The 2010 Falcons: They’ll win 12 and play for the NFC title
Dunta Robinson: You wanted a cornerback, and here he is. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
For football, June is the silly season. Nothing much is happening, but everybody has an idea what will happen. Here’s where I add to the silliness. Here’s where I tell you why the Falcons will play for the NFC title on Jan. 23, 2011.
1. The NFC South is the league’s most fluid division. Not once in eight tries has it yielded consecutive division winners, not even when the reigning NFC South champ was also the Super Bowl winner. (Tampa Bay went from lifting the Lombardi Trophy in February 2003 to finishing 7-9 ten months later.) This is noteworthy because the New Orleans Saints, as we know, somehow won Super Bowl XLIV.
2. The Saints are vulnerable. They’ve had the usual post-Super round of controversy and then some. A lawsuit (since withdrawn and sent to arbitration) by the team’s former security director accusing Saints staffers of misusing Vicodin. Tight end Jeremy Shockey fainting in the weight room. Safety Darren Sharper getting into a Twitter fight with a former Minnesota teammate. Tackle Jammal Brown and running back Pierre Thomas wanting more money. The Saints weren’t that much better than the Falcons a year ago, and this time they won’t be as good.
3. The defensive upgrade begun in the offseason of 2009 will grow teeth in 2010. The Falcons changed five starters from 2008 to last season, but they didn’t get immediately better at every position. Some of that had to do with injury, and tackle Peria Jerry’s return to health stands to give the D-line a boost. The same should happen in the secondary with the advent of cornerback Dunta Robinson and at linebacker with the addition of Sean Weatherspoon. The Falcons actually nosed upward defensively in 2009 — they finished 21st in total defense, up from 24th in 2008. They should be close to the top 10 this season.
Loading ...4. If 2009 was as bad as it gets for Matt Ryan, the Falcons will be just fine. The quarterback wasn’t awful last season; he just wasn’t quite as precise as he’d been as a rookie. Yes, there were mitigating factors: Michael Turner got hurt and Jerious Norwood stayed hurt and the line didn’t block as well for the run as it had in 2008. But the Falcons’ whole offensive approach seemed a tad off last season. Too many short passes — that’s what happens when you add Tony Gonzalez — and not enough field-stretching. That figures to change in 2010. The Falcons have had a long time to scout themselves and see where they went wrong, and slot receiver Harry Douglas is due to return from knee surgery.
5. That never-consecutive-winning-seasons thing has finally gone away. Even Falcons insiders were of two minds about the much-discussed mark of ignominy: Some didn’t think it was a big deal, and some thought it was the biggest deal going. But now it’s gone, and the Falcons deserve great credit for taking a season going wrong and wringing a 9-7 record out of it. They know now that these coaches are clever enough to have a Plan B — as opposed to Jim Mora and Co. — and that there’s enough talent and resolve on this roster to persevere in the face of injuries and distractions. No, 2009 wasn’t a championship season, but it could well have been the season that prefigures a championship.
Prediction time: The Falcons will go 12-4, will beat Green Bay in the conference semifinals and will play Dallas in Dallas for the NFC title and the right to play in Super Bowl XLV, which is also in … er, Dallas. And how, you’re asking, will the Falcons fare against the Cowboys?
And I say: Let me hold onto a shred of mystery, please. It’s June. I see no reason to offer a prediction on the outcome of the 2011 NFC championship game until at least the Fourth of July.
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June 18th, 2010
6:52 pm
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Whopper Dawg
June 18th, 2010
7:22 pm
Vastly underrating the Saints, who I despise, but they are a very good football team.
OldTimer
June 18th, 2010
7:39 pm
Falcons go the Superbowl courtesy of a botched extra point by the Cowboys.
sayntH8r
June 18th, 2010
7:42 pm
Whopper, you got a crush on R. Bush? The Aint’s will get beat at least five (5) games this year – likely seven (7). Hide & watch.
Somebeach
June 18th, 2010
7:57 pm
15-1 Super Bowl Champs!
Dr.Phil
June 18th, 2010
8:11 pm
What have you been smoking Mark?
Joe Mama Angie Daddy
June 18th, 2010
8:18 pm
Somebeach is crazy
jim
June 18th, 2010
8:38 pm
It is a sad day when someone I once considered a journalist has been reduced to writing crap. Speculation and opinion is not reporting. Blog away Mr. Bradley has you delve further into the realm of who cares?
