3 Reasons the Atlanta Falcons Are the Best Team Nobody Is Talking About

The Atlanta Falcons are not typically the first team that comes to mind when people discuss NFL football.  

They think of those with long, prestigious traditions. They think of teams that have won Super Bowls and have sent numerous players to the Hall of Fame.  

The early favorites to win it all this season are the Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots.  

Well, maybe football fans should start including the Falcons more often. After going 13-3 and becoming NFC South champs, the Falcons are back in 2011 to prove that they can even top their run from last season.   

9 Returning Pro Bowlers

Believe it or not the Falcons had nine Pro Bowlers last season.

Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez, Eric Weems, Brent Grimes, John Abraham, Ovie Mughelli, and Tyson Clabo all went to the Pro Bowl in the 2010 season, and all of them will be back on the field for the Falcons this season.

Eric Weems was just recently signed back to his spot as a return specialist. He will try to bring the same explosiveness he brought last year to this year's special-teams squad. Despite some new changes to the rules of kickoffs, Weems is fully prepared to show his return skills weren't a one-time deal.  

John Abraham will have a new lineman to hopefully attract some attention away from him.

Ray Edwards, who totaled 16.5 sacks in the past two seasons, will hopefully bring even more success to Abraham's heralded career of bringing down QBs.  

You would think that, at the age of 33, John Abraham would have lost a step or two, yet last season he tied his second highest sack total in his 11 years of play.  

He still has the same tenacity that brought him to this level, and he looks to add to the 102.5 career sacks he currently has.  

Matt Ryan and Roddy White arguably are the biggest names in Atlanta. Anywhere you travel, you will see plenty of people wearing Ryan or White jerseys, and for good reason.  

Matt Ryan posted career highs in several categories last season and really impressed fans with the tremendous strides he made.  Not only did he become a Pro Bowl quarterback, but he also showed that he wants to be the leader of the Falcons. The passion and emotion he displayed each game proved that he is stepping up into his role.  

As for White, not one week went by in which he failed to impress his fans. He brought down 115 catches for 1,389 yards, both career highs.  

The chemistry these two have built is thrilling to watch, and we expect it to get only better from here.

I could go on and on about each player the Falcons have and the talents they possess, but all you really need to know is that nine players from the team visited Hawaii last year, and we can expect those same players, along with the other cast of brilliant performers, to put on a show this season.   

Consecutive Winning Seasons

It may not be a well-known fact, but the Atlanta Falcons had never had back-to-back winning seasons until 2009. They went 11-5 in 2008 and proceeded to put up a record of 9-7 the following season.

Now they have accomplished back-to-back-to-back winning seasons as they went 13-3 in 2010.  

This may not be a big deal to other teams; sure, back-to-back winning seasons happen constantly with teams at the top. But the Falcons have really shown that they have turned things around.

After the Mike Vick-Bobby Petrino era, the franchise seemed as though it would forever remain in the doldrums of the NFL. Believe me, I live in Atlanta, and I know how it felt. It was as if the apocalypse was ensuing; surely the entire city would be crumbling down shortly afterward.

Yet the Falcons' fortune changed. They posted a 4-12 record in 2007, the season in which Bobby Petrino left midway through.

The franchise finally became associated with winning the next year. Mike Smith was signed, Matt Ryan was drafted, and thus a new phase began.  

When looking at Atlanta's schedule for the upcoming season, there is no reason to believe they cannot repeat the success of 2010.

Philadelphia and Green Bay visit the Georgia Dome early on, and those will be the biggest tests for Atlanta. The Falcons pulled off a win against the Packers in the 2010 regular season, but we all remember the abysmal performance in the playoffs.  

Atlanta will have a tough road game facing Peyton Manning and the Colts, but other than these three match-ups, the Falcons can honestly win every other game.  

The Saints will bring their A-game like always, but if Ryan and the boys prepare and show up, they can rally to another 13-3 season.  

Management

Arthur Blank is a man who has been extremely successful throughout his career. When he bought the Falcons, he expected to succeed, as well.  

He is getting what he wanted.  

After signing Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff, the Falcons GM, Atlanta has renewed its excitement for football.

Dimitroff has been named NFL Executive of the Year by Sporting News twice in three years and was a major part in the drafting of Matt Ryan, signing of Michael Turner, and handling of many other key acquisitions.  

Mike Smith has tasted ultimate victory once before: He was a part of the 2000 Baltimore Ravens as a defensive assistant when they brought home the Lombardi Trophy.  

Yet, he has never won as a head coach. Of course, the Falcons are the first team that Smith has been the head coach of.

He has taken them to the playoffs twice in three seasons but is still searching for that first playoff victory. After watching the progression of the team the past three years, though, it is hard to believe we are far off from seeing it happen soon.

Atlanta brought in several big names in the offseason.

Julio Jones is the first to come to mind. They gave away so much to get Jones that if he doesn't turn out to be the star they predicted him to be, a riot may ensue. Jones is expected to fit in well, though, so there is no need to worry yet.  

Matt Ryan needed another big target, and the Falcons delivered: Jacquizz Rogers was also drafted. The speedy back will provide some backfield receiving options, as Michael Turner has never been one for catching the ball out of the backfield.  

Overall, the Atlanta Falcons have surprised many with their turnaround since they lost so much in 2007.  

They have proved to be on the right track for years now, and they will be a force to be reckoned with in 2011.