Is it time to take the Falcons seriously?

[ForJimmy]

I think their HC is pretty underrated.  He had them competing in some games last year where they were clearly outmatched.  

[backINblack28]

3 minutes ago, Ball4life said:

Their OL was top 5 last year (they just made Lindstrom the highest paid G in the NFL) and they have Pitts, London and Allgeier plus the draft this year. They had the 15th best scoring offense last year with bad qb play from Mariota. 

top 5 OL paired with 30th defensive DVOA.  Bad QB play is a toss up to continue as Mariota was apparently doing something to keep his job most of the season over Ridder. Those 3 skill players have to achieve something more impressive than they have both individually and together for me to care about their last names.  London fumbled several games in crunch time and has way below average depth behind him.  Pitts has been fine but he's not going to give our DC nightmares.  Idc what a RB did when no one on that offensive threatened anything / now people will actively try to stop him. In my mind I'm giving them a L 2022 CAR @ ATL and if you flip their 3 point win with us beating the browns and them if not for the refs, then they have 6 wins and we have 9 and I think it's a more accurate indicator of where those respective rosters stand.  The defensive upgrades could pull them closer to top 20 in defensive DVOA which scares me zero in the face of their offense best case threatening league average.

 

The stretch below is outright objectively gross. They basically lost to us and then scraped to <=3 point wins against garbage and beat mostly Gabbert/Kyle Trask in the finale.

 

Sunday Oct. 23		at Cincinnati BengalsPaycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH	1:00pm ETFOX	L 35-17
Sunday Oct. 30		Carolina PanthersMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA	1:00pm ETFOX	W 37-34(OT)
Sunday Nov. 6		Los Angeles ChargersMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA	1:00pm ETFOX	L 20-17
Thursday Nov. 10		at Carolina PanthersBank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC	8:15pm ETPrime Video	L 25-15
Sunday Nov. 20		Chicago BearsMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA	1:00pm ETFOX	W 27-24
Sunday Nov. 27		at Washington CommandersFedExField, Landover, MD	1:00pm ETFOX	L 19-13
Sunday Dec. 4		Pittsburgh SteelersMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA	1:00pm ETCBS	L 19-16
Sunday Dec. 11		BYE
Sunday Dec. 18		at New Orleans SaintsCaesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA	1:00pm ETFOX	L 21-18
Saturday Dec. 24		at Baltimore RavensM&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD	1:00pm ETFOX	L 17-9
Sunday Jan. 1		Arizona CardinalsMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA	1:00pm ETFOX	W 20-19
Sunday Jan. 8		Tampa Bay BuccaneersMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA	1:00pm ETFOX	W 30-17

[Ball4life]

17 minutes ago, backINblack28 said:

top 5 OL paired with 30th defensive DVOA.  Bad QB play is a toss up to continue as Mariota was apparently doing something to keep his job most of the season over Ridder. Those 3 skill players have to achieve something more impressive than they have both individually and together for me to care about their last names.  London fumbled several games in crunch time and has way below average depth behind him.  Pitts has been fine but he's not going to give our DC nightmares.  Idc what a RB did when no one on that offensive threatened anything / now people will actively try to stop him. In my mind I'm giving them a L 2022 CAR @ ATL and if you flip their 3 point win with us beating the browns and them if not for the refs, then they have 6 wins and we have 9 and I think it's a more accurate indicator of where those respective rosters stand.  The defensive upgrades could pull them closer to top 20 in defensive DVOA which scares me zero in the face of their offense best case threatening league average.

 

The stretch below is outright objectively gross. They basically lost to us and then scraped to <=3 point wins against garbage and beat mostly Gabbert/Kyle Trask in the finale.