Joseph Allen McWhorter
June 18th, 2010
8:54 pm
Mark, I have those same expectations for the 2010 Falcons. Only, if they make it to the NFC title game, I hope that game will be played in the Georgia Dome. I can only imagine the amount of electricity and high energy which would be in that place on that Sunday if it materializes in that manner. We will just have to wait and see. I love the Falcons chances. I think their schedule is much easier this year than last.
SB XLV
June 18th, 2010
9:04 pm
OK, IC S.B. XLV, ATL DESTINY. RU WIT ME?
poor QB play 100% PUNK #2
June 18th, 2010
9:53 pm
HOPE HOPE HOPE !! WHEN HE GETS HIT HE WILL TURN INTO THE GREAT PUMPKIN!! RYAN AND BAKER PURE UNCUT PUNKS. THE NFC SOUTH KNOWS HE IS A PUNK WATCH WHEN HE GET HIT!!!
FALCONS SORRY
June 18th, 2010
9:58 pm
aint no way teh Flacons win the supper bowl!!!111 Damn trayters!!
Plus I herd Matt Ryan has a small pecker. Good luck with that!
gcs
June 18th, 2010
10:23 pm
Damn straight!
.
Ken Strickland
June 18th, 2010
10:38 pm
WHOPPER DAWG-you’re right, the Saints are a very good team. There were a number of teams better than the Saints, just not as lucky, that didn’t make it to the Super Bowl. There was one team that was better that made it to the Super Bowl that didn’t win it. The Saints relied almost exclusively on their OFF, luck, and some DEF players having career, or near career performances last yr.
Even with that, their DEF ranked a pitiful 25th overall, and they haven’t done a single thing to upgrade it. That is unless you consider replacing one past his prime 9yr vet DE CGrant(44TT’s, 5.5sacks, 1PD) with another past his prime 9yr vet ABrown(48TT’s, 6sacks, 2PD), and OLB SJrjita with UFA backup OLB Jo-Lon Dunbar.
In the 1st gm againat them, which was an 8pt loss, JElam missed 2 easy FG’s, and MTurner burned their DEF for 151yds. In the 2nd gm, our OFF was missing the starting RB, QB, RG and LT, yet Redmon still torched their DEF for 303yds passing on 23/34. Their OFF can’t get any better than #1 this yr, and they certainly won’t catch anyone by surprise like last yr.
With the changes, improvements and added depth, our OFF and DEF, especially our DEF, will be a whole lot better this yr. The changes to their OFF and DEF won’t make them any better. They’ll be hard pressed to split with us this yr. Without the luck they experienced last yr, and with that weak DEF, they’ll revert back to the ‘AINTS of old.
girl know better than you
June 18th, 2010
10:45 pm
sorry Mark, but once again your wrong..the only team in Atlanta playing for the title again will be Georgia Tech and the true dreadlock kid is Anthony Allen…..too bad too sad for all the inbred dogpoops and falcons hopefuls
FalconsFan284
June 18th, 2010
11:10 pm
Ken—-I agree with you whole heartedly!
falcon4ever
June 18th, 2010
11:37 pm
I’ve been reading alot of nonsense from 2 of you in particular. I want the Super Bowl as much as you do but you must realize these other teams are not gonna roll over and give it to us .Despite what you say about our NFC South rival , they are a formidable team as we and the rest of the NFL found out last year. Eveyone took them for granted but Dallas and they won it all and now you are taking them and all the other teams on our schedule for granted. Sounds like the same old stuff as last year and the year before that and the year before that. Optimism is good but who’s to say we won’t be sitting here in Dec. wondering what went wrong again and passing the buck to everybody and everything
falcon4ever
June 18th, 2010
11:50 pm
Maybe I can put it better this way. The Bears,Giants,Steelers,BRONCOS,Dolphins and Cowboys can talk trash because they have earned it. In 40 + years we’ve lost a Super Bowl and had 2 winning seasons in a row. Thats our claim to fame so when I hear guys like y’all talking trash , thats all it is -TRASH !
FalconsFan284
June 19th, 2010
1:35 am
4ever—-Please don’t bother addressing anything I write as I am not interested unless you have something to add to the conversation and fact to back it up. If you insist on insulting people I will report you.
