Week 1: @ Kansas City Chiefs-- 9/9/12-- 1:00 PM (FOX)
For the third consecutive season, the Falcons will open their campaign on the road in another tough environment, Arrowhead Stadium. Their opponent, the Kansas City Chiefs will look to have a bounce back season after injuries to key players such as safety Eric Berry and running back Jamaal Charles and a coaching change from Todd Haley to Romeo Crennel, Kansas City finished with a (7-9) record. Falcons TE Tony Gonzalez will play against his former team for the first time since being traded to Atlanta in 2009 and this should be an emotional game for the future Hall of Famer who made his mark while in a Chiefs uniform posting (10,940) receiving yards and (76) receiving touchdowns. Atlanta will also look to win their first road game in Arrowhead Stadium for the first time in franchise history, their last meeting in Kansas City was a 56-10 loss during the 2004 season. The Falcons defense must be prepared to contain the speed and explosive players that are key assets to the Chiefs success. The Falcons will look to win their first road season opener since 2006. The Chiefs possess one of the best home field advantages around the NFL and their team is loaded with talent starting with All-Pro running backs Jamaal Charles and recently acquired Pro-Bowl running back Peyton Hillis. Kansas City have one of the best rushing attacks around the NFL when they are healthy and the Falcons will definitely be up for the challenge of facing their two-back tandem. Another big weapon the Chiefs have on offense is Pro-Bowl wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and the Falcons must be prepared to contain him from making the Chiefs opening day exciting or even earning an victory. Jamaal Charles can attack a defense in multiple ways whether it's running the ball or as a pass receiver and the Falcons front seven must be cautious not to allow him to make a huge impact on this contest. Another asset to the Chiefs offense is former Browns running back Peyton Hillis. Hillis, who was acquired in the free agency from Cleveland, is a physical back who can carve up a defensive scheme similar to Charles but possess a power style in his game and Atlanta must find an answer to take their rushing attack from the Chiefs game plan. As for the Falcons offense, Matt Ryan must rise to the occasion and contain the Chiefs defensive unit from making an impact or it could be a long day in Arrowhead. Expect Julio Jones and Roddy White to have good stats due to the Chiefs starting corner backs having injury issues so Matt Ryan must take advantage of the lack of depth in Kansas City's defense entering the game. In the end, the Falcons will emerge with a opening day victory for the first time since 2009.
PREDICTION: WIN (1-0)
Week 2: September 17th vs Denver Broncos (8:30 PM on ESPN- Monday Night Football):
For the second straight season, the Falcons will open their season on the national stage but this will be their first home opening Monday Night Football game since 2005. Coming to the Georgia Dome will be future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and his new team, the Denver Broncos. Peyton Manning will bring a Denver Broncos team into town that is coming off winning the AFC West and still have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. Denver brings in the best rushing team in the NFL last season lead by Willis McGahee. The Broncos lead the NFL in rushing with (164.5) yards per game and was a key component to the success they had in the second half last year and now with Manning, they will bring an balanced attack to give the Falcons defense a test. As for the Falcons, Michael Turner will be a huge component to help the offense gain momentum against a very tough opponent and his production will help Matt Ryan and the Falcons passing game will benefit from the efforts that Atlanta's offense can produce that day. In Atlanta's previous match against the Broncos, Michael Turner had another 100+ yards performance; however, the Broncos would earn a shocking 24-20 win. Atlanta will look to win their first Monday Night Football game since 2005 (Defeated New Orleans 36-17) and they will also look to defeat Peyton Manning for the first time since his rookie season in 1998. The Falcons must get Michael Turner and the running game going first and foremost in order for their game plan to get their passing attack to have an effective impact against a great Denver defense. Atlanta can't be a one-dimensional offense against the Broncos because of the defensive front. Elvis Dummervil and Von Miller are two great defensive ends who can attack the quarterback and disrupt any offense if they are given the opportunity. Another asset to the Broncos defensive unit is veteran corner back Champ Bailey, who is still considered as one of the best players in his position today. The Falcons offense must have a balanced scheme in order to have a successful night against the Broncos. On defense, the Falcons must contain veteran Willis McGahee, who had a bounce back season in 2011 posting (1,199) rushing yards and (4) rushing touchdowns. McGahee can still carve a defensive front when given the opportunity and the Falcons can't allow him to set the tone and give Peyton Manning any sort of balance because it could affect the defensive scheme that evening. In the end, I have the Falcons defeating the Broncos in a close game and earning their first victory over Manning since 1998.
