Is Atlanta Too Low In Power Rankings?
NFL training camps, preseason and roster cuts are in the rearview mirror. Games that count are about to be played. While the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominate the top of most season projections, there are bound to be some surprises this season ... Maybe the Atlanta Falcons are one of them?
What are the projections for the Falcons for the 2021-22 season? The latest power rankings from NFL.com list Atlanta as No. 25.
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Former Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith takes over the Falcons after the team let go of Dan Quinn. Smith ran an extremely proficient offense with star Derrick Henry, but can he do the same for the Falcons' running game and Mike Davis?
For Atlanta, life without Julio Jones begins. Quarterback Matt Ryan won’t have Julio to rely on for the first time in more than a decade.
Enter two reasons for optimism: wide receiver Calvin Ridley and rookie tight end Kyle Pitts. Pitts, the highest-drafted tight end in history, is 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds with sub 4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash. In eight games last season for the Gators, Pitts totaled 43 receptions for 770 yards with 12 touchdowns. Expectations are high for Pitts, who has the seventh-best odds to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (+1100 at FanDuel).
Questions remain about the Falcons' defense that finished 29th overall in the NFL last year. New defensive coordinator Dean Pees hopes to turn that around. Atlanta opens the regular season vs. the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. ET.
Rounding out the NFC South, the high expectations roll on for Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, who take the top spot. The New Orleans Saints are at No. 13 in the post-Drew Brees era and Carolina Panthers sit at No. 27 with new quarterback Sam Darnold.
CONTINUE READING: Falcons Cut, Re-Sign Long Snapper