Cowboys—-1 playoff win in the last decade and are also not on this seasons schedule so it is rather hard for people to take them for granted in regaurd to the Falcons but good try
Dolphins—-last championship 1977, I think. We don’t play them either
Broncos—-2-4 or 2-3 in the Super Bowl, including a win against the Falcons. Another team we don’t play this year
Bears—-last championship 1985
Giants and Steelers—–no argument have been consistently good for the last two decades! Some down years but overall consistent. OMG!!!!! We do actually play the Steelers in week one and without their starting quarterback!!!!! I believe most people would have that game leaning towards the Falcons due to that one little fact you seemingly overlooked!
Patriots—-you didn’t mention them but they have been great for a decade and also, a team we do not play
San Fransisco—-4 SB titles and a 45-10 drubbing by the Falcons due to their weak pass rush and questionable secondary
Colts—-consistently good since they drafted Peyton Manning and, again, not a team we play. I know you didn’t put them in your response but how could you have left them out? Did you not watch the Super Bowl?
Atlanta—-two years since drafting Matt Ryan and been consistently good! That’s a little something you should have been able to, I’ll leave it right there because I’ve learned that some people like it when they can’t complete a thought.
Arizona—–consistently inconsistent due to high powered offense and poor defense; see 2008 and 2009 teams for definition. We play them early this year and Matt Lienhert is their new starting quarterback. He also has a lifetime win percentage of less then 50%!
New Orleans—-consistently inconsistent due to high powered offense and poor defense; see 2009 and 2010 teams for definition!!!! 11-5, 7-9, 8-8, 13-3 in the last four regular seasons with a defense that has consistently been ranked at between 21st and 27th in the league.
falcon4ever—-I hope that clears it up for you and, unlike certain people, I didn’t even have to insult you or question your integrity, intelligence, football knowledge, family or admit that I don’t like boring people that offer nothing to a conversation except the same trash they accuse others of performing! Please, clean up the way you speak to others as someone may find it offensive!!!! Or laugh at you!
crymeariver
June 19th, 2010
1:40 am
The saints have a really good QB and some good receivers that played way over their heads last.
Other than that, the saints aren’t really all that much.
The Falcons are a lot better team.
crymeariver
June 19th, 2010
1:41 am
and dat be’s dat.
Atlanta Falcons Talk » Blog Archive » The 2010 Falcons: They’ll win 12 and play for the NFC title
June 19th, 2010
1:57 am
[...] http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2010/06/18/the-2010-falcons-theyll-win-12-and-play-for-the-nf... [...]
GaBroncoFan
June 19th, 2010
4:27 am
Big talk for a franchise that hasn’t done jacksh!t in their 40+ years of existence!
GaBroncoFan
June 19th, 2010
4:37 am
Oh, by the way, FalconsFan284 is a total moron…keep talking big. It hasn’t gotten you pathetic Falcon fans anything for 40+ years. I highly doubt this year will be any different. Face the sad truth. Yours will always be a lowly and under-performing franchise. Shut the f**k up till you actually win a SB, losers!!
DaLateEdMcMahon
June 19th, 2010
4:43 am
Mark, you are incorrect, sir! Heyyyyooooo!!!
George
June 19th, 2010
6:39 am
Thank goodness for the mighty colon used in your title!!
crymeariver
June 19th, 2010
8:47 am
Big talk from a fan for a Denver team on it’s way down, about a Ga. team on it’s way up.
NFL News and Notes – June 19, 2010 | The Other 31
June 19th, 2010
8:50 am
[...] Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution thinks the Atlanta Falcons will play to represent the NFC in Super Bowl [...]
tdawg in Stockbridge
June 19th, 2010
9:02 am
Bradley picks Badley…The Falcons are doomed! Please stop with the Bradley jinx.
falcon4ever
June 19th, 2010
9:05 am
Falcons Fan284- Who and What are you talking about ? Why are you addressing me? i’ve not mentioned your name untill now nor did I insult you. Please re-read and you’ll Plainly see that I called no-one out in particular . If ,though, I have offended you , you must be overly sensative for some reason and should ease up a bit.
falcon4ever
June 19th, 2010
9:25 am
@ FalconFan284 – This WILL be my last post to you .GaBroncoFan did call you out by name. Maybe you should address him. Also, These blogs are for fun and opinion . Mr. Bradely has not put you in charge of deciding who can think what. In the future please try to remember that there are other opinions and thoughts that vary from yours. If you were the final authority that would be one thing but we should all thank God your not. Now I’m done with you as I’m sure others are also!