 

Sunday Oct. 23		at Cincinnati BengalsPaycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH	1:00pm ETFOX	L 35-17
Sunday Oct. 30		Carolina PanthersMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA	1:00pm ETFOX	W 37-34(OT)
Sunday Nov. 6		Los Angeles ChargersMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA	1:00pm ETFOX	L 20-17
Thursday Nov. 10		at Carolina PanthersBank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC	8:15pm ETPrime Video	L 25-15
Sunday Nov. 20		Chicago BearsMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA	1:00pm ETFOX	W 27-24
Sunday Nov. 27		at Washington CommandersFedExField, Landover, MD	1:00pm ETFOX	L 19-13
Sunday Dec. 4		Pittsburgh SteelersMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA	1:00pm ETCBS	L 19-16
Sunday Dec. 11		BYE
Sunday Dec. 18		at New Orleans SaintsCaesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA	1:00pm ETFOX	L 21-18
Saturday Dec. 24		at Baltimore RavensM&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD	1:00pm ETFOX	L 17-9
Sunday Jan. 1		Arizona CardinalsMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA	1:00pm ETFOX	W 20-19
Sunday Jan. 8		Tampa Bay BuccaneersMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA	1:00pm ETFOX	W 30-17

I know the Falcons defense was awful which is why they went big in free agency on defense. Ridder was a rookie who they didn’t want to throw in the fire right away while Mariota already knew their offense. London looked much better with Ridder than Mariota. He had 1400+ yard pace with Ridder but small sample. Pitts was top 5 pick and had an historical rookie year that was clearly head back by Mariota this year plus he was injured. No way do DC’s not worry about him. 

Falcons and Panthers both had 7 wins with similar point differential so you can do that with multiple games for both teams. Falcons blew many close games they could of won with the 2nd youngest roster in the league. They literally had rookie QB, RB, WR starting at the end of the year (and Pitts injured) with a poor defense and we’re still competitive in most games. 

Edited April 14, 2023 by Ball4life

[backINblack28]

2 minutes ago, Ball4life said:

I know the Falcons defense was awful which is why they went big in free agency on defense. Ridder was a rookie who they didn’t want to throw in the fire right away while Mariota already knew their offense. London looked much better with Ridder than Mariota. He had 1400+ yard pace with Ridder but small sample. Pitts was top 5 pick and had an historical rookie year that was clearly head back by Mariota this year plus he was injured. No way do DC’s not worry about him. 

Falcons and Panthers both had 7 wins with similar point differential so you can do that  with multiple games for both teams. Falcons blew many close games they could of won.

went big on D in free agency is more like went from 30th to 24th IMO which again just doesn't help a league average best case offense much at all. they're not going to be playing trace mcsorley, kyle trask, or PJ walker twice this time either

[Ricky Spanish]

Objectively speaking they had one of the worst rosters in the league entering last season and they still ended up 7-10. It was a hell of a job coaching done by Arthur Smith and co. If their QB can play up to par, the Falcons worry me more than both the Saints and the Bucs. I think it could come down to us and ATL for the division title if our Rookie QB plays well enough. 

[Panthering]

I refuse to take the Falcons seriously even though we split the series with them every year. It all comes down to Ridder though, I know that they made a lot of signings on defense but I think the only one that's going to be a 100% positive impact is Jessie Bates. The rest I'm not sure. 

[Shotgun]

[Ball4life]

16 minutes ago, backINblack28 said:

went big on D in free agency is more like went from 30th to 24th IMO which again just doesn't help a league average best case offense much at all. they're not going to be playing trace mcsorley, kyle trask, or PJ walker twice this time either

You said 20th ranked defense in a different post and falcons offense was medicore last year with a bunch of rookies….don’t see how their is no chance they improve. 

[backINblack28]

8 minutes ago, Ball4life said:

You said 20th ranked defense in a different post and falcons offense was medicore last year with a bunch of rookies….don’t see how their is no chance they improve. 

i didnt say anything about them improving or not. 20-24th defense w league average offense at best---again...to answer the question phrased by this thread - is it time to take the 20-24th defense seriously paired with best case league average offense?

No.

[Fenrir]

It all comes down to Ridder's development and if Arthur Smith opens up his offensive scheme. It was painful in how little Pitts was utilized and the playcalling was uncreative and didn't generate explosive plays.

[rodeo]

i haven't even heard of any of those guys besides Calais Campbell who is like 48 years old

[GRWatcher]

Never. Not since June Jones was HC, Jeff George was QB. 1996. Remember it well and it was glorious.

[rippadonn]

Their stadium looks like a bung hole.

[ForJimmy]

12 minutes ago, rippadonn said:

Their stadium looks like a bung hole.