Falcons 2022 Season: What Are The Odds?
With free agency, the NFL draft and OTAs in the rear view mirror, rosters around the league are beginning to take shape. For oddsmakers, that means it’s time to assess where each team stands entering the 2022 season.
As things stand in mid-June, the odds aren’t in favor of the Atlanta Falcons, according to WynnBET’s projections. The website has set a low bar for Atlanta:
- To Win Super Bowl: +20000
- To Win NFC: +10000
- To Win NFC South: +1500
- Win Total: 4.5 (Over -105/Under -105)
Last season, the Falcons seemingly outperformed preseason expectations by posting a 7-10 record in head coach Arthur Smith’s first season, but the team’s preseason over/under win total was 7.5.
Atlanta’s significant drop in projected wins stems from the losses of quarterback Matt Ryan (traded to Indianapolis) and receiver Calvin Ridley (suspended). The Falcons are now faced with a quarterback battle between veteran Marcus Mariota, who hasn’t started a game since 2019, and rookie third-rounder Desmond Ridder.
At receiver, Atlanta’s top option is rookie Drake London, whom the team drafted No. 8 overall. The Falcons also added Bryan Edwards from the Las Vegas Raiders among several other depth pieces.
Based off of 2021 records, the Falcons face the ninth-hardest schedule in the league. So, for a team that went 7-10 last season and is now tasked with replacing two of its best offensive players, the 4.5 projected wins mark feels fair.
For the Falcons to outperform expectations, they’ll need their two quarterbacks to get up to speed quickly, and execute the offense in the manner Smith wants. Neither are expected to elevate the offense around them, but simply keeping the unit on schedule gives the team a chance.
While the odds certainly aren’t promising, there’s a reason these are simply projections, and with Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot stating that the final roster currently isn’t in the building, there’s still plenty to sort out before the 2022 season kicks off.
