LET'S TALK FOOTBALL - Atlanta Falcons

I truly thought Kirk Cousins could turn things around for the Atlanta Falcons last year. Heck, they started off 6-3 and were on pace to win the NFC South for the first time since 2016. Then the entire team collapsed, Cousins got benched, and they were eliminated from playoff contention with an 8-9 record. Now even more pressure will be placed on head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot entering 2025. One needs to show that he is a leader among men that knows how to build a winning culture, while the other cannot have any more misses with his personnel decisions. Otherwise, both of them are going to be shown out the door within the next year or two.

Now that Michael Penix Jr. is going to be the starting quarterback, it will be interesting to see what he can do with a full season under his belt. He lost two of his first three starts, but you saw the potential he had and how beneficial he can be to the franchise moving forward. Penix has the pieces around him to make sure that he succeeds in year two. Bijan Robinson is one of the top ten running backs in football with an incredible amount of burst and quickness, with Tyler Allgeier as a reliable complement. Drake London broke out in his third year with over a thousand yards for the first time in his career and Darnell Mooney was eight yards short of that mark, which makes them an underrated receiving duo. However, for this offense to truly rise up the charts, they need Kyle Pitts to get back on the map. After a promising rookie season, the former fourth overall pick has not lived up to expectations and there are rumors that he could be traded as a result. At least Ray-Ray McCloud had a “career year” last season, but that would effectively mean that Pitts’ time in Atlanta will come to an end soon. Either way, I do not think that the offensive line is going to take a step back. They only allowed thirty-two sacks last year and were known as one of the best run blocking lines in the league, so you know that the front five will be up to the task, even with the loss of Chris Dalman in free agency. For this offense to grow, they need Penix to show that he was worth drafting in the first round and these receivers will have to step up in their own way by making sure they are open on almost every single play.

Kirk Cousins was not the only one that underachieved last year. Let’s talk about that defense. In the offseason last year, the Falcons signed veterans Justin Simmons and Matt Judon to minimum deals in order to provide both veteran leadership and hopefully better production. Instead, Atlanta finished with the second fewest sacks and turned into a below average unit. This year, the front office knew that they needed to fix that side of the ball pronto. Neither Simmons nor Judon were brought back and Grady Jarrett was cut, so those were the first three moves. The Falcons did not only draft one defensive player in the first round, but two! Their original pick was used to take Jalon Walker out of Georgia, but then traded up with the Ravens to select James Pearce Jr.! Both of them are edge rushers! Sure, it was a little bold to give up a future first to draft Pearce, but when you pair him and Walker with a rising Arnold Ebiketie, that trio could be dangerous if things head the right way this year. However, I do not trust the veteran presence on the defensive line. They brought in Leonard Floyd, who had eight and a half sacks the year before, but he is thirty-two years old and is at the risk of declining. Morgan Fox is thirty years old and had a career-low three and a half sacks. David Onyemata is two years older and is also coming off a three sack season. The only way I can see them take off is if their younger players explode onto the scene right away, which requires perfect development and structure, two things that the Falcons do not have at the moment. The one bright spot for the Falcons defense was their ability to slow down the run, but they were ranked fifteenth in that category. Despite having a standout middle linebacker in Kaden Elliss, it is guys like JD Bertrand and Divine Deablo that need to take their games to another level. I also want to see how Troy Andersen is going to look coming off a season-ending injury, because he was off to a promising start last year before hurting his knee. Now we get to the secondary, which is the biggest reason why I am not overly sold on this defense. Their pass rush was sketchy, but their pass coverage looked worse in my opinion. They allowed the second most touchdown passes at thirty-four, let up the fourth highest passer rating, and the highest completion percentage. Despite AJ Terrell and Jessie Bates being constant focal points, the rest of the secondary has little to no depth. I personally like Dee Alford, but last season was up-and-down for him. Jordan Fuller is a guy that I liked when he was in LA, but he tailed off in Carolina, so maybe a change of scenery with a familiar coach could be good for him. Maybe Mike Hughes can prove that last year was not just a blimp in the radar, but he is not known as a shutdown corner. It says something when the only young player I am excited about is safety Xavier Watts, the third round pick out of Notre Dame.

One of two things is going to happen. Either Michael Penix surges as the next Lamar Jackson and completely carries the Falcons to their best season in almost ten years, or the team’s flaws are too much to overcome as they stumble into another mediocre season. Atlanta is the type of team that will find ways to implode when you have hope that they can turn things around, so this has to be the year where they crush that narrative and prove that Kirk Cousins truly was the problem. Otherwise, jobs are going to be on the line once again and Arthur Blank is going to find himself at a crossroads with his football team, which is what we do not want to see happen again.