Dirty BIRD
June 19th, 2010
9:55 am
NO YOU HAVE ME WORRIED MARK…YOU ARE NEVER RIGHT!!! PLEASE PICK SOMEONE ELSE>>>PLEASE
Joe
June 19th, 2010
10:26 am
What a joke….stop smokin’ that cracka jack
FEATHEREDFRIEND
June 19th, 2010
10:53 am
14-2 14-2 14-2 Flyin’ High Again— Yeah C’mon–Somebody but me has gotta BEEEEELEEEEEEVEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
Ken Strickland
June 19th, 2010
10:58 am
GABRONCOFAN-you can always tell when an ignorant loudmouth fan of another team is reaching for straws. You make the past history of the Falcons an issue without stopping to look at the current history of inconsistency your own team has experienced since QB John Elway retired.
1998 14-2 and Super Bowl Champs.
1999 6-10
2000 11-5
2001 8-8
2002 9-7
2003 10-6
2004 10-6
2005 13-3
2006 9-7
2007 7-9
2008 8-8
2009 8-8 after winning their 1st 6gms.
Since QB John Elway retired, your beloved Broncos have been a model of inconsistency and have been treading water, with 9-7 being their best season in the last 4yrs. Maybe you need to tape your ANUS up so we won’t have to hear anymore of your verbal stench.
Ken Strickland
June 19th, 2010
11:05 am
Oh, one more thing GABRONCOFAN, I’ll bet the Falcons have a better team, a better winning record, make the playoffs and go a whole lot farther than the lowly Broncos this yr. You’re hurting at QB and you’ve lost your best WR, SO GOOD LUCK SUCKA!
Mark is dreaming
June 19th, 2010
11:09 am
Dream on people the Foulclowns aren’t going anywhere
FalconsFan284
June 19th, 2010
11:20 am
4ever—–First off I was simply asking that you add to a football conversation. I’ve noticed, and I’m sure others have as well, that you have a proclivity for making insulting comments about people, either in general or directly, but not talk about football. This is a messaging board that is meant for football discussion.
Secondly, one of the few times you have given football related materials, I stated my opinion and backed it up with fact! See, that is called a discussion. Do you know what discussion means boys and girls? I don’t think you do! I even asked for you not to address me because I knew you would try to make it the same kind of personal “Whoa as me” BS that you repeatedly fall back upon. You’ve proven me to be 100% correct. You tried to insult me but, fortunately, I really don’t care what you think of me! Plus, you added nothing, zilch, nada, zero, a goose egg when it comes to the football discussion. If my writing down a list of teams, that you gave to us all, and giving my opinion as to why I don’t believe they have the right to talk trash, as you put it, has offended you and your simple nature then I’m sorry. Let me say that again and see if it sounds right the second time around. I’m sorry, 4ever, that I asked you to talk about football, give facts about your opinion and not insult people. Why don’t you look at what I had written, read it and try to comprehend it, find some area of fault and give an honest, uninsulting, informative and factual response? Also, if I have said something wrong about any of the teams mentioned above then please correct me.
FalconsFan284
June 19th, 2010
11:25 am
Ken——LOL! The insults are a bit much but the Broncos record does speak for itself.
Broncofan—-Say what you want about me but please try to keep it about something I said wrong in regard to football. I’m not going to attack you, as you’ve attacked me, this time but please keep it to a football related or I will report you. If I said something wrong about the Broncos then correct me. It’s that simple and it opens up discussion.
Jay
June 19th, 2010
11:34 am
“The Saints weren’t that much better than the Falcons a year ago”
This is where you confirmed for us that you are a huge homer.
falcon4ever
June 19th, 2010
11:41 am
@ Falcons Fan 284- I’m going back on my word not to address you . Show where and when I insulted you on this posting and I will say I’m sorry. I’m not required to back up everything with facts as I’m allowed to have an opinion. Here is a fact since you require one. Have you ever been promoted or given a pay raise based soley on what you say you are going to do in the future? I think not. Rather, people are given accolades , praises , pay raises or whatever based on past accomplishments. That was the point I was trying to convey to others here. Our Falcons Fans are good ones but I don’t have to jump on the “we’re gonna go to the nfc championship game” bandwagon if , by past experience, i choose not to . I f you find it insulting that I don’t agree with you then that is your problem not mine. I want our Falcons to win but due to our past history , I will not be saying they are the best untill that can be backed up by fact. History is our teacher, the future are our dreams.
FEATHEREDFRIEND
June 19th, 2010
12:18 pm
None of you so called fanatics are on board with me ? Great, but we win it all I suspect the wagon will be overflowing with NEW Falcons fans claiming they knew it all along. 14-2—-14-2—-14-2 WOOOOO… Flyin’ High Again… Falconfan284 leave it alone-your making yor point and it ‘aint flattering to ya!
