Could the Atlanta Falcons Actually Make the Super Bowl?
An explosive offense combined with an underrated (and healthy) defense could mean a not-so-crazy return to the Super Bowl for the Dirty Birds.
Blasphemy! Right? The 7–9 Atlanta Falcons are going to make the Super Bowl in 2020? Well, that just can’t be right. Rub your eyes once and take it all in. This Falcons squad just could end up being the biggest surprise of the year. With Matt Ryan, a fully loaded offense, and a defense that’s sure to bounce back, this team has some serious appeal.
An Explosive Offense
Matt Ryan remains one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the NFL. Just last season Ryan threw for 4,924 yards and 35 touchdowns with only 7 picks. And yet, nobody talks about the former league MVP and the wonderful year he had.
Ryan has thrown for 4,000+ yards in 8 straight seasons, which signals the mark of a consistently great and productive quarterback.
Whether you believe Ryan is “elite” or not, you can’t argue with the production. He carried this Falcons offense to a Top 10 finish despite having starting running back Devonta Freeman for only two games while his offensive line struggled… badly. And while that line battled injuries and ineffectiveness all year, Ryan kept this team afloat with another spectacular season.
2019 will be different, however. The Falcons have already invested their first two picks on offensive linemen, showing a true commitment to a major hole. Freeman is returning, which should spark up their dormant run game. And let’s not forget, Atlanta still has one of the best wide receiver trios in the NFL.
Behind superstar Julio Jones, former 1st round pick Calvin Ridley should take a huge leap season, and the always-reliable Mohammed Sanu is still in the fold. With old offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter returning, Atlanta has all kinds of talent to make a big splash this season. This team could have the type of offense that brought them to the Super Bowl just three years ago.
An Underrated Defense
One of the biggest storylines of 2018 was how badly this defense struggled. Head coach Dan Quinn’s squad was bleeding out points just about every time they stepped on the field. It was a putrid effort that was one of the biggest reasons for the nine losses. But it’s hard to place blame, as the injury bug hit them hard.
After a Top 8 finish the year before, the 2018 Falcons were among the most “broken.” Crucial defenders like Deion Jones, Keanu Neal, Ricardo Allen, and others missed the majority of the season, dooming this unit from the very beginning. The team was also involved in far too many shootouts last season, and with this sort of “defense,” it’s tough to win them all.
If health cooperates, this defense could get back to being the scary unit they were just two seasons ago. With the return of Jones and Neal, this adds to a very well rounded defense that has studs like Desmond Trufant and Grady Jarrett. Expect this defense to rebound hard and have a huge impact.
So What Now?
In terms of buzz, the NFC South seems to be at an all-time high right now. The Saints are the Saints of course, but the Panthers could be another tough team with Cam Newton returning and with Bruce Arians’ arrival in Tampa, that’s another team that could be on the rise. The Falcons don’t have an easy trip through their division, let alone to the Super Bowl.
But you aren’t a great team because your schedule is easy, the best teams are capable of taking down anyone. The Falcons proved that during their Super Bowl bid three years ago. Matt Ryan and this Atlanta team will be looking to recapture some of that magic from years ago.
It’s easy to go with the favorites. I mean, would you have believed me if I told you the 5–11 Bears would turn in a 12–4 record in 2018? Every year, there’s a group of teams that come out of nowhere and surprise us. The Atlanta Falcons could be that team in 2019. All the pieces are set up for another wild campaign from this team. Just hold on, they’re going home.
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference.
