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As they prepare to enter the 2021 season, the Atlanta Falcons look poorly on the season prior. They finished last in the division in 2020, with an embarrassing 4-12 record. The real reason it looked so bad for them to finish this way is all the talent on the roster.
They had a great receiving group, a couple of good running backs, and a seasoned veteran at quarterback. Usually, this leads a team to, at the bare minimum, a playoff berth. Instead, the Falcons went 0-5 through their first five games, at which point the head coach was fired.
Strangely enough, it wasn’t just former Head Coach Dan Quinn that got the boot. The Falcons organization even moved on from the GM. A few weeks later, they let go of the special teams coach. Raheem Morris was named interim head coach to finish out the season.
He closed the 2020 season with a 4-7 record but wasn’t offered the head coaching position. The Falcons instead hired Arthur Smith to take up the mantle. With nowhere to go but up, the Falcons fly into 2021 with high hopes.
2021 Atlanta Falcons Futures Betting Odds
Atlanta Falcons Super Bowl Champion Odds: +6000
Atlanta Falcons NFC Champion Odds: +2500
Atlanta Falcons Win Totals Odds: Over 7.5 (-105) / Under 7.5 (-125)
Atlanta Falcons NFC South Champion Odds: +900
The Falcons are in a tough division to separate themselves from. Not only do they have to deal with the offensive firepower of the New Orleans Saints, but also the Super Bowl Champions. The Buccaneers likely will have a stronghold on the NFC South until Tom Brady is gone.
Essentially that leaves the Saints, the Falcons, and the Panthers fighting for number two. Where the Falcons play into it is hard to predict, considering they’ll have a new head coach. Arthur Smith is capable of leading the team to success but at what level?
You also have to keep in mind that their quarterback is past his prime. Matt Ryan can’t perform the way he used to, and he lost his best target. This left holes in the offense that just can’t be filled in a single season.
We expected a quarterback to be the Falcons’ first pick in the NFL Draft, but they went a different route. Instead, they selected tight end Kyle Pitts, who’s a great prospect, but they already had Hayden Hurst. Apparently, they figured it was a better idea drafting a tight end instead of a quarterback to learn behind Ryan.
2021 Atlanta Falcons Offseason Grade: C+
Key Additions: (WR, Tajae Sharpe), (TE, Kyle Pitts)
Key Departures: (WR, Julio Jones), (S, Ricardo Allen)
The Atlanta Falcons made waves in the wrong way during the offseason. Instead of finding ways to support the Falcons offense, they crippled it. The loss of Matt Ryan’s best target, Julio Jones, is bound to have a negative effect in 2021. Now, their wide receiver lineup consists of Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage.
In the previous season, the Atlanta Falcons threw, on average, 272.7 yards per game. We expect there will be a significant drop in their average passing yards per game in 2021.
The addition of Kyle Pitts should serve to alleviate some of the passing concerns. However, it isn’t a permanent fix. There are multiple ways to shut down a tight end, and Kyle Pitts will be subject to attention. Tajae Sharpe was a depth addition to the wide receiving corps but likely won’t see much on-field action.
Atlanta Falcons 2021 Preview
The Atlanta Falcons will likely have a similar showing to their 2020 season. This is a team with a brand new coach, moving pieces on offense, and holes on defense. This is a recipe for a team that will struggle through the season. Matt Ryan is heading toward the end of his career and isn’t receiving much support. Overall, a mediocre 2021 is on the horizon for the Atlanta Falcons.
Atlanta Falcons Futures Best Bets
When taking a look at the Atlanta Falcons futures bets, there are a few things you should leave out. Under no circumstances should you select the Atlanta Falcons to win the Super Bowl. The NFC Championship is a long way away for the Falcons so leave them off that ticket. Last but not least, they won’t win the NFC South over the Buccaneers and the Saints.
That leaves their wins total, which is currently at 7.5. After looking at their schedule, we expect the Falcons to go under their win total by two games. This would bring their record to 5-12, similar to the 2020 season.
There just haven’t been enough additions and care taken to the team to make them more successful. Had they found better targets or kept Julio Jones, the record could’ve been better.