WEEK 1 vs. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Okay wow, so the Falcons already have a huge test ahead of them as they welcome the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on opening week. If Kirk Cousins beat this team twice last year, I do not know how Michael Penix cannot beat them once with essentially the same supporting cast. Atlanta knows that the Bucs are the team they have to beat to get to where they want to be this year. However, Tampa has been a formidable playoff team over the last five seasons. It began with Tom Brady and Baker Mayfield has done more than his job to make them a respected foe. He might have his third different offensive coordinator in his three years with the team, but I think that as long as the pieces are still there and the system does not change, then it should not be too big of an issue. Bucky Irving emerged as one of the more promising rookie running backs in the league, so any time the passing game does get held in check, then he and Rachaad White can pick up the slack. Say it is the other way around, then you have Mike Evans to worry about, somebody that is essentially guaranteed to total a thousand yards in a season. Chris Godwin is coming back, Jalen McMillan showed tremendous promise as a rookie, and Tampa drafted Emeka Egbuka to round out the receiving room. Their offensive line is also a well-rounded unit that showed improvement towards the second half of the season, but based on Mayfield’s style of play, it is a unit that might give up more sacks than you would like.

My only real concern with the Buccaneers is their defense, which should not be the case with Todd Bowles as the head coach. If you ask me, it is an average unit with a few key stars, but not much else. They have a beast in Vita Vea anchoring the pass rush, Lavonte David still playing at a high level at middle linebacker, and one of the best safeties in the league in Antoine Winfield Jr. However, they allowed the fourth most passing yards out of any other team and their secondary only totaled seven interceptions. I understand that Tampa drafted two corners with their mid-round picks and signed Haason Reddick in free agency, but I don’t believe that those additions moved the needle with this group. Although they have guys they can show up in spurts, Tampa does not have a lot of players that are difference makers, and that is critical if they want to make a deep playoff run.

It is week one, so anything can happen, but the Buccaneers have been known to start off the season strong for a few years and the Falcons have stumbled into preventable losses in six of their last seven opening day matchups. Fortunately, they play each other twice this year, so I do not see this series ending in a sweep.

WEEK 2 @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS

The first road game for Atlanta is not an easy one either as they take on a Vikings team that just won fourteen games last season with Sam Darnold as their quarterback. If they can have much success with him, then one can imagine how this team does with JJ McCarthy and essentially the same supporting cast around him. Let’s start with Justin Jefferson, who is still to this day the best receiver in football. If he gets doubled, then McCarthy will have Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor, along with a trusted security blanket in TJ Hockenson. In the backfield, Aaron Jones does not seem to have lost a step and is still one of the best flexible backs in the league. Their offensive line retooled in the offseason, letting go of their biggest liabilities and replacing them with potential gems. They signed Ryan Kelly and Will Fries in free agency and then drafted Donovan Jackson in the first round, pairing them with Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.

Their defense under Brian Flores was one of the more promising units to watch. They led the league in takeaways, allowed the fifth fewest points, tied for fourth in sacks, and gave up the second fewest rushing yards. The only category that this defense did not excel in was their pass defense, but those previous statistics I mentioned prove that this is a “bend but do not break” group. Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel thrived in their first seasons with the team by totaling double-digit sacks, and then they beefed up the trenches with the additions of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Just imagine what happens if Dallas Turner breaks out in his sophomore season. Patrick Jones II unfortunately departed in free agency, but their linebacker corps is still intact with Ivan Pace and Blake Cashman hoping to stabilize things with their run defense. The secondary is where it gets interesting because while they have a deep safety group and a number one corner in Byron Murphy, I do not like that their replacement for Stephon Gilmore was Isaiah Rodgers. Not to mention that their backups are Jeff Okudah and Ambry Thomas. I think that we are going to get more or less the same production from this defense as last year, but it is their quarterback that will be the ultimate X factor.

This matchup can go either way because we do not know what to expect from either quarterback. However, I think that the Vikings have a more complete team this season, and I believe that their advantage of being at home is just an extra factor that will allow them to hang on at home. This will not be a blowout but I expect Minnesota’s defense to come up with a few key stops and for the offense to pull away down the stretch.

WEEK 3 @ CAROLINA PANTHERS

If the Falcons truly get off to an 0-2 start, then I think that their season can get back on track with a road matchup against the Panthers. However, if both of them pick up where they left off last year, then Atlanta might experience another painful defeat. After seeing his career nearly get destroyed to begin the 2024 season, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completely rebounded down the stretch and is now a sign of optimism rather than the biggest liability. Head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan are hoping that he and the rest of this offense can pick up where they left off, because they showed more positive flashes than they did in the last five years. Chuba Hubbard emerged as one of the best running backs in the league and he will have a nice right hand man in Rico Dowdle to step in when needed. Adam Thielen is not getting any younger, but that is a reason why Carolina used their first round pick to draft Tet McMillian, who will join a receiving corps featuring Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. They also have a rising tight end in Ja’Tavion Sanders that will be seeking more opportunities, along with an offensive line that only let up thirty-six sacks. I do not think they will be a top ten unit right away, but if Carolina continues to head into the right direction, then they can absolutely be one of the more efficient offenses in the league.

