Falcons Eliminated from Playoffs: 5 Takeaways From Disappointing Season
Atlanta Falcons fans rejoice the regular season is over, and so is your regularly scheduled Sunday heartbreak.
With that being said, let's take a look at some of the biggest takeaways from the Falcons this past NFL season.
It was another frustrating season for the Atlanta Falcons.
Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Jessie Bates Was A Great Addition
Let's start with a positive: Atlanta nailed free agency when they spent big and brought in safety Jessie Bates III.
The former Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro had statistically the most dominant individual season of his career.
Bates making his first Pro Bowl in year one was a tremendous accomplishment, as he should be able to continue thriving in the prime years of his career and be the alpha of the Falcons' defense for years to come.
Although the defense still has a ways to go before it can be considered elite as a whole, Atlanta got a good one when they signed Bates, a truly elite safety, as proven by his six interceptions and three forced fumbles in 2023.
Coaching Was A Problem
Falcons head coach Arthur Smith went 7-10 in each of his three seasons with the organization. Something that quite simply wasn't getting the job done.
Despite Smith's beloved personality in the locker room amongst players, some of his decisions on the field seemed to hamper the team's success, most notably his refusal to center his offense around the team's playmakers that the franchise invested his draft capital into just to watch be used as decoys more often than not.
Following Sunday's embarrassing loss, Smith was fired, which means that there's at least hope of greener pastures in 2024.
We Have the Skill
Speaking of the team's offensive playmakers, Atlanta's offense is littered with young talent that should be able to thrive if used properly by the next coaching staff.
For the past three NFL Drafts, the Falcons have invested in selecting premier talents such as tight end Kyle Pitts, wide receiver Drake London, and running back Bijan Robinson.
All three playmakers have shown flashes of top-tier NFL potential, whether it be London's ridiculously strong hands in contested catch situations, Pitts' alien-like ability to absolutely take the top off defenses despite being a massive target, or Robinson's video game-like abilities on the field that created viral NFL highlights.
Next season, Atlanta will legitimately have the talent to be one of the top offenses in the NFL, so long as they have a coach using the team properly and a quarterback feeding them.
Was Drafting Bijan Robinson a Mistake?
Speaking of quarterbacks, people often equate drafting in the top 10 to mean that you're essentially a lock to draft a signal caller or at least be in need of one, yet last season, the Falcons turned heads by drafting a running back instead.
Robinson proved himself to be one of the top five most talented rushers in year one, but was he worth the No. 8 pick that Atlanta used on him?
The Falcons' do-it-all offensive weapon put up 1,463 yards from scrimmage (tenth best in the NFL) and had eight touchdowns while proving himself to be one of the best-receiving backs in the entire league.
To any skeptics that wanted the Falcons to reach on a quarterback such as Will Levis, who was widely mocked to be a first-round draft selection but fell to the Tennessee Titans in the second round, it was obvious that he wasn't the same caliber of player that Robinson is as he posted a 3-6 record in his rookie season and had a completion percentage around 58 percent.
So, although controversial at the time, Atlanta made the right decision by taking the best NFL talent available regardless of his position rather than taking a quarterback based on need.
Atlanta is Next Up in the Division, Crucial Offseason Incoming
With that being said, the time is now for the Falcons. This past season, the NFC South lacked a true elite team. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a great Super Bowl team back in 2020, but they seem as though they're beginning to age out of contention as they have struggled the past two seasons. The same goes for the New Orleans Saints, who weren't the dominant team many projected when the team landed Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Carr.
That leaves Atlanta and the Carolina Panthers as the up-and-comers in the division, but year one of the Bryce Young era ended with two wins, showing they're far off from winning the division.
As for the Falcons, the team looks like it's a quarterback away. Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke both started this season; they were also both benched multiple times this season. Quarterback turnovers were an issue regardless of who the team deployed.
The Falcons will have a legitimate chance to win the NFC South and make some noise in the playoffs if the team can nail this offseason by landing a good head coach and a quarterback who can be relied upon for more than just turnovers.
Whether it be signing a veteran like Russell Wilson, trading for a quarterback like Justin Fields, or using the eighth overall pick (yes, No. 8 for the third straight season, 10-7 will do that) on a college quarterback such as Jayden Daniels, this team has all the potential to be the next NFC South powerhouse; it just needs to nail this offseason.
