, the Falcons could still make it to the postseason if they lose both games, but this scenario is essentially a coin flip. Perhaps more importantly, though, Atlanta probably needs to win out to guarantee the division. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are only a game behind them right now, and hold the tiebreaker for the NFC South.

This is an important point to make, since the playoff road for the Falcons gets significantly more difficult without a home opener. Atlanta’s path to playoff success lies through the potent offensive attack, and giving Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Devonta Freeman the best possible environment to work in (the Georgia Dome) is easily the best way to maximize the team’s potential.

Tampa Bay is only a game behind the Falcons right now, and plays the same teams to close out the year (obviously in a different order). The Falconss path to winning the division is simple, since they control their own destiny. However, it requires them to beat two teams that could be sleepily dangerous.

For all the Panthers’ mistakes this season, there’s still the shell of a good football team in Charlotte. This is also a rivalry game, playing off of a mutual dislike that these teams have been building for years. The two-game series between Carolina and Atlanta was particularly bitter last season — The Falcons got demolished in Charlotte, but rallied at home shortly after to give Cam Newton and the Panthers their only regular-season loss of the year. Players’ reactions after that game showed just how much it meant to a Falcons team that had suffered through a disappointing year.

Now, imagine how much the Panthers would love to throw a wrench in the Falcons’ division hopes and playoff seeding. The game is in Charlotte, and the Panthers just finished beating another playoff-hopeful team (Washington). Atlanta is clearly the better team, but this Christmas Eve matchup has all the signs of an extremely dangerous game.

The New Orleans game is less scary, but could still pose some problems. This is mostly built off of Drew Brees’ reputation, since the team around him is fairly mediocre. The contest is also in Atlanta, which reduces some of the risk. However, for the last game of the year, it’s easy to see the Saints being hungry to knock Atlanta off in any way possible as well.

Atlanta teams have the unfortunate (and partially undeserved) reputation of failing when it matters most. Whether that comes in the last week of any season, or the playoffs themselves, it’s often hardly a surprise when the Braves, Falcons, or Hawks appear to crack under pressure. The Falcons are two weeks away from a home playoff game, but they need to focus on these last two games first.