Falcons Clinch NFC South: Latest Comments and Reaction

The Atlanta Falcons have qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2012. 

There was a lot of scoreboard-watching Saturday after the 33-16 win over the Carolina Panthers. Per the team's Twitter account, the squad was able to clinch a playoff berth thanks to the Oakland Raiders' 33-25 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Furthermore, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 31-24 loss to the New Orleans Saints helped Atlanta clinch the NFC South.

The Falcons were quick to celebrate the title:

Early in the 2016 season, the Falcons were mentioned as possible Super Bowl contenders. Atlanta got off to a 4-1 start, and its offense looked like a well-oiled machine, scoring 45 points on the Saints and 48 points on the Panthers.

After their Week 5 victory over the Denver Broncos, though, the Falcons lost three of their next five games. As a result, the title hype faded somewhat.

This year's Falcons team will have to overcome a history of postseason disappointments. In six of its 12 playoff trips—including three of its last four—Atlanta lost its first game.

Year	Result
1978	Lost in Divisional Round
1980	Lost in Divisional Round
1982	Lost in Wild Card Round
1991	Lost in Divisional Round
1995	Lost in Wild Card Round
1998	Lost in Super Bowl
2002	Lost in Divisional Round
2004	Lost in Conference Championship
2008	Lost in Wild Card Round
2010	Lost in Divisional Round
2011	Lost in Wild Card Round
2012	Lost in Conference Championship

With that said, no team will want to see the Falcons in the playoffs this year. When it's firing on all cylinders, Atlanta's potent offense can make up for its porous defense.

Matt Ryan has thrown a career-high 34 touchdowns and a career-low seven interceptions. Although Ryan has lost ground in the MVP race, he has still been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in 2016, sitting No. 1 in DYAR (defense-adjusted yards above replacement), according to Football Outsiders.

In Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, the Falcons boast a two-headed monster in the backfield. Freeman and Coleman complement each other well, with the former serving as the primary ball-carrier and the latter representing a better receiving option.

Julio Jones hasn't gone anywhere, either. While he isn't catching passes at his 2015 rate, Jones has 76 receptions for 1,313 yards and five touchdowns despite missing two games with a toe injury. 

Falcons fans will be heartened by the fact the team scored 83 combined points on the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams when Jones was out in Weeks 14 and 15. In the past, Atlanta has been reliant on its Pro Bowl wideout to an unhealthy extent. That doesn't appear to be the case any longer.

However, the cliche "defense wins championships" exists for a reason. The Falcons defense will likely determine whether the franchise collects its first Vince Lombardi Trophy.

On Dec. 19, free safety Ricardo Allen said it's up to him and his defensive teammates to take some of the weight off the offense's shoulders, per ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure:

"

We're not going to say the weight is on us, but we've got to hold our weight. The offense has been getting out here all year and scoring 30, 40 points, and we've lost a couple games. That means for us on defense, 'What are we doing?' We've got to take pride in what we do, too. We don't work to give up 30 points. And we know if we give our offense back the ball, they've got a chance to score. 

"

The Falcons defense could be put to the test in the playoffs, especially if the road to the NFC title goes through Arlington, Texas.

According to OddsShark, the Dallas Cowboys (5-1) are the NFC favorites to win the Super Bowl, followed closely by the Seattle Seahawks (11-2). The Falcons (16-1) are tied with the New York Giants for the fourth-best odds in the conference.

That speaks to the lack of confidence in Atlanta's defense, but it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see the Falcons lift their second NFC title on Jan. 22.