PREDICTION: WIN (2-0)
Week 3: September 23rd @ San Diego Chargers (4:05 on FOX)
The Falcons will travel west to take on Phillip Rivers and the Chargers for the second consecutive time that these two teams have matched up against each other. This will be Michael Turner's second time playing against his old team. The Chargers are coming off another disappointing season and with the loss of Vincent Jackson and Mike Tolbert to the free agency, this team will be looking for some kind of big win against a tough NFL contender such as the Falcons. This season, San Diego will use a lot of Antonio Gates to keep their passing attack afloat after losing such a key component to why Phillip Rivers emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in the league. As for the Falcons defense, they must pressure Rivers into making costly turnovers because he threw the third most interceptions in the NFL last season with (20). As for Atlanta's offense, the Falcons must be a balanced attack against a San Diego defense that's still very talented and can compete with some of the best teams in the league today. Allow Michael Turner to set the tone and that will be a huge benefit for the Falcons to defeat the Chargers on the road. Atlanta is looking to win another game against San Diego, which trails the series 7-1, including losing at home to the Falcons 22-16. In order to beat the Chargers, the Falcons must contain Philip Rivers completely because he is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL when he is completely focused. The Falcons must contain Philip Rivers from having a monster game against them by containing the passing attack. A key match-up that day will be Antonio Gates vs Akeem Dent. Dent must rise to the challenge of containing one of the best tight ends in the game today or the defensive unit could have a long day trying to stop the Chargers passing attack. Robert Meachem is another acquisition to the Chargers offense and he's going to have a breakout season this year and with the young, talented running back Ryan Matthews, the Falcons need to keep their offense off the field because the Chargers are a good team at home. For the Falcons, on offense, you must present a balanced strategy by mixing up with a fair amount of running plays as well as passes because the Chargers defense is very opportunistic. Last season, San Diego was not that talented on defense; however, this team have the talent to make game-changing plays and get their home field advantage behind them. This game will be a toss-up; however, I feel the Falcons could slip up and drop this game after dealing with a tough battle with Peyton Manning and to make a quick turnaround to return to the West.
PREDICTION: LOSS (2-1)
Week 4: September 30th vs Carolina Panthers (1:00 on FOX)
Atlanta's second home game will be another tough challenge as Offensive Rookie of the Year Cam Newton and the Panthers come to the Georgia Dome. The Panthers was a team loaded with potential in 2011; however, they lost a lot of close games against some good opponents, including the Falcons both times. Carolina had the Falcons on the ropes of defeat in both games last season; however, Atlanta would rally in both games and give the team a much-needed sweep en-route to the NFL playoffs. The Falcons defense will have their hands full with the talented offensive weapons that the Panthers have such as All-Pro receiver Steve Smith, who is one of the Falcons killers and the defense must be prepared to contain him from having any sort of impact on the game. In the previous games, the Falcons had a challenge trying to contain tight end Greg Olsen, which means Akeem Dent and Sean Weatherspoon will be presented with a task to contain this weapon. The Panthers also have a talented running back tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, which can be a problem for our defense and now with the addition of Mike Tolbert, Atlanta's defense will need to pressure Cam Newton into costly turnovers and limit the offense from having any sort of impact on the game. As for the offense, the Falcons can continue to use their All-Pro running back Michael Turner, who gave the Panthers defense fits ever since he became an Atlanta Falcon, Turner have posted numerous 100+ yard games and was the key to the Falcons winning streak over this NFC South opponent. Carolina is looking to earn their first win at the Georgia Dome since 2007 and the Falcons will look to extend their winning streak to five consecutive against their division foe. The Falcons need to continue and present their balanced offense to the Panthers defense. Atlanta will continue to have success with the ground attack and Michael Turner is a defensive nightmare to the Carolina defensive unit and he will need to create an impact on the ground in order to establish a balanced attack in the game. Matt Ryan should have a good game against a less than average Panthers secondary but the game strategy must be balanced in order to have a big game against this team. On defense, the Falcons must contain one of the best offensive groups in the NFL last season as the Panthers were (7th) in the NFL in total yards per game with (389.8) and (3rd) in the league in rushing with (150.5) per game so this team have multiple ways to make an impact on the game. The Falcons pass rush will need to pressure Cam Newton into turnovers, which he struggled to avoid interceptions and other costly mistakes that would result in momentum on offense. In the end, I feel the Falcons will emerge in a competitive home contest at the Georgia Dome.
