The NFL season kicked off last night in spectacular fashion, with the Chiefs edging out the Ravens in a game that came down to the last play. If that’s a sign of things to come, we’re in for a wild ride.
In a couple of days, the Falcons will begin their trek toward the Lombardi Trophy, starting off with a matchup against an old friend in Arthur Smith and the Pittsburgh Steelers. There hasn’t been this much hype surrounding the professional football team in Atlanta since they went to the Super Bowl back in 2016, and it’s warranted, given all of the additions the Falcons made on both sides of the ball.
Still, there are legitimate questions regarding Atlanta’s ceiling. Are they actual contenders in the NFC, or are they just a team expected to win the weakest division in football?
3. How good can the Falcons defense be?
About a month ago, an argument could be made that the Falcons had a bottom-five defense on paper. The secondary was a mess, featuring gaping holes at both corner and safety in the secondary, with an equally as concerning pass rush. They looked like a quarterback’s dream; however, in just a couple of days, they completely shifted the conversation to, “How good can this group be?”
It all started with the addition of Matthew Judon via trade, who was acquired from the Patriots for a third-round pick. In his last four healthy seasons, the 32-year-old has made four straight Pro Bowls and racked up 43.5 sacks, including 15.5 sacks in 2022 alone. The Falcons finally found the pass rusher they had been hoping to land for over a decade, but that was only the beginning.
A mere days later, the Falcons then signed four-time All-Pro safety Justin Simmons, who will work in tandem with Jessie Bates III, creating the most fearsome safety duo in the league. Overnight, the Falcons patched up their two most glaring holes with All-Pro talents, and while there are still concerns — primarily at corner — there is also legitimate hope that this can be a top 10 unit, one that sacks quarterbacks and produces loads of turnovers.
2. How long will it take everything to gel?
On paper, the Falcons have a roster that can go toe-to-toe with almost every team in the NFC, but games aren’t won on paper. This is a team with tons of moving parts, most notably, a brand-new coaching staff.
There are still questions about Raheem Morris the head coach. His recruiting ability in free agency has already been affirmed, but he’s yet to prove he can produce results on Sundays. Falcons’ new defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake has never coordinated a defense at this level, and while new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has all of the hype, he’s also never called plays.
On the field, the Falcons have a brand new face at the most important position in the sport. Kirk Cousins has all of the tools — an elite offensive line and a plethora of weapons — to be successful, but it often takes time to gel with so many new faces. The same can be said about the new guys on the defense. It’s a brand new defensive scheme, and two of the most important pieces — Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons — just began practicing with the team.
1. Who is Kirk Cousins?
As is the case with every team in the NFL, the Falcons can only go as far as their quarterback takes them. In the case of Kirk Cousins, this is really a two-part question.
We know who Kirk Cousins was before he tore his Achilles in the middle of last season. One of the most consistent quarterbacks in the game that was amid a career year, averaging nearly 300 yards passing per game. However, Father Time rests for nobody. Cousins is now 36 years old and coming off the first major injury of his career. Can he be the same guy he was pre-injury?
If so, the Falcons should coast to the postseason this year for the first time since 2017, where Cousins will once again be questioned. He’s long been a stellar quarterback in the regular season, but like most signal callers, getting over the hump in the postseason has not been easy.
Cousins has appeared in five playoff games (started four) and is 1-4 in those games. However, it’s not as if he has struggled in those contests, producing a quarterback rating of 93.7 with seven touchdowns compared to just one interception. Similar narratives followed Matt Ryan around for most of his career. It only takes one run to change all of that.
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Photographer: Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire
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