However, I think the true X factor of this team is their defense, which was a disaster last year. It ranked dead last in total yards, passing, and points. They had the fourth fewest sacks and totaled nine interceptions, with a lot of it attributed to guys like Derrick Brown and Shaq Thompson missing the entire season. Brown will be returning, along with highly touted cornerback Jaycee Horn, but I do not think that this unit got drastically better. I like Tershawn Wharton, Christian Rozeboom, Tre’von Moehrig, and Pat Jones II. I think those are highly respected players that will be beneficial to this group. Yet, are those three really going to move the needle? Their leading tackle Xavier Woods is gone, Josey Jewell was okay, and neither Jadeveon Clowney nor DJ Wonnum made a difference on the defensive line. We knew that defensive coordinator Ejero Evero was going to have his hands full, but I seriously cannot tell if this group will overachieve or not. As much as I want them to, this team does not have the right personnel to do that at the moment, unless their offense turns back the clock a decade and starts ripping everyone’s hearts out.

As of right now, I say that the Falcons will throw the first punch because they did it last year with Kirk Cousins, so I think Michael Penix can show tremendous flashes against a Panthers defense that has a lot to prove this year. However, this is another head-to-head matchup that I do not see ending in a sweep.

WEEK 4 vs. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

This season is not going to get any easier for the Falcons because even though they are heading back home, they have to welcome the team that was just in the NFC Championship the year before. The guy in charge? Atlanta’s former head coach Dan Quinn. The biggest reason why Washington is getting all the hype is because their quarterback has emerged as a superstar that lifted them to the conference championship game, so he is hoping that they get further this time around and have a happier ending. The supporting cast around him did not change drastically from last year. Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler have been a solid running back tandem, Terry McLaurin is easily one of the more underappreciated receivers in football, they just acquired Deebo Samuel as an extra option, and Zach Ertz returned to being the reliable security blanket that everybody wants in their offense. Washington also made sure to address its offensive line by trading for Laremy Tunsil, so let’s hope that he is not one of the more penalized tackles in the league this time around. However, it is a group that allowed the seventh most sacks, so it is not like Washington is going to have an unbelievable offense that cannot be stopped. Fortunately, they drafted Josh Connerly Jr. as a future starter at right tackle, so the Commanders made sure to address the two most important positions on that front.

Their defense is a very unique one run by Dan Quinn. They do not have too many household names, but it is a group that is opportunistic and one you do not want to turn the ball over against. Jonathan Allen is gone, but they still have a franchise cornerstone in Da’Ron Payne along with a quality starter in Dorance Armstrong to lead the pass rush. The Commanders are also expecting Jer’Zhawn Newton to take the next step at defensive tackle and even signed Javon Kinlaw to give him a bigger role. Bobby Wagner is still playing at a high level and Frankie Luvu has been more than an exceptional complement to have in the linebacker room, but the secondary is one that I am hoping shows signs of improvement. Hopefully, Marshon Lattimore can have a full and healthy season to remind us why he is still one of the best corners in football. Mike Sainristil will be in the slot and Jonathan Jones is expected to be another outside defender, which is not the most ideal situation, but you at least have proven starters. However, one player that I have high hopes for is safety Quan Martin. He totaled eighty-seven tackles last year and showed up huge in the playoffs, the type of player that Dan Quinn loves to have on a daily basis.

Dan Quinn technically got his revenge last year, but this is the first time that he will be back in Atlanta on the other sideline. If anybody is going to be more motivated to win, it is going to be the Commanders. I do not believe this will be completely lopsided, but it is one where I expect Washington to find ways to win down the stretch. That is what they did against the Falcons last year in overtime, so I would not be shocked if we get the same script at Mercedes Benz Stadium.

