The Atlanta Falcons may be in the perfect position to sneak up on the league and creep back into the playoffs in 2020. Expectations are low, but with the NFL’s preseason being cancelled and training camp restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the team could be at a big advantage.
The decision to keep head coach Dan Quinn and his staff in place, along with the presence of veterans Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Grady Jarrett should give Atlanta a leg up on any team that made significant changes during the offseason.
Touchdown Wire’s pre-training camp power rankings came out earlier this week, and the Falcons were listed way down at No. 22. Here’s what TD Wire’s Mark Schofield had to say about the Falcons’ ranking:
Prior to the draft it was rumored that the Atlanta Falcons were trying desperately to get into the top of the draft to secure a cornerback, whether Jeff Okudah near the top of the board or C.J. Henderson somewhere near the top ten. When a deal failed to materialize, the Falcons stayed at 16 and drafted Clemson cornerback A.J.Terrell.
Now this pick was viewed as a bit of a reach, but I would posit that is due to recency bias. The lasting image many have of the Clemson DB is of his battle against Ja’Marr Chase in the National Championship Game, where the LSU receiver went off for over 200 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns. Prior to the draft I went back through that game, and you saw a lot of wins by Chase at the catch point, and a game that perhaps looked bad watching live, but was not as awful as many made it out to be.
TD Wire is right regarding the perception around Clemson’s A.J. Terrell. While it was rumored leading up to the draft that the Falcons had interest in Terrell, fans were underwhelmed by the selection. Still, general manager Thomas Dimitroff’s track record of drafting defensive backs is pretty impressive.
Schofield goes on to explain that the competition within the NFC South is the biggest reason for Atlanta’s low ranking. His logic is that although the team has key veterans in place, the arrival of Tom Brady in Tampa Bay could spell doom for the Falcons:
Beyond the Terrell selection, Marlon Davidson can be a nice defender up front with the versatility to play inside or on the edge. Matt Hennessy is a very smart and experienced center, who often gets to two defenders on a single snap. The biggest problem facing Atlanta is not who they drafted this weekend, but the other additions to the NFC South. Namely that Brady guy for starters.
Those who are optimistic about Atlanta in 2020 can point to a few factors. First, they still have Julio Jones, and with Matt Ryan returning to something close to his 2016 form this offense should be improved. In addition, they’ll get Keanu Neal back after the safety has played in just four games over the past two years. That should also help this defense improve from a year ago.
The closer we get to the start of what’s sure to be a unique 2020 season, the more clear it becomes that experience and continuity will be as valuable as ever.
The Falcons are not this year’s preseason media darlings, however, with the addition of veteran CB Darqueze Dennard, there is no reason to believe this team can’t seriously compete for a playoff spot.
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