Falcons Face 'Bumpy Ride' This Season, Says Analyst

The Falcons are not expected to be one of the league's best this season.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 6, 2022

Falcons Face 'Bumpy Ride' This Season, Says Analyst /

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Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons, like the other 31 NFL teams, enter Week 1 in a tie for first place ... but as we know, not every team can stay at the top.

Many analysts believe the Falcons are in for a difficult season in 2022, and some believe Atlanta could be among the league's worst teams. CBS Sports tossed their opinion into the ring too, and like many others, agree that the Falcons are due for a "bumpy ride" this season.

"Saying goodbye to Matt Ryan after 14 years was understandable, but their abrupt execution of the split left a lot to be desired," CBS Sports writes. "It's not like Atlanta doesn't have a few intriguing pieces, from Kyle Pitts at tight end to A.J. Terrell at corner. But a few standouts don't make a cohesive team. The pass rush is lacking, as per usual. The O-line is considered a deteriorating unit. And Marcus Mariota, who hasn't been a healthy or efficient starter in over a half-decade, will open as the commander of the ship."

There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Falcons, but the unknown does not necessarily mean the team will be bad. Atlanta improved from four to seven wins last season, and while that might not be the case this year, there is reason for optimism.

Quarterback Marcus Mariota hasn't started a game since he was quarterbacking the Tennessee Titans in 2019, but the former Heisman Trophy winner looked good in the preseason, so there's reason to believe in the new signal-caller.

Running back Patterson was the team's biggest surprise and most valuable player for the Falcons last season. While it's hard to see him duplicate his 2021 success, there's still potential for the 31-year-old to have another successful season in Atlanta.

Rookie wide receiver Drake London didn't show much during the preseason after injuring his knee against the Detroit Lions, but he'll have every opportunity to prove why he was the first wide receiver taken in this year's NFL Draft.

The Falcons will have a chance to prove the doubters wrong in the season opener Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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Published Sep 6, 2022

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.