PREDICTION: WIN (3-1)
Week 5: October 7th @ Washington Redskins (1:00 on FOX)
Atlanta's third road game of the season is at FedEx Field against rookie sensation Robert Griffith III and the rebuilding Washington Redskins. Many people are looking at the road opponent as an easy victory but NOT SO FAST..... This team is not as bad as their recent records have shown. Washington added former Indianapolis Colts star receiver Pierre Garcon along with former San Francisco 49ers standout Josh Morgan along with All-Pro receiver Santana Moss and now they have some depth at receiver. The Falcons must contain this group from having any kind of impact on the game along with RGIII. Washington also have talented running back Roy Helu who was doing a great job for their rushing attack after an injury sidelined former running back Tim Hightower for the remainder of 2011 and he could be effective so the defense must stop this offense from having an impact that day. On offense, the Falcons need to counterattack with the explosive wide receiver tandem of Roddy White, Julio Jones, and Harry Douglas and give the Redskins secondary, who just lost safety Laron Landry to the New York Jets, a hard afternoon. In their last match-up, Michael Turner ran for over 100 yards and lead Atlanta to a 31-17 win in a emotional game at the Georgia Dome, which included Mike Smith and former Falcons player DeAngelo Hall getting into a brawl. As for Washington, they would like to earn a win over Atlanta for the first time since 2003. The Falcons need to bring their balanced attack into this game as well because the Redskins defense had a very good campaign depsite finishing with a bad record as they were ranked (12th) overall in defense and also finished with (41) sacks, which was in the top ten around the NFL last season. London Fletcher and the Redskins front seven can cause a huge impact on a game so the Falcons must keep the defense off balanced. In the end, the Falcons will have a big game and earn another road victory.
PREDICTION: WIN (4-1)
Week 6: October 14th vs Oakland Raiders (1:00 on FOX)
In the Falcons final game before their bye week, they will return home to take on the Oakland Raiders lead by All-Pro running back Darren McFadden. The Falcons will need to get their offense going against a inconsistent Raiders defensive unit in order to establish momentum against this team. Last season, Oakland struggle against some of the best running backs in the league and this is where the Falcons can use the compliments of Michael Turner to get the offense going. As far as the passing game, the Falcons will need to establish some dominance in the air because the Raiders defense surrendered (31) touchdown passes to opposing quarterbacks last year and Matt Ryan could have a big day against the Raiders in this contest. Oakland will look to earn a win against the Falcons for the first time since 2000. In the last match-up, the Falcons posted a shut-out victory in Oakland with a final score of 24-0. This would also be the final game against an AFC opponent for the 2012 season for Atlanta and a win could be a huge confidence booster heading into the bye week. The Falcons defensive must unit must contain Darren McFadden from establishing any momentum for the Oakland Raiders because without McFadden's impact, it will be a difficult afternoon for Carson Palmer to have any impact on the game. Atlanta's front line must attack Carson Palmer and make it very difficult for him to get his explosive receiving core involved. Denarius Moore and Darrius Heyward-Bey are both explosive play makers who can change a game in one reception so Asante Samuel and Brent Grimes must prevent them from doing so. Although the Raiders finished (11th) in the NFL in passing last season averaging around (247.6) yards per game, they were also one of the most intercepted passing attacks in the league as well. Combined, Jason Campbell and Carson Palmer threw (23) interceptions last season so the Falcons secondary must be prepared to make opportunistic plays. In the end, I feel the Falcons will have a huge day and the Raiders could be in trouble from the start as Atlanta wins another game and head into their bye week.