WEEK 5: BYE WEEK

WEEK 6 vs. BUFFALO BILLS

The good news is that the Falcons will be back at home on Monday Night Football off the bye week, but the bad is that they have to play the Buffalo Bills, who have the reigning MVP Josh Allen as their quarterback. If it were not for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, Allen might actually have at least one Super Bowl ring to wear, but that has been the only knock on his tenure with the Bills. The supporting cast around him is pretty good, but it is the quarterback that has lifted them to a higher tier. The only true star that they have is running back James Cook, but he is currently unhappy with his current contract, and there is a strong chance that he could hold out for a new one. On the other hand, I have faith that Ray Davis could elevate his game and Ty Johnson has served as a quality third down back. Their receiving room is not as average as it was last year. Keon Coleman has the potential to be a promising number one receiver, but we need to see more from him to truly believe it will happen. I have always liked Khalil Shakir in the slot, and I think both Josh Palmer and Elijah Moore could put up decent numbers as depth pieces. On paper, the Bills have a formidable tight end duo of Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox, but their numbers from last year do not indicate that. What masks this flaw is their offensive line, which gave up the fewest sacks in the league. As long as they have Josh Allen fully healthy, then this team is going to be favored to win the division and be a perennial championship contender.

Unfortunately, Sean McDermott’s defenses have not held his end of the bargain of trying to deliver a championship to the city of Buffalo. Their defensive line has household names like Greg Rousseau and Ed Oliver, but they were just okay last season. I don’t really know if bringing in Michael Hoecht or Joey Bosa is going to make them a whole lot better, but my guess is that Buffalo is banking on AJ Epenesa and Javon Solomon to take big leaps. I think one of the biggest reasons why the Bills defense has not been as feared over the last couple of seasons is because both Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard had to deal with long-term injuries, thus affecting their run defense and the strength of the entire unit as a whole. It is no wonder why this secondary is on its heels every day, but even they have their limits. It looks like Christian Benford will be their number one corner after receiving a long-term extension, but I need to see more from him to truly believe he has what it takes. They brought back Tre’Davious White and Dane Jackson, yet they are not the same players that they were in 2021. If you had to ask me who would start alongside Benford, it would be Cam Lewis and Taron Johnson, with Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp manning the safety positions. That will allow rookie Maxwell Hairston to sit back and learn, rather than be thrusted into the fire and rush his developmental process.

I think that even if Atlanta makes tremendous strides this year, I do not see them beating the Bills. One team is expecting to be in the championship picture while the other is just hoping they can make the playoffs. Time will tell to see where the Falcons will truly be this season, but regardless of the final score, Buffalo should be the ones coming out on top.

WEEK 7 @ SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

My reasoning for picking the 49ers to win has nothing to do with the flaws of the Falcons themselves, but because San Francisco is trying to make sure that last year was just a disastrous fluke. There will be no more offseason drama now that Brock Purdy got his contract extension, so now that the offense is healthy, it is time to see what he can do. Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Trent Williams will be returning. Unfortunately, Deebo Samuel and Jaylon Moore will not. However, the 49ers still have an incredible amount of depth at wide receiver and the offensive line has been a stable unit for the most part. Deebo might be gone, but if Aiyuk cannot fully recover from the injury, then there is another trio that could pick up the slack: Jauan Jennings, Demarcus Robinson, and Ricky Pearsall. It might not sound totally inspiring, but with Shanahan as the play-caller, they will be effective and efficient.

At the start of the offseason, the 49ers saw many of their stars depart elsewhere. Javon Hargrave, Talanoa Hufanga, Dre Greenlaw, and Charvarius Ward were the most notable names to leave. The good news is that they still have two of their key cornerstones in Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. Not only that, but Robert Saleh is coming back as the defensive coordinator, so a familiar face will be more than welcomed back in the building. The 49ers made sure to give Bosa some extra help by drafting Mykel Williams in the first round, but I truly do not know if this team is going to be truly better than they were last year. With Greenlaw gone, you don’t know who is going to pair up with Warner on the second level. Deommodore Lenoir got himself a nice contract extension, but who is his right hand man? On the other hand, Hufanga’s void will be filled with the likes of Malik Mustapha and Ji’Ayir Brown, along with veterans Jason Pinnock and Richie Grant hoping to adapt to their new change of scenery.

I think that we are going to get a high scoring affair, but even though the 49ers have a better play-caller and quarterback, I believe that the Falcons have a more experienced and cohesive unit that they could use to their advantage in the final minutes. I do not feel completely confident, but if there is any chance for Atlanta to show that they are not a punching bag, it has to be in this particular game.

WEEK 8 vs. MIAMI DOLPHINS

I am looking forward to this matchup because how often do you get to see two left-handed quarterbacks going toe-to-toe with one another? This is also an intriguing game because both teams have not been able to meet the expectations placed on their shoulders over the past two years, especially Miami. The Dolphins should be a championship contender on paper, but their self-inflicted failures over the past few years make them look nothing more than a mediocre pretender. Tua Tagovailoa has proven to be a solid NFL quarterback, but his health has always been the biggest X factor for this football team, and the team plummets when he is not on the field. It should not be the case because this offense has a boatload of speed and talent. De’Von Achane has emerged as the starting running back and Jaylen Wright is hoping to break out in his sophomore season. The top two receiving options are Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, they just signed Nick Westbrook-Ikhine to give this offense more verticality, and Jonnu Smith surprised a lot of people with a productive 2024 season. The only real liability that this group has is their offensive line. Terron Armstead retired, the interior is a mess, and Austin Jackson is the only consistent veteran they have. Hopefully, their second round pick Jonah Savaiinaea turns into a solid player, but center Aaron Brewer and left tackle Larry Borom should not be full time starters at the most important positions on the front five.

