Falcon Report

What Does Falcons 'Nightmare' Season Look Like?

The Atlanta Falcons are hoping to turn the corner in 2023, but what would be the worst-case scenario?

Jeremy Brener

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The Atlanta Falcons have high hopes for the 2023 season with a new quarterback, running back and several promising additions to the defensive side of the ball.

There's much reason to believe that the Falcons can reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017, especially considering the fact that the NFC South is in flux. The New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are clinging onto hopes that average starting quarterbacks can lead them to the top, while the Carolina Panthers fully hit the reset button by trading up for No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. The opportunity window is opening for the Falcons and the dream of winning the division isn't completely far-fetched.

But what does a Falcons nightmare season look like? Bleacher Report explains.

"The over-drafted Bijan Robinson can't save Desmond Ridder, but he, Kyle Pitts and Drake London keep the Falcons from the top of the 2024 draft by helping them win too many games," Bleacher Report writes.

This year is make-or-break for Ridder. The Falcons neglected to sign a better free agent or draft a quarterback to give him a true shot at being QB1. With just four starts to his name, the Falcons feel like he hasn't had a large enough sample size. If Ridder fails to live up to expectations, Atlanta can opt to take a quarterback early in next year's draft. 

With Caleb Williams entering the season as the projected No. 1 pick, the Falcons may not be in his range if they win five or six games. Then, the goal would be to find Drake Maye from North Carolina, or Quinn Ewers from Texas. However, Atlanta may win too many games to keep them in that range as well. Then, the Falcons would be flying in to NFL mediocrity, probably the worst place you can be in as a franchise.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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