FalconsFan284
June 19th, 2010
12:25 pm
4ever—-Again I did not say you insulted me. I said, and very plainly, that you continuously offer little opinion about football but do take the time to address other respondents in general or directly in insulting ways. I can see that I again insulted or offended you by asking you to discuss football. I’m sorry again. I should know better.
Now, to your charge of whether I have ever received a pay raise or promotion about what I’ve said I will do in the future, the answer is yes. Every time I have received a promotion or pay raise it has always been based on future production. Sure, they consider my past but they have also listened to my plan for the future. What I intend to do. How I’m going to get there. My production projections based on a number of future factors I believe will come into play. Perhaps, you’ve never written a business plan but those are all based on future projections. It’s what I do for a living!
Every big business uses projections. They look for trends based on similar products, people or factors. You seem to think that I am underestimating the Saints or Panthers or Cowboys or etc. however what I’ve done is project what each of these teams will do based on a number of factors. I looked at their draft, areas of need, offseason acquisitions, management structure, off field incidents, depth, schedule, play calling and likelihood of injury. Based on those factors, I formulated an opinion about the Atlanta Falcons, and the entire NFL for that matter, for the upcoming season. Again, projections are what I do for a living! Your belief that people are only promoted or given a pay raise based on past production is a bit naive.
Sure, there are jobs out there where people get pay raises based on being with the company for a yerar or a number of years. However, even in these businesses the largerest raises are given to employees that not only bring past production to the team but also a projection on their future production.
I do find it interesting that you keep saying I want you or anyone else to only agree with me. Yet, I welcome people with different opinions into the discussion so that we can have a discussion. Share different points of view as I believe that is the best way for me to adjust my projections, if needed. We can argue those points back and forth but I never once told anyone they had to agree with me! I am an optimist and you are a pessimist but that doesn’t mean we have to agree. At the end of the day, this is all just speculation. My speculation just happens to be informative and designed to open up discussion. Yours tends to be personal. Funny that you say I’m the overly sensitive one when, I asked you to discuss football and not insult anyone, it’s you that is taking it all personally. Look, I’m even laughing. LOL!
FalconsFan284
June 19th, 2010
12:27 pm
Feathered—–It’s not that I don’t believe the Falcons can’t go 14-2 but as we discussed yesterday I think there are a few teams, on the schedule, that are just a little bit better.
FEATHEREDFRIEND
June 19th, 2010
12:45 pm
Agreed Falcons Fan284 . Theres a possibility they lose to Green Bay in the NFC Championship game [falcon4ever]. But you gotta BEEEEEEEEEELEEEEEEEEEEEVEEEEEEE!!!!!! Flyin’ High Again
FalconsFan284
June 19th, 2010
12:49 pm
Feathered—-I like your enthusiasm!!!!
falcon4ever
June 19th, 2010
12:54 pm
Well said Falconsfan 284- I stand corrected. Being a Falcons fan has perhaps made me a pessimist and my projections from them based on past history is not the Super Bowl this year. I’m glad you are able to put a business plan together , maybe you could share it with the Falcons staff.{lol}. Anyway, in my world it’s a what have you done for me lately thing so I guess thats where we differ in thoughts. Keep up the optimism and no hard feelings I hope
falcon4ever
June 19th, 2010
12:55 pm
Very funny Featheredfriend but we’ll see
FalconsFan284
June 19th, 2010
1:02 pm
4 ever—-As long as we discuss football then all is good. I did do a bit of conculting, for the Falcons, in the early 90’s and have loved the team ever since. I even like Jerry Glanville.
JohnnyB
June 19th, 2010
1:19 pm
You’re a little bit of a homer if you think the Saints were only “slightly” better than the Falcons last year. Everyone knows division games are more intense, and for some reason are a lot closer than they should be. Despite the difference in their records to show how better the Saints were to the Falcons, there are a few facts that determine how much better they were: 1) the Saints dealt with injuries too and they still won. Injuries are pretty much a given, so don’t expect no one to get injured. That’s virtually impossible. 2) the Saints won the Super Bowl and defeated 5 SB MVP QBs, 3 of which were in the playoffs. That didn’t happen previously in the history of the NFL and I don’t think the Falcons could have done it.
So, before you guys go ordering your NFC South champ rings, you better hope your depth can handle the load it will certainly be asked to carry at some point in the season.