Expectations High For Rejuvenated Falcons

Just a year removed from the Michael Vick saga which crippled the franchise and rankled the fan base, the Atlanta Falcons were one of the biggest surprises during the 2008 season, finishing 11-5 and losing to the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Wild Card round.  

With a first-year head coach, a rookie quarterback, and an aging secondary, the Falcons exceeded expectations—The Sporting News predicted they would finish 1-15—and re-energized a city that had become a national punch line after Vick, the star quarterback, was sentenced to 23 months in prison for his role in a dogfighting conspiracy.  

Now, merely making the playoffs won’t suffice. The Falcons’ aspirations are higher.

Quarterback Matt Ryan, the NFL’s reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, again leads an explosive offensive attack that ranked sixth in the NFL last year, despite a late-season slip in productivity.

Tailback Michael Turner rushed for 1,699 yards on a whopping 376 carries, and head coach Mike Smith has already intimated in preseason interviews that he probably ease his workload.

Expect speedster Jerious Norwood to play a larger role in the offense, providing a nice compliment to the bruising style of Turner, who scored 17 touchdowns in his first season as a full-time starter (he backed up LaDainian Tomlinson for four seasons in San Diego).

Ryan will have a big target over the middle in perennial Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez, who signed a two-year contract during the offseason.

After the Falcons released veteran safety Lawyer Milloy—a popular presence in the locker room, but a liability after being slowed by age and injuries—they will rely heavily on the experience of the 33-year-old Gonzalez.

Entering the offseason, the Falcons looked to revamp their defense after they were torched for 30 points in their opening-round loss to the Cardinals. The lasting images from that game were Milloy’s poor coverage on an eventual touchdown reception and linebacker Keith Brooking’s missed assignment on third-and-long that allowed the Cardinals to effectively run out the clock at the end of the game.

Milloy was released, Brooking traded.  

General manager Thomas Dimitroff upgraded the defensive line by selecting defensive tackle Peria Jerry with the 24th overall pick in April’s NFL draft. The former Ole Miss standout should compete for playing time, and John Abraham and Jamaal Anderson have proved to be one of the top pass-rushing duos in the league.

The Falcons also signed free-agent linebacker Mike Peterson, and will look for more production out of cornerbacks Chris Houston and Dominique Foxworth if they are to improve the NFL's 24th-ranked defense.   

For a team that has been through so much chaos in the past two years, it’s a welcome sign that mediocrity will no longer be acceptable.