Falcons Over / Under Season Wins
Everything went wrong last season for the Atlanta Falcons, who were mired in a 4-12 disaster thanks in large part to injuries and a corresponding lack of depth.
Last year’s Dirty Birds were running on fumes, especially along the offensive and defensive lines. The Falcons hope their focus on firming up the lines will result in a more consistent winner in 2014.
Over Under Lines
- ATLANTA FALCONS
- Head Coach: Mike Smith
- 2013 Record: 4-12
- Over/Under for Wins in 2014: Over 8.5 (-115), Under 8.5 (-115)
Atlanta has possessed the skill-position players necessary to light up a scoreboard for a couple of seasons now, but the amount QB Matt Ryan was constantly under duress made that a moot point.
It’s undeniable that the WR duo of Julio Jones and Roddy White is among the league’s best; if Ryan can remain upright and composed, there’s bound to be some aerial fireworks in the Georgia Dome.
Veteran RB Steven Jackson helps balance the offense, but he’s precisely that – a veteran. He is 31 and perhaps doesn’t have the explosiveness he showed earlier in his career with the Rams.
Ryan passed on over 67% of the offensive plays last season, and the diminished offensive line meant he sustained a ton of punishment, with the turnovers and failures that go along with that.
CLICK to GRAB OUR BEST Expert Sports & Football Picks for 2014 GAMBLING!
With the injuries to Jones and White last year, Harry Douglas emerged as a reliable receiver. He becomes a nice No. 3 target to have with the two big guns back and healthy.
To address the issues, the team drafted OT Jake Matthews from Texas A&M with its sixth pick overall in the Draft. They also jettisoned Todd McClure and Tyson Clabo in the offseason; they believe Pete Konz and Lamar Holmes are ready to take their place and that could be a case of addition-through-subtraction.
[soliloquy id=”82219″]
The D-line was also a mess in ’13. Accordingly, the Falcons acquired DL ‘tweener Tyson Jackson from Kansas City and DT Paul Soliai from the Dolphins in the offseason. In addition to these veterans, Atlanta used its second-round pick on Minnesota DE Ra’Shede Hageman, a player that comes with his challenges but also has a really high ceiling.
The Birds also brought in return-man legend Devin Hester in order to electrify the special teams unit.
If the offensive line can jell and the defensive line can create more pressure, a lot of the problems from last year could mysteriously vanish. Let’s not forget, though, that the Falcons play in the NFC South division with the perennially-strong New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers, last year’s darling and divisional champ.
It still seems like the Falcons are relying upon a re-jigged rather than improved O-line, which is scary for their prospects. Matthews will be a great lineman in the league, but he’s a rookie.
In-house options like Konz, Holmes and Sam Baker could make strides, but they are not without their warts.
The Falcons were used to being a “have” in the NFC, but that changed quickly in 2013. It will be interesting to see how this club bounces back from a lost season.
Still, better luck with health alone will make this team better.
2014 Record Prediction: 8-8
The 2014/15 NFL futures betting season is here in full force! If you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting.
CappersPicks.com has NFL odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find NFL lines up for early games as well.