The Dolphins better hope that they do not suffer any injuries with their offense, or else that defense is going to get eaten alive, especially since Jalen Ramsey might be traded before the season begins. It is a unit that has a likable coordinator in Anthony Weaver Jr. and promising young pieces like Chop Robinson, Tyrel Dodson, and rookie Kenneth Grant. Yet, I don’t see any depth whatsoever. Jevon Holland left in free agency, Kendall Fuller and Nik Needham were released, Jordan Poyer was not brought back, and Calais Campbell left to go back to Arizona for what might be his last season. Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips cannot stay healthy, Zach Sieler is nearing thirty years old at an extremely physical position, and Miami has nobody else in their secondary that has been a proven shutdown defender. Kader Kohou is probably the closest one, but he is mainly a nickel corner, so there is nobody on the outside I can think of that can step up in a big way.

Both offenses are going to have efficient performances, but if you ask me, this is going to come down to which defense can force more stops and that one turnover to swing the momentum around. If I had to make a pick now, I think the Falcons have a better chance of doing that than a Dolphins unit that suffered more turnover in the offseason.

WEEK 9 @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

If Matt Judon were still on this Falcons team, I would definitely give this game a little more hype, but I unfortunately do not think that the outcome would change. The biggest reason why is because of who the Patriots hired as their next head coach: Mike Vrabel. The Jerod Mayo experiment failed, so a more proven and successful man will do his best to develop Drake Maye into the stud that he is supposed to transform into, and the cast around him is ten times better than whatever the heck he had last year. Rhamondre Stevenson had a rough season with fumble issues, which is why New England drafted Trayveon Henderson in the second round, but he is still a flexible back that can fight for yards after contact and bruise defenders with his physicality. They signed Stefon Diggs to be their new number one option, but I have been skeptical about the wide receiver room for the last five years now. It’s not only about the supporting role players, but the fact that Diggs is coming off a torn ACL and is not getting any younger. Fortunately, Hunter Henry is still around and has always been a reliable security blanket, but my biggest area of focus is the offensive line. New England did everything they could to overhaul that unit and managed to do that within a few months. They drafted left Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick, replaced the recently retired David Andrews with Garrett Bradbury, and signed Morgan Moses in free agency to be their right tackle. The only returning starters will be Cole Strange and Michael Onwenu, so their biggest priority is making sure Drake Maye does not get crushed on a weekly basis, or else this season is going to be a disaster.

Just like Bill Belichick did in 2021, Mike Vrabel retooled this defense into a respected juggernaut. They gave Milton Williams a huge contract to be their spearhead on the defensive line, brought in Harold Landry to fly off the edge, added Robert Spillane to be the new starting middle linebacker, and even signed Carlton Davis to complement a rising superstar in Christian Gonzalez. New England had to let go of a few remaining veterans to make these signings possible, but there is no doubt they will have one of the best defenses in football at the end. These signings are going to take the pressure off of guys like Keion White, Christian Barmore, Anfernee Jennings, Jahlani Tavai, and Kyle Dugger to do their best to keep a faded empire alive the year before.

I feel like the Falcons have a strong chance of pulling off this upset if they were at home, but they have not won in Gillette Stadium since 1998, and that streak might continue if the Patriots emerge as a legitimate playoff contender. I am hoping for both teams to have well improved seasons, but I have more faith in New England because of the firepower they have on each side of the ball.

WEEK 10 @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

The Falcons will get to play in the third annual NFL game hosted in Germany and this is one that they should be easily favored to win for one reason only: the Colts do not have a legitimate starting quarterback. We thought it could be Anthony Richardson, but his inaccuracy issues completely plagued this team, and it did not help that he was in and out of the lineup throughout the season. I seriously doubt Daniel Jones is going to get this team over the hump, so what I see is an average offense led by two subpar quarterbacks. I feel bad for Jonathan Taylor because his prime is just being wasted. The same goes with Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce, because while Joe Flacco was not exactly the transcendent backup that he was in Cleveland, he at least proved that all those two needed was a better player throwing them the ball to help the two of them grow. However, one player that I think a lot of teams will have a hard time planning against will be rookie Tyler Warren. Regardless of who starts at quarterback for Indianapolis, he is going to be the ultimate security blanket because there are so many things he could do with the football. The offensive line was not so bad last season, but the departures of both Ryan Kelly and Will Fries are going to hurt them in 2025. Outside of Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith, I don’t really know which players on that front are going to excel at the highest level, meaning that Indianapolis is more than likely bound for another mediocre season.