PREDICTION: WIN (5-1)
WEEK 7: BYE WEEK
Week 8: October 28th @Philadelphia Eagles (1:00 on FOX)
Atlanta returns from the bye week to play a familiar opponent on the road, Philadelphia Eagles, whom the Falcons have played 9 of the previous 10 seasons. Philadelphia is the most explosive and balanced offensive team in the entire league. The Falcons defense must go in there and contain Michael Vick first and foremost because he's still a defensive nightmare for all of his opponents and rushing the quarterback will be a huge key towards Atlanta earning a rare road victory. Another huge weapon that Atlanta must be aware of is running back Lesean Mccoy because in the previous match-up against the Eagles, he scored two touchdowns and came close to posting (100) yards in the game. Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin must also be limited because both of those explosive wide receivers can change the tone of a football game within minutes so the Falcons secondary must rise to the occasion and contain these two deadly weapons. On offense, Matt Ryan needs to avoid turnovers in this game because despite him posting a career-high four touchdown passes in the win last season, he threw two costly interceptions which resulted in 14 points for the opponents and in order to beat the Eagles, turnovers are not going to help win the game. Another factor that Atlanta must use is their rushing attack because Michael Turner's efforts helped the Falcons come from behind last year and beat the Eagles. Atlanta must also avoid getting in a shoot-out with the Eagles because despite finishing 8-8, this team was ranked 8th in points scored per game with (24.8) so the Eagles explosive attack must become an non-factor to help the Falcons win. The Falcons will look to earn their first ever win at Lincoln Financial Field this season. Asante Samuel will return for the first time in another uniform after playing six seasons for the Eagles. The Falcons will compete in a very competitive game; however, the Eagles will emerge with a close victory as both teams will return from their bye weeks as the second half begins. This game could go either way once this match-up becomes closer; however, the advantage goes to the home team in a nail-biting contest.
PREDICTION: LOSS (5-2)
Week 9: November 4th vs Dallas Cowboys (8:20 on NBC, Sunday Night Football)
The Falcons will return to the Georgia Dome and welcome Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys to town in their second prime-time game. Atlanta is looking to beat the Cowboys at home for the first time since 2001. The last time these two teams met in the Georgia Dome, Dallas won 38-28. The Falcons defense will have to step up to the challenge to pressure Romo into huge mistakes because we all know that if you can pressure the Cowboys that they will fold especially in late game situations. Dallas have a lot of offensive weapons and the two main factors that have to be eliminated out of the game are Jason Witten and Dez Bryant. Witten is still one of the best tight ends in the NFL when healthy and can help the Cowboys passing game throughout this match-up. The linebackers must prevent Witten from having any sort of impact to the prime-time match up. Dez Bryant, in his third year, is also a triple threat for the Cowboys and he's a game changer on offense and special teams. As for the Falcons offense, in order for anything to be able to work, the offensive line must be up to the challenge to contain DeMarcus Ware from interrupting the offensive game plan or that could lead to issues throughout the football game. The Falcons will need for Matt Ryan to establish the tempo of this game because the Cowboys passing defense is not the best and you want to take care of that and then incorporate your rushing attack into the game. Another key component to beating Dallas is to contain second year running back DeMarco Murray. Murray is a tremendous player who provides the balance to the Cowboys offense but the Falcons defensive front have to keep him contained and make Tony Romo have to win this game in the air. On offense, the Falcons have to remain balanced as well because the Cowboys secondary have a lot of depth and making yourselves one-dimensional could result in a bad thing for Matt Ryan. With the addition of Brandon Carr and Morris Clairborne as well as veteran Mike Jenkins, the running game is critical to the team winning this game because establishing Michael Turner on the ground will open up opportunities in the passing attack. In the end, the Falcons will earn a huge victory over the Cowboys at the Georgia Dome.
