NFL Predictions 2010: Atlanta Falcons

TheSportsWatchers want to get you in shape for the upcoming 2010 NFL football season. So in the spirit of NFL training camp, we are doing two-a-days to get you in gear for each and every NFL team.

In many ways, the Atlanta Falcons took a step back last season by not making the playoffs in their second year with Matt Ryan as the quarterback. However, by having their second winning season in a row for the first time in franchise history, the Falcons are clearly headed in the right direction.

2009 NFL Recap for the Atlanta Falcons

The start to the Falcons 2009 season was about what one would have expected. Their 2-0 start had them starting the season in the same fashion they had ended it the year before: winning. The Falcons would reach 4-1 before trouble would strike. They lost two games in a row to playoff teams Dallas and New Orleans, and ultimately they would drop 6 out of 8, when for a three-game stretch, Matt Ryan was out with an injury. The Falcons bounced back strong though, winning three games in a row to make it to 9-7, an accomplishment that speaks volumes to the mental fortitude of this young football team.

Atlanta Falcons 2010 Offseason Transactions

The Falcons started off the offseason improving upon a secondary that got torched last season. The signings/re-signings of CB Brian Williams and CB Dunta Robinson give the Falcons a talented defensive backfield, one that should be able to hold its own against just about any combination of wide receivers. The Falcons also improved the defensive front by drafting LB Sean Weatherspoon and signing DT Trey Bryant to a deal. Offensively, the Falcons opted to keep things essentially the same by re-signing, RB Jerious Norwood, RB Jason Snelling, OG Harvey Dahl, C Joe Zeienka and WR Brian Finneran.

2010 NFL Predictions for the Atlanta Falcons

Offensively, the Falcons have all the right pieces in place, so long as everyone stays healthy. RB Michael Turner was beat up going into last season, and his injuries cost him some time on the field. However, because Turner had fewer carries last year, I fully expect him to have big season in 2010, as he enters the year a little fresher than he did a year ago. With Roddy White at wide receiver and Tony Gonzalez at tight end, the pass catchers for the Falcons are a fantasy football player’s dream. And the offensive line of the Falcons is extremely stable and is equally good at blocking for the pass and the run.

The defense does not have it so well. Yes, the Falcons have improved their secondary by adding Dunta Robinson into the mix, but with just John Abraham on the outsides, one has to wonder if they pass rush will be there to make the secondary relevant. Even with the questions on the defensive side of the ball, the Falcons are very worthy of a playoff berth. Unfortunately, they got a bad draw from the NFL schedule. With games against the likes of the Steelers, 49ers, Eagles, Bengals, Packers and Ravens, not to mention the NFC South’s own New Orleans Saints, the Falcons have their work cut out for them in 2010. So much work that we can’t put them in the playoffs with a 9-7 record, which is the record we believe the Falcons will have at the end of the 2010 NFL season.

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