2010 NFL Predictions: Atlanta Falcons

July 24, 2010

Not too many football experts are talking about the Atlanta Falcons. That’s just the way they like it! They were overshadowed all season long by their division counterparts that ended up winning a Super Bowl. However, Atlanta is the real deal, and has the potential to make it interesting in the NFC South this year.

Michael Turner is an extremely important part to this offense. Although he doesn’t do very much in terms of receiving, he’s still considered one of the premier backs in the league. Despite missing roughly 7 games due to an ankle injury, Turner still managed to accumulate 871 yards on the ground. More impressively, he got in the end zone 10 times in just 178 carries. He is without question one of the most electrifying running backs in the NFL, and has the capability to take it the distance at any time. His 4.9 yards per carry is a good indication of just how hard he is to get your hands on. The Falcons like most NFL teams are thin at running back. Jason Snelling did fill in nicely in Turner’s absence, but is not the same caliber player. Expect Turner to have another solid season in 2010 as he finishes at or near the top in yards gained and touchdowns.

Turf toe made it difficult for Matt Ryan to duplicate the year he had as a rookie. Michael Turner’s injury and the lack of depth at wide receiver also contributed to the down year that Ryan had. Ryan is an incredible thrower of the ball, and has the intelligence to make good decisions on the field. He did not show that for much of last season, but many believe that his injury significantly hindered his performance. It’s almost certain that he will bounce back this season. Tony Gonzalez was a huge pick up last season, and will improve Ryan’s completion percentage. Roddy White is by far the best receiver on the team. He finished the year with 11 touchdowns, which was 5 more than the second best receiver. The Falcons are banking on Michael Jenkins to become more of a threat to relieve some of the pressure on White. As a whole, the Atlanta receiving group is fair, but will need to step up big in 2010 if they expect to keep pace with Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

Defense was a big concern for Atlanta over the off-season. They used their first 2 selections in the NFL draft to remedy their problems. Linebacker Sean Witherspoon was taken 19th overall in the draft, and is expected to be a big time contributer right out of the gate. The Falcons linebacking group was in need of an upgrade. Curtis Lofton is an absolute beast on defense, but the Falcons do not have another star linebacker to compliment him. Witherspoon may be the answer for them. The passing defense was the main problem for Atlanta in 2009. They allowed over 240 yards passing per game, and ranked 4th worst in the NFL in that category. The Falcons did not make any major changes in regards to their secondary, but are hoping that they will do better in that department if they stay healthy. They did use 2 late picks in the draft to pick up cornerback Dominique Franks and safety Shann Schillinger. They both may need time to develop, but the Falcons will be using them as back up for now.

The Vegas oddsmakers have set the over/ under for wins by this Falcons team at 9 for the 2010 season. This may seem low considering they will be at full strength to start the year, and won 9 games last season. However, they do have an extremely difficult non-conference schedule that will be difficult to navigate. If they can get through their first 7 games with at least a 4-3 record it will be very possible for this team to get 10+ wins.

Written by Glenn Andrew · Filed Under NFL

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