Prediction: WIN (6-2)
Week 10: November 11th @ New Orleans Saints (1:00 on FOX):
The Falcons- Saints rivalry continues to become of the best games around the NFL and these two teams will meet again in one of two potential match-ups to determine the NFC South. Other than the embarrassing blowout on Monday Night Football last year, This NFC South rivalry between the Falcons and the Saints have always been a close matchup. The previous 5 matchups have been decided by 8 pts or less. Also, the Saints have won the last three games and the Falcons will look to end that streak. In order for the Falcons to win in New Orleans, they must established a balanced attack that will keep the raucous Superdome crowd out of the game and allow Atlanta to successfully conduct their offensive strategy. Another step the Falcons must take to winning this game is scoring touchdowns and not settling for field goals. Last season, the Saints had one of the worst red zone defenses around the league; however, against the Falcons, they were able to force the team to settle for field goals and that ultimately was the factor in both Atlanta losses. The Falcons defense must also start pressuring Drew Brees in order to cost turnovers because despite the fact that Brees is one of the best quarterbacks around the NFL today, he will make huge mistakes when defensive lines can get after him and that's a huge problem the Falcons encountered when playing the Saints. Atlanta is looking to earn their second win over the past six seasons down in New Orleans and hopes to earn a huge win that could ultimately decide the division in Week 17. This game will be a close game and expect to see Matt Ryan and Drew Brees battling for bragging rights in the division. Usually, the team who wins the turnover battle will come away with a victory in the series. The Falcons defense will play a huge factor in the game and needs to force Brees and the Saints offense to lose the turnover battle and also get the Georgia Dome crowd behind them in the game. Also, Michael Turner have caused fits for the Saints defense and if the rushing attack starts putting up big stats throughout the game, that will limit the Saints. Another factor is the addition of Julio Jones and an explosive slot receiver in Harry Douglas because in the previous matchups, the Saints defense applied double coverage to Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez and limited their effectiveness; however, if New Orleans use the same strategy, this will be a downfall for the team and could swing the game in Atlanta's favor. Although this contest will be another great match against two of the best teams in the NFC, a slight edge goes to the New Orleans Saints at home.
PREDICTION: LOSS (6-3)
Week 11: November 18th vs Arizona Cardinals (1:00 on FOX)
Atlanta will come back home and prepare to face Larry Fitzgerald and the Arizona Cardinals. Last time these two teams played, the Falcons destroyed the Cardinals at home 41-7 and dominated Arizona on all sides of the football. The Cardinals are still a very talented team and the Falcons must be prepared to contain Larry Fitzgerald and Beanie Wells. Last season, the Cardinals offense couldn't score many points and suffered a lot of injuries but still finished 8-8 and the Falcons need to contain Fitzgerald from having a huge impact on the game and Atlanta's defense must force Kevin Kolb to find another weapon to give the Cardinals a shot to pull an upset in the Georgia Dome. As for the Falcons, the Cardinals defense struggled to defend the rushing attack, which fits our game plan and as long as the Falcons stick to their offensive identity, this team can win the game and should not encounter any threats from Arizona. The Cardinals will look to beat Atlanta for the first time in more than 10 years and for the Falcons, they will look to keep adding on wins as the playoff stretch starts to emerge. In the end, the Falcons will cost too much of an issue to the Cardinals defensive unit and Atlanta should win this game easily.
PREDICTION: WIN (7-3)
Week 12: November 25th @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1:00 on FOX)
This is the start of three consecutive NFC South games for the Falcons as they return to Tampa Bay, who shockingly stunned Atlanta 16-13 last season at home. Tampa Bay added some veteran free agents to help them contend within the division such as adding former Chargers star receiver Vincent Jackson and All-Pro guard Carl Nicks. The Falcons defense will need to contain Jackson from having a huge afternoon against the secondary because he's one of the most consistent receivers in the league today and can hurt your defensive strategy if he's not contained. Another weapon that must be contained is running back Legarette Blount and rookie sensation Doug Martin, who is a younger and more physical version of Michael Turner and the rushing defense must keep from doing anything to help the Buccaneers win the game. The final key for the Falcons defense is to keep pressure on Josh Freeman because with pressure, he's turnover prone and Atlanta did a good job forcing him into turnovers and creating opportunities for themselves on offense. For the offense, Atlanta needs to establish the ground attack first and then incorporate their explosive receiving core in the game, which Tampa Bay had a hard time stopping in the previous match-up and the Falcons offense must take flight and prevent the Bucs from earning a second consecutive win at home. In a close and competitive NFC South contest, Atlanta will earn a victory to help them down the playoff stretch.
