Are the Atlanta Falcons Super Bowl contenders? Jeff Schultz of the ajc thinks the Falcons are one of the Top 5 candidates to represent the NFC.
I know what you’re thinking: a little high. (The team, not me.) But no (to both). First of all, I think you can rank these five teams in almost any order. Here’s what stands out to me: The defense will be significantly improved. It will be more aggressive and get burned less often, given the additions of cornerback Dunta Robinson and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, as well as the return of defensive tackle Peria Jerry and safety William Moore from season-ending injuries. (The team’s broadcaster, Wes Durham, had a great analogy: Jerry and Moore are like redshirt freshmen.) The offense will benefit from Matt Ryan being in his third year, when young quarterbacks often take a big step up, and a more motivated running back, Michael Turner, who is in far better condition than a year ago.
I agree that the defense will be better thanks to actually having something similar to a shutdown corner in free agent signee Dunta Robinson. By default, the secondary will make the d-line look much better. Throw in “redshirt freshman” Peria Jerry and the d-line should be instantly better. The LB corps gets younger and faster with Weatherspoon. All this adds up to an improved defense.
On offense Ryan is expected to improve year-over-year, but to me the real key is Turner. If the Burner bounces back, Ryan could look like a super star.
Too early for Super Bowl talk? Probably. Training camp brings optimism. Go Falcons!