Newly hired defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is hoping to get his career back on track in a new change of place and prove that Gus Bradley was truly not the right man for the job. When I look at the Colts defense, I see a lot of names, but I know that the production was not there the year before. Their front four was supposed to be led by DeForest Buckner, Kwity Paye, and Laitu Latu. Yet, they totaled the seventh fewest sacks with thirty-six. Zaire Franklin is one of the consistent leading tacklers in the NFL, but their run defense allowed close to 132 yards per game. However, I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that their secondary was still a travesty. This offseason, Chris Ballard did his job to make sure that it would not be an issue again. They brought in Charvarius Ward to be their new number one corner and signed safety Camryn Bynum to elevate it even higher. These were the two latest additions to a secondary that already had starpower in Nick Cross, Kenny Moore, and Jaylon Jones. Now it is up to Anarumo to see if he can finally turn this group around for the first time in close to five years.

I have seen the Falcons lose plenty of games in humiliating fashion in the past, so as much as I will not be surprised to see this be another addition to the list, this better be one that Atlanta wins in a heartbeat. Otherwise, they do not deserve to make the playoffs whatsoever.

WEEK 11 vs. CAROLINA PANTHERS

I feel like the NFL was a little cruel by having the Falcons play what feels like a trap game at home after going overseas the week before. I did say that this series was going to end in a split, just like it did last year, but now I am more confident that Carolina will win. The only way Atlanta can avoid such a fate is if they get rid of that jet lag quickly, or else they are going to come out sloppy and lethargic.

WEEK 12 @ NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Remember what I said earlier about the Falcons finding ways to implode in humiliating fashion? How about last year when their collapse started with a road defeat against a vastly inferior Saints team 20-17? Well, it would not be too shocking to see the same thing happen again. However, New Orleans is not a team I am fond of this year. That is putting it nicely. I feel bad that this is the first head coaching job for Kellen Moore because on a team with no cap flexibility, an aging roster, and no plan at quarterback, this is the worst situation he could have asked for. Everything was put on halt when Derek Carr retired, so now there are three guys competing for the starting job: Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and rookie Tyler Shough. I wish I could say that at least there are the Pelicans, but that team is on the verge of blowing it up. The only silver lining I have is that at least the Saints offense will be healthy. Alvin Kamara had a bounce back season with close to 1500 total yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns. Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed will more than likely be the two biggest targets for whichever quarterback throws them the ball, along with tight ends Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill. Brandin Cooks is even coming back, so there is some nostalgia there. The offensive line is not completely horrible either and it got better with Kelvin Banks Jr. replacing Ryan Ramczyck at right tackle. The only issue is that once everybody got hurt, the entire offense plummeted, and it is one of the biggest reasons why the Saints had a dismal five win season.

As for the defense, how do I put this? They have zero depth and they are incredibly old. When you do look at the younger guys in this group, they are either inconsistent or inexperienced. They already lost their top two corners in Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo, their only two good pass rushers are Bryan Bresee and Carl Granderson, we don’t know what to expect from Chase Young, and Demario Davis can only do so much at thirty-six years old. At least they signed Justin Reid to reunite with his former Texans teammate Tyrann Mathieu, but with Brandon Staley as the defensive coordinator, my hopes are not that high for this group.

Having said all of this, this is a trap game for the Falcons and they might not realize it until it is too late. I am curious to see who will be starting for New Orleans, but I feel like that their defense is going to take over and make this a tough clinic, which will ultimately wear Atlanta down in the waning minutes.

