Why Falcons Will Miss Playoffs Again, Join NFL 'Purgatory'

The Atlanta Falcons have not been to the playoffs since 2017, a stat they hope to change this season.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 19, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

There's a lot of optimism surrounding the Atlanta Falcons going into the season.

After the team made improvements on both sides of the football, especially on defense, there's reason to believe the Falcons will be better than they were last season. Add the fact that the NFC South appears as wide-open as ever, and Atlanta could end its six-year playoff drought.

However, optimism does not equal results, and Bleacher Report believes the positive moves on paper won't exactly translate on the field, finishing in another failed postseason berth for the Falcons.

"While Atlanta is loaded with rising stars on offense and boasts an improving defense, the lack of star power under center will be this team's undoing," Bleacher Report writes. "Barring a drastic move, the team is in real danger of lingering in the NFL's version of purgatory, faring well enough to miss out on a top pick but not being strong enough to contend for the playoffs."

The Falcons have a lot of faith in second-year pro Desmond Ridder at quarterback, choosing to slot him in as the starter over other potential options the team could have signed in free agency, like Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo or even Lamar Jackson.

Atlanta opted to spend majority of its surplus of cap space on the defense, signing key veterans on all three levels, including Calais Campbell, David Onyemata, Kaden Elliss and Jessie Bates III among others.

The Falcons' moves this offseason indicate that the postseason is their goal, but if that mark isn't accomplished, it could result in some major changes for Atlanta.

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Published Jul 19, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.