Talons Out: The Best Atlanta Falcons Teams From 1966-2008

As indecisive as it may seem to not limit my choice to just one, as a lifelong Atlanta Falcon fan, there are two seasons that stand out as the best, or as my favorite, in franchise history.

The first of the two, the 1980 squad, gave Atlanta its first division championship, while the other took the field just last year and entirely changed the culture of an organization and a city.

In 1980, the fan base had no idea what to expect. The team had made its first postseason appearance in 1978, but fell far short of that perch in '79, finishing a disappointing 6-10.

Seemingly, however, the team's wealth of talent met face-to-face with expectation the following season as the it rocketed to a 12-4 campaign and the NFC West crown.

Spearheading the charge was a well balanced offense led by QB Steve Bartkowski.

The ground game was in great hands with second year RB William Andrews, who accrued more than 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving, while the passing game was buoyed by a trio of fine receivers sparked by All-Pro WR Alfred Jenkins and rookie TE Junior Miller.

Defensively, the team was laden with rookies, but nevertheless made enough plays to win nine of its final 10 regular season games.

A disappointing loss to Dallas in the divisional round still did not remove the luster from what was the most talented squad the team has ever had.

Last year is a favorite for a different reason.

The Falcons were truly the NFL's lost franchise; the whole Michael Vick fiasco had not only divided the team, but cut even more deeply into its wavering fan base.

Then out of nowhere, behind a rookie QB starting in a league in which rookies under center are expected to fail, the next great ray of hope came to professional football in Atlanta. 

What the 2008 season convinced me of, more than anything, is that teams in the NFL win just as much based on attitude than on talent.

The 2008 Falcons were, in all honesty, one of the least talented teams in the league, yet behind a change in attitude—brought on by new Head Coach Mike Smith—the Falcons rose from their own ashes to dash to an 11-5 record.

But in the end, the 2008 could have finished 8-8 and still ranked as a favorite. It changed not only the fortunes of the franchise, but more importantly the culture of a deeply divided city.