Atlanta Falcons: Consistency Will Help Team Win the NFC South in 2012

Consistency is the most important factor in winning championships in the NFL today. The Atlanta Falcons are a team that has brought in one big free agent every year and at least one starter through the draft. However, this year that should change as the Falcons will be bringing back 21 out of their 22 base starters from last year (the exception being MLB Curtis Lofton) and almost every key contributor is coming back.

Last season, the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants both used a formula of acquiring role-playing free agents and building through the draft to earn the best regular-season record (in the case of the Packers) and win the Super Bowl (in the case of the Giants). The Giants and Packers have multiple qualities in common.

Outside of each team winning a Super Bowl in the last two years, the Giants and Packers have innately aggressive offensive and defensive schemes that match their talent perfectly and similar strategies as far as team building is concerned.

The Packers used the formula of re-signing their own and drafting well in the 2011 offseason, something the Falcons have been focusing on doing this offseason rather than going out and getting another big free agent again. This focus may dismay many fans but it seems to be a good plan considering it has worked for the Packers and Giants.

Consistency is the key ingredient leading to the improvement for those teams from average records to winning the Super Bowl.

By returning the entire starting offense, but changing the scheme, the Falcons have decided that the talent they have is good enough to win a Super Bowl. However, the new scheme will have to find a way to integrate the talents they have in Julio Jones, Roddy White, Harry Douglas, Tony Gonzalez, Jacquizz Rodgers, and of course, Matt Ryan.

By allowing the entire team a full offseason together again with all of the players and coaches, the team will be able to develop true chemistry. The Falcons did bring in a pair of free agents, but both players, OG Vince Manuwai and MLB Lofa Tatupu, were out of football last year and are team-first role players who will compete for a starting spot.

Chemistry between Ryan and Jones will only improve with the added reps from this offseason and the new scheme with offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter that will emphasize the strengths of the Falcons offense. There is a question of offensive line talent, but the Falcons can upgrade their holes through the draft like the great teams do.

On defense, the Falcons have kept 10 of their 11 starters, and while losing Lofton will hurt, the team will manage with the pairing of Akeem Dent and Tatupu at the middle linebacker spot. Mike Nolan comes in this year to bring some aggression to a scheme with talented players who have underachieved in Brian VanGorder’s old scheme.

By allowing Ray Edwards, John Abraham, and the rest of the defensive lineman to come back, the team has built a unit that has three years together and has only improved in its pass rush. Under Nolan’s guidance, the Falcons should be near the top in pass rushing this year despite not adding any players.

The issues of player development always center around coaching, but by keeping a team together it keeps the aura of a winning team intact and helps improve the development of the players. The consistency of the Falcons will only lead to a better team in 2012.

With the New Orleans Saints in turmoil and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers bringing in multiple high-profile free agents, the Falcons stand the best chance to win the NFC South in 2012.

Consistency will lead to Falcons victories this year and all they need to do is use the chemistry built over the past four years and the team could go farther than ever.