Are Falcons Being 'Overlooked' Ahead of Season?

The Atlanta Falcons are garnering some buzz as a dark-horse team entering the 2023 season.

As training camp approaches, the Atlanta Falcons appear to be generating buzz as a possible dark-horse playoff team given the amount of young offensive talent they employ and the lack of an obvious favorite to win the NFC South. 

The Athletic recently broke down some of the most overhyped and overlooked teams entering the 2023 season, and the Falcons, in his estimation, fit in the latter category: 

"They may not make a dramatic leap from a double-digit loss team (for three straight years) to Super Bowl contender. But the Falcons could wind up challenging for a wide-open NFC South," The Athletic writes. "The big question mark is quarterback Desmond Ridder. The Falcons believe in the 2022 third-round pick, who in four games completed 63 percent of his passes while throwing two touchdowns and no interceptions. Unlike the other three quarterbacks in the division (all new), Ridder has comfort in the offense, and there’s a belief both inside and outside of the organization that if he can play at a high level, the Falcons could surprise in 2023." 

We would argue that Ridder doesn't even necessarily need to play at a high level in 2023. If he just manages the game well, there's enough talent around him for the Falcons to win at least an extra game or two than they did last year. 

While receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts are both intriguing players, coach Arthur Smith's meal ticket is going to be his running game. Atlanta used the No. 8 overall pick on running back Bijan Robinson, and when you make that kind of investment at that position, there's no reason he shouldn't immediately make an impact. Robinson will share a backfield with Tyler Allgeier, who rushed for 1,035 yards in his rookie season. And Swiss-Army knife Cordarrelle Patterson has rushed for 14 touchdowns in two seasons with the Falcons, while also providing value as a receiver. 

The Falcons probably aren't at the point where they'll make a deep run if they do reach the postseason. But considering that no team in the NFC South finished with a winning record in 2022, the Falcons could very well rush their way to the playoffs. 

And if Ridder has a breakout season in 2023, look out. 

---

You can follow Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Falcons? Click Here

Follow Falcon Report on Twitter

Want even more Atlanta Falcons news? Check out the SI.com team page here