New Faces Finally Elevate Falcons to Legitimate Super Bowl Contender

Quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones represent the best of the Atlanta Falcons, yet they're not the driving force behind the team's 2016 success. 

Center Alex Mack, linebacker Deion Jones, nickel corner Brian Poole, tight end Austin Hooper, safety Keanu Neal and wide receivers Taylor Gabriel and Mohamed Sanu stepped in when the roster needed an infusion of talent. Their combined presence lifted the Falcons from a .500 record to a 10-win playoff-bound squad and a legitimate contender in the NFC.  

With Sunday's 33-16 victory over the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium, the Falcons clinched a playoff berth for the first time in four years. 

In order for a team to reach its true potential, all of the individual pieces must be working toward a common goal and performing at a satisfactory level. A franchise can't just rely on its star players. Those individuals set the tone, but they're incapable of willing an entire NFL team to success. 

Eleven pieces working in cohesion are required to achieve one successful play. That cohesion must be repeated to the best of the team's ability each and every play. 

It's difficult to achieve that level of consistency even with one of the game's best quarterbacks and the league's most physically talented wide receiver. Instead, a true foundation must be built. 

For the Falcons, the building process started in free agency when the team targeted center Alex Mack on the first day of the new league year. The two sides agreed to a five-year, $45 million contract.

In his first season in Atlanta, the center earned his fourth Pro Bowl berth. He's also the focal point of an offense that's scored a franchise-record 502 points. 

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The center's addition became vital for three reasons. 

First, Mack is an ideal fit in offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's zone-heavy scheme. The Cal product's lateral agility and ability to reach the second level are among the league's best. Second, Mack is making all of the line calls. This marks a change from recent years when previous coordinators tasked Ryan with those responsibilities. Finally, Mack has been a massive upgrade over last year's starting center, Mike Person. According to Pro Football Focus, Person graded among the league's worse centers a year ago. Meanwhile, Mack is among the league's best this season. 

With the center setting the tone up front, Ryan can be more relaxed and allow all of the team's skill-position talent to make plays. 

Even after missing the previous two contests, Jones is still ranked among the league leaders with 1,313 receiving yards. But he's getting far more help from the team's other wide receivers. 

Before Sunday's contest, Sanu and Gabriel had already combined for 1,129 yards. Last year's No. 2 and 3 receivers—Roddy White and Leonard Hankerson—posted 833 receiving yards for the entire campaign. 

Gabriel, in particular, proved to be a revelation. After being claimed off waivers early in September, the diminutive yet speedy target quickly re-acclimated himself to Shanahan's scheme after playing for him with the Cleveland Browns. The third-year target recorded a touchdown in four of the last six contests. 

Sanu, another free-agent acquisition, remains a consistent presence opposite Jones. 

At tight end, Hooper didn't play against Carolina, but his presence increased over the course of the season. The Stanford rookie has 19 receptions for 271 yards and three touchdowns. He's the most athletic presence the Falcons have had at the position since Tony Gonzalez retired. 

Defensively, the Falcons are now being led by a pair of rookies. Linebacker Deion Jones and safety Neal are the team's leading tacklers. Deion Jones registered 13 more tackles against the Panthers. 

What makes these two so special is the fact they're opposites. 

Deion Jones is a linebacker who excels dropping into space. Not only does he lead the team in total tackles, but he also leads Atlanta with three interceptions and second with eight pass deflections. This year's second-round pick adds a level of athleticism and dynamism not seen since Keith Brooking roamed the Falcons' second line of defense. 

Like Brooking, Deion Jones is developing into the voice of Atlanta's defense if his tweet from mid-December is any indication: 

On the other hand, Neal is a safety who excels at setting a physical tone against the run. Neal has 101 tackles after Sunday's performance, and he's only missed one all season, per Pro Football Focus. This year's first-round pick isn't just physical; he's also reliable. 

Neal isn't the only first-year defensive back vital to the team's success. 

Undrafted rookie cornerback Brian Poole is already counted among the league's best nickel corners. The Florida product only allows 0.71 yards per coverage snap out of the slot, per Pro Football Focus. Sunday, he snagged his first interception against quarterback Cam Newton and returned the ball 24 yards. The turnover led to three points and gave the Falcons a 10-0 first-quarter lead. 

When those additions are combined with the elevated performance of young players—such as Vic Beasley, Jake Matthews, Tevin Coleman, Robert Alford, Ricardo Allen and Grady Jarrett—a strong, young corps is developing around Atlanta's franchise players. 

"To me, good teams continue to get better as the year goes on," Ryan said after the game, per ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure. 

As a result, far fewer holes can be found within the Falcons roster. Smart offseason moves transformed a sputtering organization into one of the NFC's elite programs. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @brentsobleski.