PREDICTION: WIN (8-3)
Week 13: November 29th vs New Orleans Saints (8:20 on NFL Network)
In the Falcons third prime-time home game, the rivalry continues between the Falcons and the Saints on the prime-time stage and they will look to earn their first home win against New Orleans since 2008. In order for the Falcons to win in front of the home crowd at the Georgia Dome, they must established a balanced attack that will keep the raucous Saints defense confused throughout the game and allow Atlanta to successfully conduct their offensive strategy. Another step the Falcons must take to winning this game is scoring touchdowns and not settling for field goals. Last season, the Saints had one of the worst red zone defenses around the league; however, against the Falcons, they were able to force the team to settle for field goals and that ultimately was the factor in both Atlanta losses. The Falcons defense must also start pressuring Drew Brees in order to cost turnovers because despite the fact that Brees is one of the best quarterbacks around the NFL today, he will make huge mistakes when defensive lines can get after him and that's a huge problem the Falcons encountered when playing the Saints. Another step will be getting the Georgia Dome crowd behind the Falcons and that will take a hard fought effort to prevent the Saints from running their offense effectively. Finally, NO GUTSY plays!!!! In the last three games at the Georgia Dome, the Falcons have failed to convert a 4th down play which gave New Orleans a close victory and in order to do that, the Falcons need to establish themselves on the scoreboard early and effectively. The Falcons will have a huge night and finally beat the Saints for the first time since 2008.
PREDICTION: WIN (9-3)
Week 14: December 9th @ Carolina Panthers (1:00 on FOX)
This will be the end of the Falcons three game stretch against the NFC South and their second match-up against the Panthers. Carolina had the Falcons on the ropes of defeat in both games last season; however, Atlanta would rally in both games and give the team a much-needed sweep en-route to the NFL playoffs. The Falcons defense will have their hands full with the talented offensive weapons that the Panthers have such as All-Pro receiver Steve Smith, who is one of the Falcons killers and the defense must be prepared to contain him from having any sort of impact on the game. In the previous games, the Falcons had a challenge trying to contain tight end Greg Olsen, which means Lofa Tatupu will be presented with a task to contain this weapon. The Panthers also have a talented running back tandem of Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, which can be a problem for our defense and now with the addition of Mike Tolbert, Atlanta's defense will need to pressure Cam Newton into costly turnovers and limit the offense from having any sort of impact on the game. As for the offense, the Falcons can continue to use their All-Pro running back Michael Turner, who gave the Panthers defense fits ever since he became an Atlanta Falcon, Turner have posted numerous 100+ yard games and was the key to the Falcons winning streak over this NFC South opponent. The Falcons also can't allow the home crowd in Charlotte to provide any boost to the Panthers because this could be a huge upset and Cam Newton would love to earn a statement victory so Atlanta must be mentally prepared as a team as the December playoff stretch begins. In the end, if the Panthers are in a close playoff race, as they should be around this time, this game will be a huge statement game for the Panthers and this young team will find a way to potentially pull an upset. Although the contest will be close, I'll give the edge to Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers to redeem themselves in a close victory.
PREDICTION: LOSS (9-4)
Week 15: December 16th vs New York Giants (1:00 on FOX)
With three games remaining in the 2012 season, the Falcons return home to play the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants and look to earn revenge after last year's embarrassing playoff loss in New York. This will be one of the biggest games of the season especially with the bitterness that all the Falcons players and fans have towards this team after losing the playoff game and watching this team go on to win Super Bowl XLVI. Expect to see both the Falcons and the Giants play with a chip on their shoulder and battle for a full 60 minutes. In order to beat the Giants, the Falcons offense needs to establish the rushing attack with Michael Turner because when a team can effectively run the football against this defense, you have a better chance of winning. Atlanta's home crowd needs to fuel the defense up for this playoff atmosphere and the Falcons pass rush needs to earn sacks and apply pressure to Eli Manning because when you can force him into a bad spot, he's turnover prone. Atlanta's defense must also contain Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz from having any sort of impact for the Giants offense because those two were the biggest components to the Giants Super Bowl team and the secondary must take away any opportunity for them to turn the game in the favor of New York. Finally, the real battle of this game will be the Falcons Offensive Line vs Giants Defensive Line. The Falcons must contain the Giants defensive line and apply the pressure to the secondary and that can place Atlanta in great position to win this football game. In the end, the Giants are a tough football team and will try to earn as many wins as possible due to their tough schedule. This game was a toss-up to me but I will give the Falcons only home defeat of the year to the New York Giants, who could be playing for a post-season berth by this portion of the season.
