There’s something in the air around Flowery Branch because the Falcons are putting out some mesmerizing quotes. Wednesday began the first day of training camp, and the team has no shortage of confidence to reach the playoffs. Earlier this week, Olamide Zaccheaus doubled down on his statement from earlier in the offseason that the team could make the playoffs.
“I feel like we’re a playoff team,” Zaccheaus said last month via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We just (have) to put everything together. Really start fast at the beginning of the season and not get into a hole. I just feel like as a team, we can shock a lot of people.”
Veteran free agent addition Casey Hayward echoed those sentiments, questioning why the Falcons couldn’t surprise people and compete following the Matt Ryan trade. Now, it’s second-year phenom Kyle Pitts telling reporters not to underestimate the Falcons, even going as far as to say the team can compete for a Super Bowl.
Kyle Pitts tells @TheAthletic that he thinks the Atlanta Falcons can compete for the playoffs and "maybe the Super Bowl." pic.twitter.com/oAgKqR09oL
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) July 27, 2022
I hate to be the negative one in the friend group, but this is delusional. The Falcons are one of the furthest teams away from raising the Lombardi, especially with Pitts catching passes from Marcus Mariota, a backup at this point in his career, or rookie Desmond Ridder.
It’s encouraging to see the organization isn’t short on confidence; after all, Arthur Smith and Terry Fontenot are trying to build a sustainable culture. And the first step in that process is to get the people inside the building to believe in what they’re building.
The Falcons are in the early stages of a rebuild, so they shouldn’t be expected to do anything worthwhile. That still hasn’t deterred the players from puffing out their chests and boasting playoff aspirations. They play to win, so why not exude that kind of confidence.
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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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