The oddsmakers have the Atlanta Falcons pegged to be the worst team in the NFC. Atlanta traded away long-time starting quarterback Matt Ryan this offseason as the franchise looks to rebuild, and the Falcons now have the worst quarterback situation in the NFL. Marcus Mariota, Feleipe Franks, and rookie Desmond Ridder are the three signal callers that will be vying for snaps in this offense, and former Louisville quarterback Dave Ragone will have his work cut out for him as the offensive coordinator.
Atlanta Falcons Season Win Total
Over 4.5 Wins -130
Under 4.5 Wins +110
2022 Atlanta Falcons Schedule
| WEEK | MATCHUP |
| 1 | Vs. New Orleans Saints |
| 2 | @ Los Angeles Rams |
| 3 | @ Seattle Seahawks |
| 4 | Vs. Cleveland Browns |
| 5 | @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 6 | Vs. San Francisco 49ers |
| 7 | @ Cincinnati Bengals |
| 8 | Vs. Carolina Panthers |
| 9 | Vs. Los Angeles Chargers |
| 10 | @ Carolina Panthers |
| 11 | Vs. Chicago Bears |
| 12 | @ Washington Commanders |
| 13 | Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 14 | BYE WEEK |
| 15 | @ New Orleans Saints |
| 16 | @ Baltimore Ravens |
| 17 | Vs. Arizona Cardinals |
| 18 | Vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Atlanta Falcons Offense
Matt Ryan leaves Atlanta as the greatest quarterback in franchise history. Ryan was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, and he nearly led the Falcons to their first Super Bowl win. The 2016 NFL MVP threw for nearly 60,000 yards in his 14 seasons with Atlanta, but he is 37 years old, and it is clear that the Falcons won’t be competitive again for some time. That led to the front office dealing Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts for a third-round pick.
Atlanta was in the mix for Deshaun Watson, but the Falcons had to settle for adding Marcus Mariota after Watson signed with the Cleveland Browns. Mariota has thrown just 30 passes over the last two seasons, and he has struggled with his accuracy. However, he is clearly the most polished passer as Feleipe Franks threw just one pass (an interception) last season, and Desmond Ridder is a rookie.
Don’t be surprised if Ragone tries to take a lot of cues from what the Baltimore Ravens do with Lamar Jackson. Mariota, Franks, and Ridder are all scramblers, and Atlanta will likely need to emphasize their mobility in this offense.
Cordarrelle Patterson is going to be the starting running back for the Falcons, but he isn’t a traditional running back as a converted receiver. Patterson hadn’t carried the ball more than 64 times in a season before last year, so he is not a workhorse running back. That will also make this offense rather interesting.
The offensive line is below average, so it’s good that the quarterbacks are mobile. Rather than improve the offensive line, the Falcons have prioritized perimeter weapons in the last two drafts, taking Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick in 2021 and Drake London with the No. 8 overall pick this year. Pitts looked to be a generational talent at tight end as a rookie, and the Falcons are hoping that London can be a solid weapon on the outside. There really aren’t any other quality options at receiver after Calvin Ridley was suspended for the 2022 season.
Atlanta Falcons Defense
The Falcons have not ranked among the top five teams in the league in total defense since 1978. Atlanta has ranked in the top 12 in total defense just four times since that point, as the Falcons continually have anywhere from average to terrible defenses.
There are some decent pieces in place. A.J. Terrell had a solid second season at cornerback, and Casey Hayward Jr. signed a two-year deal with the Falcons this offseason.
Linebacker Deion Jones is a solid tackler, and Rashaan Evans could revitalize his career in Atlanta. Grady Jarett and Marlon Davidson are quality defensive linemen too, so this could be a decent defense in 2022 if things go right. Unfortunately, it’s very likely they are left out to dry by an inept offense.
Prediction
Atlanta isn’t going to be a good team in 2022, but the Falcons will be a little better than the experts believe. This offense should have enough gimmicks to score some points, and a favorable schedule will help Atlanta get to five or six wins.
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