WEEK 13 @ NEW YORK JETS

Hopefully, if the Falcons fall into that deep of a hole, then they can bounce back against a Jets team that is once again hoping to turn things around with a new regime. With Aaron Glenn at head coach and Darren Mougey as the new general manager, New York is hoping that this tandem will finally be the one that will get this franchise back on the map. It might not be immediate, but if things continue to improve, then there is no doubt that the future is bright for this football team. The biggest X factor is their quarterback Justin Fields. It is nice to see the Jets not reach for a veteran or desperately draft somebody in the first round because a minimum deal for a fringe starter is not a bad option. We know what we are getting from Fields week to week: he will not completely embarrass himself, he will show you tremendous flashes with his legs and his arm, but he will not be a guy that will take you to a Super Bowl. Maybe new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand will unlock something that Fields’ previous coaches could not, but the biggest knock on the quarterback’s career is that he has never been able to maximize his potential. Fortunately, there are more than a few promising pieces around him that could scratch the surface. Breece Hall and Braelon Allen are a legitimate running back tandem that bring acceleration and power, Garrett Wilson is poised for a breakout year with a former Buckeye throwing him the ball, but the big question is figuring out who will step next in line. It could be Allen Lazard, it might be Malachi Corley. Heck, maybe rookies Arian Smith and Mason Taylor could leapfrog their way onto the depth chart. Their offensive line had an okay season last year, but maybe with Fields under center, they can improve their production. The Jets used their first round pick in the draft to select the best right tackle prospect Armond Membou to complement Olu Fashanu. They are banking on Joe Tippmann to solidify himself as the starting center, with John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker to his left and right.

With Glenn taking over as the head coach, the hope is that the defense can have a better season than the up-and-down roller coaster they were on last season. That is what happens when Robert Saleh gets scapegoated in the middle of the season. Fortunately for Glenn, he has a hell of a group to work with. On the defensive line, Quinnen Williams has still proven to be one of the best defensive tackles in the league and they have an absolute stud in edge rusher Will McDonald that is coming off of a breakout season. With Jermaine Johnson coming back from a season ending injury, the hope is that this defensive line can regain the grit and tenacity that they lacked in the second half of the season. Their run defense was the team’s biggest weakness over the last few seasons, but Glenn is hoping to fix that with Jamien Sherwood and Quincy Williams. However, the group that was really disappointing last season was their secondary. Sauce Gardner is coming off an up-and-down year, Michael Carter II had injuries hold him back, and the team just lost DJ Reed and Ashtyn Davis in free agency. I do not like the signing of Brandon Stephens since he was considered the weak link in Baltimore, so it looks like some of their younger prospects will have to step up quickly. At least their safety group looks solidified with rookie Malachi Moore and rising stud Tony Adams. If Andre Cisco can bounce back from last year, it will be even better.

Like I said before, the real competition for Atlanta in the NFC South is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Knowing this division, it is not going to be clinched until the last minute, so something tells me that the Falcons are going to get a needed win at MetLife. The biggest game of the season for this team will arrive soon, however.

WEEK 14 vs. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

In the last three matchups between these teams at Mercedes Benz Stadium, the Seahawks have not only come up with the win, but practically shut down the Falcons on both sides of the ball. Geno Smith is gone, but Seattle is banking on Sam Darnold to continue showing the promise that he had last year with the Vikings. The last thing they want is for him to be a one year wonder and revert to what he was with the Jets. Myself included. When I look at the supporting cast around him, it is not as great as it was when he was with the Vikings, but it is still manageable. The Seahawks have an underrated running back tandem of Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet, two guys that can punish defenders with physicality and acceleration on yards after contact. No more Tyler Lockett or DK Metcalf, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba has emerged as a number one option and he will have a promising right-hand man in Cooper Kupp. Hopefully, the former Super Bowl MVP can stay healthy because he has proven he can still play. You just need him on the field. Seattle also has an emerging tight end in AJ Barner, and there are a couple of depth guys in Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Jake Bobo that are hoping to have some role in this offense. However, the state of the offensive line always worries me, from the days of Russell Wilson. One red flag about Darnold’s play is that he tends to hold onto the ball too long, and you cannot have that in Seattle, because he is not going to have a clean pocket most days. They might have drafted Grey Zabel in the first round, but if Charles Cross is the only good lineman they have again, then this team is going to be extremely disappointing to watch.

The main strength of the Seattle Seahawks last year was their defense, despite the fact they missed the playoffs with a ten-win season. They have an incredible amount of playmakers on all three levels and Mike MacDonald did a great job of making sure that this unit cleaned up any issues that they might have had in the past. Leonard Williams is still an absolute beast of a pass rusher and there were plenty more guys that stepped up as well. Boye Mafe and Derick Hall had breakout seasons last year, and now that Demarcus Lawrence is coming on board, this is a defensive line that will have depth. In the linebacking corps, Ernest Jones will hopefully have a full season under his belt with the team, because he is an incredibly versatile player that any team would love to have. The secondary has a plethora of name talent like Riq Woolen, Julian Love, Devon Witherspoon, and Coby Bryant. The hope is that if the offense finds some consistency, the defense will not suffer any setbacks. MacDonald is a hell of a coach, so I am truly hoping for the best.

This is going to be another agonizing defeat, in my opinion, because the Seahawks have a vastly better defense and I think that they still have a competent offense with a different quarterback. However, I feel like Atlanta is setting us up for something bigger in their following game.