PREDICTION: LOSS (9-5)
Week 16: December 22nd @ Detroit Lions (ESPN- Saturday Night Football)
In the Falcons final regular season game on the road, they return to Detroit to take on a Lions team who they defeated last season 24-17 at Ford Field. This game will definitely have playoff implications with two of the best teams in the NFC playing in front of a national TV audience. In order for the Falcons to earn back to back victories in Detroit, the Falcons must establish the run with Michael Turner. In last year's victory, Turner had a decent game that helped Atlanta keep the raucous Ford Field crowd out of the game and they also set the tone in order to conduct their offense, which led them to a huge road win. Another component that the Falcons successfully did in the win last season was the Falcons offensive line protected Matt Ryan against the Lions defensive line and kept the offense intact in order to help the Falcons put more points on the board and take their defense out of the aggressive mindset. On defense, the Falcons need to contain Calvin Johnson from taking over the football game and helping the Lions win. The Falcons need to design plays in order to limit him from making any major plays to get Detroit's offense going. Another weapon the Falcons must limit is running back Jahvid Best, who is a triple-threat athlete and Atlanta can't allow him to make his mark on the game or that could result in a long game for the defense. In the end, the Falcons will earn another huge prime-time road game.
PREDICTION: WIN (10-5)
Week 17: December 30th vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1:00 on FOX)
In the final game of the NFL regular season, the Falcons finish off their division with Tampa Bay. he Falcons defense will need to contain Jackson from having a huge afternoon against the secondary because he's one of the most consistent receivers in the league today and can hurt your defensive strategy if he's not contained. Another weapon that must be contained is running back Legarette Blount and Doug Martin , who is a younger and more physical version of Michael Turner and the rushing defense must keep from doing anything to help the Buccaneers win the game. The final key for the Falcons defense is to keep pressure on Josh Freeman because with pressure, he's turnover prone and Atlanta did a good job forcing him into turnovers and creating opportunities for themselves on offense. For the offense, Atlanta needs to establish the ground attack first and then incorporate their explosive receiving core in the game, which Tampa Bay had a hard time stopping in the previous match-up and the Falcons offense must take flight and stop the Buccaneers from trying to stun them at home. As for the Falcons, they will look to win their 5th straight home game against their NFC South foes. In the end, the Falcons will win this game and the division title as they prepare for the NFL Playoffs.
FINAL RECORD: (11-5), NFC SOUTH CHAMPIONS
FINAL THOUGHTS
The 2012 NFL season will be an exciting one for the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons will play four nationally televised games. A Monday Night Football home opener vs the Denver Broncos, Sunday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys, Thursday Night Football against the New Orleans Saints, and Saturday Night against the Detroit Lions. Atlanta have not won on Monday Night Football in 7 years, the Falcons are 2-0 on Thursday NFL Network games, and they are looking to win on Sunday Night Football for the second consecutive year. If the Falcons want to be considered a top contender, this is the time to show their team off by winning big prime-time matches against some of the best teams in the NFL. A significant part of our schedule have us facing some of the best quarterbacks or some talented ones for consecutive weeks. From Weeks 2-5, The Falcons will face two passing quarterbacks (Peyton Manning and Phillip Rivers) and then will take on two young but dual-threat quarterbacks (Cam Newton and Robert Griffith III) and this will make the team have to continue to play at a high level, which is a benefit for the overall mindset of the football team. The second stretch is between Weeks 8-10 when the Falcons face Michael Vick, Tony Romo, and Drew Brees and these are going to be crucial football games against some of the best teams around the NFL. The final stretch will be Weeks 13-16 when the Falcons will face (Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Eli Manning, and Matthew Stafford) in consecutive weeks and this will force the Falcons to rise to the test and give their best efforts weekly. Although the new season brings many challenges to this Falcons team heading into 2012, this team is primed to achieve great things in the future and this season will be very exciting. Until next time, RISE UP!!!
