Atlanta seems to be getting penalized by past history. It as almost every key player returning and there is every reason to believe the Falcons will have a dynamic group once again. However, it has been rare for the NFC champion to repeat of late, and Atlanta had such a quick rise that it’s fair to ask if it was a one-hit wonder. Atlanta needs to replace offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan but if that goes smoothly the Falcons should again put up a ton of points.
Atlanta may be improved defensively, and if the Falcons can manage a tough schedule and get a high seed for the playoffs, they could be tough to knock off by the other top teams in the conference.
NFC Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Seattle Seahawks +444
Green Bay Packers +460
Atlanta Falcons +472
Dallas Cowboys +620
New York Giants +888
Carolina Panthers +1350
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +1650
Philadelphia Eagles +1700
Minnesota Vikings +1800
Arizona Cardinals +1853
New Orleans Saints +2405
Detroit Lions +2900
Washington Redskins +3000
Chicago Bears +7500
Los Angeles Rams +8000
San Francisco 49ers +8500
Key Players for Winning the NFC
Matt Ryan – The Falcons quarterback has always been a good signal-caller, but he made the leap to great a season ago. Ryan finished the year throwing for 4,944 yards with 38 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. The three-time Pro Bowler averaged 9.3 yards per attempt, which led the NFL, as he was able to find a variety of weapons to dice up defenses. The Falcons averaged 33.8 points per game in 2017, which led the NFL, and Ryan was a big reason for all of that success. He is back to lead the way and will aim to keep lighting up the scoreboard, albeit with a different play-caller now.
Julio Jones – Ryan spread the ball around, but when he needed a big play, there was always Mr. Reliable to count on. Jones is arguably the best wide receiver in the game, and while he’s not as flashy as players like Antonio Brown and Odell Beckham, Jr., he gets the job done week in and week out. Jones hauled in 83 passes for 1,409 yards and six touchdowns a season ago. He is heading into his age-28 season and could improve on those numbers in 2017. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Jones average close to 100 yards per game this season. That’s how talented he is at wideout.
Vic Beasley – The Falcons made the pass-rusher their first-round pick in 2015, and while his rookie season went slowly, Beasley fulfilled that potential last year. He accumulated 15.5 sacks on the season, and even if he doesn’t get that many in 2017, constant pressure would go a long way for the defense. Atlanta truly took off last season once the defense made enough improvements to aid a fantastic offense. If Beasley is the pass-rushing star he looked like last season, it’s one of the biggest reasons why the Falcons could be poised to make a return trip to the Super Bowl.
Devonta Freeman – The Falcons are known for their passing offense, but Freeman brings balance at running back. He recently signed a lucrative contract extension after rushing for 1,079 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2016 and will aim to hit 1,000 yards once again. Freeman averaged 4.8 yards per carry, and if he can come close to that the offense will be in good shape. Tevin Coleman is another talented runner for the Falcons, but Freeman is the go-to guy handing the ball off and he also has a nice role catching the ball out of the backfield.
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