Atlanta Falcons 2010 NFL Regular Season:Game By Game Analysis

The Atlanta Falcons start their season in Pittsburgh, facing the Steelers without Ben Roethlisberger.

The Steelers are a very ordinary team without Big Ben, and Atlanta should be able to score enough points to win this game while taking advantage of Roethlisberger's absence.

Week Two of the regular season finds the Falcons at home against Arizona getting used to Matt Leinart rather than Kurt Warner. Again, taking advantage of a team undergoing change, the Falcons should win this one, too. 2-0

In Week Three of the NFL 2010 Season, The Birds get a loss in New Orleans, as the Saints are still the team to beat and the road to the Super Bowl may very well pass through New Orleans again. 2-1

A tough old rival shows up next with the Forty-Niners coming to Atlanta. This will be a very good football game with two teams trying to make it to the top of their divisions.

This game will be a tie. 2-1-1

The Falcons next go to Cleveland; beware of this trap game. Still, I will choose Atlanta to escape with a win in the Lebron-less, and utterly depressed, Cleveland Ohio.

The Falcons are 3-1-1 now and that's pretty good.

Week Six finds a tough road game in Philadelphia and this place is tough on visiting teams. The Eagles and a high powered offense overwhelm the Atlanta defense in this one as the Falcons kinda get blown out in this game. 3-2-1

Atlanta can handle the Bengals. Maybe. Good thing this is a home game, as the defending AFC Central Champs make an appearance in Atlanta and win. 3-3-1 is the record now.

Week eight is the bye week, and the record is decent for this point in the season. It could be 4-3 with a win against San Francisco or 5-2 with a win against the Bengals.

To be realistic, we will throw out the tie and the Falcons are a legitimate 4-3 team.

In Week Nine, the Falcons face Tampa Bay in Atlanta and this will be a win. 5-3

Now a very tough foe, and some say Super Bowl contender, comes to town and grabs a win against the Falcons who will struggle at home a bit this season. The Ravens harass Ryan the entire game. 5-4 now .

At this point in the season, indicators conclude the Saints will be at 6-3 to 7-2. Atlanta will set their sights on a wild card spot.

In Week 11 the Falcons travel to St. Louis aware of the fact they need to start a small winning streak to make the play offs comfortably. They get the job done here and now the team is 6-4 in a decent spot.

Week 12 could be a problem as the Green Bay Packers, another NFC powerhouse comes knocking. As I said, the Falcons struggle at home this season, mainly because everyone that visits seems to be a playoff team. 6-5 now.

Week 13. The schedule remains kind as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are next to fall again in order for the Falcons to reach 7-5. So be it!

The Falcons must beat Carolina in the two games, a few week apart. 9-5, now.

 The Falcons can beat Seattle to reach 10-5 and sure be playoff hopefuls.The Saints beat them in the last week and they are still 10-6 and that should be an NFC Wild card.

10-6 is the number for the Falcons this season. If—and this is a big if—the Falcons can somehow beat the Saints just once, that may tie for the division at 11-5.

Twice beating New Orleans and of course the Atlanta Falcons will win the NFC South outright.

This will not happen, however.

I pick the Falcons as a Wild Card entry to the play-offs and an early exit perhaps in the first round against Green Bay, Minnesota, or Dallas.

Good luck to the Falcons, but in reality just a couple players away, and perhaps just one season away from greatness in the very competitive NFL.

Thomas[ NFL Mikee] Moreland