The Falcons sit atop the NFC South riding a two-game win streak, aiming to make that three against the Buccaneers this weekend.
Atlanta has a chance to take a stranglehold of the division if they take care of business against Tampa. It would put the club on a path they haven’t been on in quite some time, one pointed to the postseason.
A playoff berth would end a drought dating back to 2017 and would mark the first playoff game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium since its inception. It would be a great success for the new regime, but make no mistake about it, it’s not as great of a triumph as some fans might believe.
I’m ready for the Falcons to be back in the postseason. Winning is a habit, and developing that culture will always be more valuable than draft position, but circumstances matter.
The NFC South is the worst division in football, and the Falcons still have real problems that need addressing this offseason, most of which surround the quarterback position.
Ironically, as I’ve been trying to point all of these things out, The Athletic’s Randy Mueller also gave the club a dose of reality. The former GM analyzed each team with a .500 record, and some of his takes on Atlanta were spot-on.
The Falcons have to be loving life, sitting in first place in a very talent-poor NFC South. What I fear for them is they wake up Dec. 6 on third base thinking that they hit a triple. Far from it.
What I mean is, they have experienced what winning feels like, but let’s not confuse a 13-8 win over the dumpster-fire Jets with being good. It’s been a rocky road — inconsistent QB play, very choppy use of personnel — to get to 6-6. They’ve benefited from playing in the least consistent division in football, which is still up for grabs even as bad as the Bucs and Saints have looked at times.
The Falcons might have to trade for a QB this offseason, because even if they make the playoffs, I don’t think the answer is on their roster, and picking in the middle of the first round in April won’t get them what they need, either. Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who is from the Atlanta area, could be a good fit for Arthur Smith’s offense, which is heavy on RPOs and play-action passes.
Overall though, I see the Falcons in a favorable position versus other NFC South teams for both the short term and, if they can tighten up their talent-acquiring process, the long term. They have to increase team speed on the perimeter on offense and add a legit edge rusher this next offseason, but I like this team going forward.
The Falcons are an ascending organization; there’s no denying that, but complacency could kill this momentum. Arthur Smith cannot be satisfied with Desmond Ridder’s play; he also has to recognize his own shortcomings.
Ridder hasn’t shown enough to go into the 2024 campaign unchallenged, and it can’t be another backup-caliber signal caller as competition. Moreover, Smith has to look in the mirror and acknowledge his play-calling has been part of the problem as well, particularly when it comes to the passing attack.
Mueller is correct. The Falcons should win the NFC South, but they shouldn’t hang their hats on just that.
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Photographer: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire
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