WEEK 15 @ TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

In normal circumstances, whenever a road team has to come off a bad loss and play on Thursday Night Football, they get even more humiliated. However, if the Bucs are winning the first game at Raymond James, then I think the Falcons are not the type of team that is going to lose twice. The same can be said vice versa. Say that Atlanta wins in week one, the Bucs are winning handedly in week fifteen. Either way, this series is splitting. That’s just me, though.

WEEK 16 @ ARIZONA CARDINALS

This is the part of the season that I call the “month of the Falcon”. This is the part of the season where they have enough false hope, only for it to be crushed due to a variety of reasons. This year, it is likely to start in a road matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, one that Atlanta has not been able to win since 2001. Kyler Murray did not have a hard time bouncing back from his torn ACL and showed that this is still his team for the foreseeable future, James Conner is still a workhorse at running back, and Marvin Harrison Jr. established himself as the focal point of the passing game. Trey McBride rightfully earned a contract extension to make him the highest paid tight end in the NFL, but I am curious to see how Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch are going to perform in what should be make-or-break seasons for both receivers in the league. The fact that Arizona has one of the best offensive lines in football after being such a garbage heap a few seasons ago should indicate that this unit will be very efficient. The question is can they be consistent, because that has been the biggest con of Kyler Murray’s tenure in the NFL.

What I was really more impressed with was their defense with Jonathan Gannon leading the charge. I still feel their pass rush can get a lot better, but totaling forty-one sacks last year showed promising signs of improvement. It is why they drafted Walter Nolen with their first round pick and signed Josh Sweat to a long-term deal, giving players like Darius Robinson and Baron Browning chances to have improved in the 2025 campaigns. I am also expecting the run defense to get better because even though they have Zaven Collins, there is a reason why Arizona signed a proven veteran in Dalvin Tomlinson. The secondary is also an above average unit that at least made the effort of adding a potential number one corner by drafting Will Johnson in the second round, so that should take a lot of pressure off of Budda Baker’s shoulders. It is still a very young group, so I am anxious to see which guys are going to step up, especially as we approach the second half of the season.

Both teams are going to do everything they can to make sure that they do not get eliminated from playoff contention. For this week, I think that the Cardinals are going to get their moment of saving grace just because they are home.

WEEK 17 vs. LOS ANGELES RAMS

At least Raheem Morris will have a chance to get revenge against his former team on Monday Night Football. Unfortunately, Atlanta is not expected to be favored to win this matchup at this moment in time. The Rams have always been a consistent playoff contender under Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford. Their offense has always been their bread and butter, regardless of the different pieces they had over the years. Kyren Williams is a touchdown machine just like a certain man named Todd Gurley. The Rams have one of the best young receivers in the league in Puka Nacua, and while the Cooper Kupp era unfortunately had to come to an end, it is not terrible getting Davante Adams as a consolation prize. I personally thought it was a bummer that Demarcus Robinson departed in free agency, but knowing Sean McVay, there are going to be at least a couple guys that will carve out bigger roles. My guesses are Jordan Whittington and Tutu Atwell. Unfortunately, Tyler Higbee is not the same tight end that he once was, but I think both Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen have a strong chance of stealing the starting spot at some point in the season. Their offensive line gave up the sixth fewest sacks in the league, so if you are a team that does not have a scary pass rush, then it might take a while before you actually get to the quarterback.

Their defense has a boatload of playmakers, but I still feel like there is a lot of room for improvement. Braden Fiske and Jared Verse made instant impacts in their rookie seasons, while Kobie Turner and Byron Young showed the young guys how it was done. Their biggest loss was letting Christian Rozeboom walk away in free agency because they do not really have anybody else that could replace him. Hopefully, the secondary could ease things for the time being. Derion Kendrick is coming back from injury and Darious Williams is back, but this group proved that there were plenty of guys that successfully adopted the “next man up” mentality. Kamren Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough thrived in the safety positions, while Ahkello Witherspoon and Cobie Durant might have found a new home. It is not the most explosive defense, but they are hungry for blood, a group that is not afraid to get nasty when things get difficult.

I hate to say this but I can see this game turning into an ugly blowout. The Rams might not have the greatest defense, but they have moments where they can put up dominating performances, and I can see this game being one of those examples. LA is trying to defend their division title, so there is no way that they are just going to let this game slip out of their hands.

WEEK 18 vs. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

If the Saints pull off the upset in the Superdome, then there is no way that the Falcons are going to let their season end with a sweep at home. Actually, this is probably what New Orleans would want if they are hoping for a higher draft pick. Whatever the scenario may be for this particular matchup, I am expecting it to be a split, but a very meaningless one since both teams do not have high expectations for this upcoming year.

FINAL RECORD PREDICTION: 6-11