Ryan, Gonzalez and Abraham to Lead Falcons to Winning '09 Season

If it isn’t broke don’t fix it. It’s an old adage that I’m sure we’ve all heard many times over. It applies to vehicles, appliances and maybe even tried and tested gambling traditions. But I don’t think it applies to football.

The 2008 Atlanta Falcons had what I would call an unexpectedly great season. They trudged through the radiating difficulties of star quarterback Michael Vick’s imprisonment and the loss of some key players in Warrick Dunn, Alge Crumpler, and DeAngelo Hall. Add to that an unlikely rookie QB in Matt Ryan coupled with a rookie head coach in Mike Smith, and that might be enough to send even the most loyal of fans into hiding.

Somehow though, the Falcons managed to pull off not only an exciting season, but also a winning one. 11 regular season wins and a trip to the playoffs was their reward to loyal fans—and we ate it up.

But just because the birds did well in ’08 does not mean there isn’t work to be done for another over-the-top season in 2009.

With last year’s momentum still going strong, Falcons fans everywhere are geared-up to see how the dirty birds fare in the upcoming season. The Falcons have never had back-to-back winning seasons, but this might just be the year for them to pull it off.

Ryan was a strong leader in 2008, stepping up from his role at Boston College to fill the lacking position with the Falcons franchise. If Ryan can build on his skill set and maintain his ability to operate with grace under pressure, he will continue to be a success in heading the Falcons offence down the field. My biggest desire is to continue seeing Ryan run the ball when he gets the chance. Ryan can only improve as he tightens the bonds with his teammates and coaches, building on an already strong—if young—foundation.

The addition of tight end Tony Gonzalez to the roster will also help to build the Falcons’ passing game. Heading into his thirteenth season, Gonzalez has both the talent and the experience to create opportunities on the field. This position once filled by Crumpler could be key—if Gonzalez and Ryan can get into a groove like Cowboys Tony Romo and Jason Whitten, I predict another record year for Gonzalez and the Falcons on a whole.

Defensively, the Falcons were a fairly young team last year and that showed with their 24th place overall ranking during the regular season. In order to have another winning season this year, the birds have to focus on creating solid defensive plays in order to stop their opponents and capitalize on their offensive slip-ups.

While they did place second in their NFC South divisions in the ’08 season, they’ll need to keep in mind that all three of their division mates—Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints—have better defenses, at least on paper. This may be the Falcons’ breaking point for the 2009 year if they are unable to create a consistent way to keep the opposition from scoring.

Veteran defensive end John Abraham ravaged opposing quarterbacks with a career high 16.5 sacks throughout 2008. With Jamaal Anderson and Erik Coleman’s consistent ability to make the tackle, as well as some other players putting up decent numbers the Falcons do have a few defensive players they can rely on, and potentially build upon.

The loss of linebacker Keith Brooking will be felt though. Brooking has been a strong presence on the Falcons defense for years, and his move to Dallas means the Falcons will likely feel the large gap left in their on again-of again defense.

In spite of potential uphill battles, the Falcons have the chance to bond as a team and develop the maturity that can only come from experience in the game. And while they may be young, this franchise has the talent on the field and the coaching staff to go the distance in 2009 and see the post-season once again.