Progress can be tough to measure when you’re losing football games, and the Falcons have been losing for a while. The last time Atlanta had a winning record at any point in the season was back in 2017 when the team was bounced from the playoffs by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Since that loss, the Falcons have gotten to the .500 mark multiple times, but they’ve been unable to get over the hump. The team hasn’t even won a season-opener in the last five years.
However, these past results aren’t stopping new Falcons defensive lineman Calais Campbell from having high expectations for the team in 2023. The six-time Pro Bowler is buying into what head coach Arthur Smith has been building.
“I really liked his vision for the team,” Campbell told Falcons reporters on Monday. “I really thought he had a great game plan for where the team is at right now and where it’s going, and I really feel like that’s gonna surprise a lot of people this year. This team’s gonna be a very competitive, tough team that’ll win a lot of ball games.”
Another thing that sold Campbell on coming to Atlanta was playing a true defensive end role, as opposed to playing more on the interior. The Falcons signed David Onyemata in free agency and Eddie Goldman came out of retirement to play alongside Grady Jarrett up front.
Campbell also was excited about playing in a wide-open NFC South. Buccaneers QB Tom Brady finally retired and the Panthers will likely be starting a rookie under center this season.
“This team plays in a division that I feel like is wide open,” Campbell explained. “They play in a conference that I feel like is just, you get to the playoffs, it’s your No. 1 goal, and once you get to the playoffs, it’s anybody’s ball game. Especially a team that plays good defense and runs the ball. That’s playoff football.”
Campbell believes this Falcons team can make a deep playoff run if second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder takes that next step in 2023.
“I feel like this team definitely has that. I feel like if Ridder continues to develop and be who I think he can be, I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re playing late in January and potentially February.”
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