Falcons Schedule Top 5 Takeaways: Where Are Primetime Games?
The Atlanta Falcons are just under four months away from kicking off this season, but with their schedule fully released and rookie minicamp and OTAs on the horizon, football feels near.
But let's talk about that schedule for the time being - after all, predictions and analysis will be aplenty in the coming days, and it's one important step closer to the regular season.
CLICK HERE for Atlanta's full schedule.
Dates, times, channels and more are disclosed on the schedule, but there remain several talking points from its intricacies.
With that, here are five takeaways from the Falcons' 2023 schedule ...
Primetime Games Nowhere in Sight
There's perhaps more optimism surrounding the Falcons now than there has been in several years, and for good reason - look at the $200 million spent in free agency and the young core of homegrown offensive talent spearheaded by receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts and running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier.
And yet, no primetime games; no opportunity for the masses to see Atlanta play under the lights.
All but two of the Falcons' games are currently slated to be 1 p.m. Sunday kickoffs - the others are a London contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars and a road matchup with the Arizona Cardinals that'll start just past 1 p.m. local time.
Two games - road affairs with the Carolina Panthers (Week 15) and New Orleans Saints (Week 18) - have yet to be given start times and could be flexed to primetime slots if needed.
In essence, there's only one standalone event on the Falcons' schedule - the Jacksonville game in London that'll start as some are waking up on Sunday morning.
Atlanta believes it can contend for a playoff spot, and the roster has a number of young, ascending players at key positions, making it an intriguing group to monitor.
As such, the lack of a primetime contest is surprising ... but the Falcons still have the opportunity to earn their way under the lights late in the season and into the playoffs.
Favorable Return from London & Bye Week Timing
When the Falcons played the New York Jets in London in 2021, they returned home to their bye week - which came during Week 6.
There was concern that Atlanta would receive similar fate this time around but with heightened consequences, as the trip to London is in Week 4; a bye week thereafter would have the Falcons play 13 consecutive weeks to close the season.
Instead, Atlanta's Week 5 features a home game with the Houston Texans, who finished 3-13-1 last year and will still be finding their rhythm under first-year coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback C.J. Stroud.
The Falcons' bye week comes during Week 11, meaning a seven-game sprint to the finish line that could include their first playoff push since 2017.
By all accounts, a near-midseason bye week is just fine, and considerably better than the alternative post-London option.
Early-Season Stretch Provides Opportunity for Statement
The Falcons open the season at home against the Carolina Panthers, who are expected to roll out No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young at quarterback; catching Young as early as possible is beneficial and Atlanta will likely be favored to start 1-0 by most outlets.
But that game isn't really the biggest challenge early for the Falcons - it's largely just the precursor to a telling three-game stretch that includes a home game versus the Green Bay Packers, road matchup against the Detroit Lions and trip across the pond to play the Jaguars.
It's quite possible all three teams will enter the season with higher projected win totals and more outside buzz, but it's also quite possible the Falcons beat all three, which would send a loud message to the rest of the league.
That being said, the Packers, Lions and Jaguars will likely be in the playoff mix. Each team will provide an early season measuring stick for where the Falcons stand, where they need to improve and how far they have to go.
For better or worse, Atlanta will walk out of that three-game stretch with a better understanding of how it stacks up across the league, making it an intriguing sequence of contests.
Home-Heavy Start Leads to Backloaded Road Finish
With second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder given the reigns to prove he can be the Falcons' long-term solution under center, finding comfort and setting a tone early will be crucial.
Atlanta's schedule lends itself positively to this regard, as four of its first six games will take place inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium - the Panthers, Packers, Texans and Washington Commanders.
Thus, Ridder will get the chance to play in familiar confines early and often, and the Falcons' road trip to Detroit isn't new to him, either - it's where he saw his first live snap as a professional last year in the preseason opener.
However, as is the law of balance, the frequency of home games early leads to a road-filled slate on the back end, with three of Atlanta's final four games being away from home.
The Falcons will travel to face the Panthers before returning home to see the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16, then hit the road for back-to-back games to close the season, matching up with the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints.
By this point, Atlanta will know what it has to do relative to the playoff picture, should it be in the mix - and considering it went 1-7 in road games a season ago, this provides a true juxtaposition to distinguish itself while taking the franchise back to the postseason.
Opposing QB Questions Give Falcons Chance for Hot Start
During the first seven weeks, the Falcons face the following quarterbacks: the Panthers' Young (or veteran Andy Dalton), the Packers' Jordan Love (second career start), the Lions' Jared Goff, the Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence, the Texans' Stroud, the Commanders' Sam Howell and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield (or Kyle Trask).
Lawrence and Goff were Pro Bowlers last year, but after that, the rest of the list includes two rookies (Young and Stroud), two players with one start under their belt (Love and Howell) and Tampa Bay's mix-and-match quarterback room that doesn't exactly rival the league's best.
Of course, the Falcons have quarterback questions of their own with Ridder, a third-round pick who started four games last year and completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 708 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
But if Ridder proves to be a competent option with a strong offensive line, running game and weaponry around him, the Falcons aren't staring down a murderer's row of opposing signal callers, giving new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen a manageable stretch to start his tenure.
So, sure, the Falcons won't enter the season with a guarantee under center ... but fortunately for them, neither will all but two of their opponents, leaving the door open for Atlanta to come out of the gates firing.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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