2009 Will Be A Tough Year For The Atlanta Falcons

One that will surely test our mettle as a good team. We’re coming off of 11 wins and a valiant effort against the Super Bowl-bound Arizona Cardinals.

We’re going to be facing a possibly Andy Reid-less Eagles, a Patriots team that has its star QB back, and a Cowboys team that could possibly be good (just depends on who’s at the helm). Believe it or not, I actually feel more confident about our Division games than our Conference or Non-Conference games this season.

Factors I’m taking into consideration:
Matt Ryan will be better.
We will bolster our defense in the draft and free agency.
We went 7-1 at home in 2008.
We have a little trouble on the road in hostile environments.

Here’s my rundown:

Tampa Bay @ Home: W
New Orleans @ Home: W
Carolina @ Home: W
@ Tampa: W
@ New Orleans: L
@ Carolina: L
Philly @ Home: W (revenge!)
@ Dallas: L
Washington @ Home: W
@ NYG: L
Buffalo @ Home: W
@ New England: L
Miami @ Home: W
@ NYJ: W
Chicago @ Home: W
@ San Fran: W

Predicted End of Season record: 11-5

Iffy Wins: Chi-Town @ Home, @ NYJ, @ Tampa W, Philly @ Home
Iffy Losses: @ NYG (I honestly believe we can come up with a game plan to win), @ Carolina, @ NO, @ Dallas

Playoffs? Let’s just get that first-ever back-to-back winning seasons.

I’ve probably been around longer than most of you.

I remember 1973 when we went 9-5 in a 14 game season and just missed the playoffs. 1974? 3-10. I think our main running back, Dave Hampton got hurt and we didn’t have a QB to speak of.

I remember 1978. The year Lee Mazzetti (sp) kicked us into the playoffs despite no offense (Bart was probably hurt) but we had the “gritz blitz” defense and we beat the Eagles in the 1st round. In 79 we sucked again but by 80….

 I remember 1980 as the year the Falcons offense took off. Complete turn around on offense. Bartkowski hooking up with Alfred Jenkins and Wallace Francis. William Andrews plowing over everybody in sight. Leeman Bennett had the team cooking. Only problem was our defense had gotten old and the blitzing didn’t work any more. Our defense got lit up. We had a couple down years so we fired Bennett and brought in Dan Henning. Bad move. We stunk for the rest of the 80’s.

I remember that big giant douche, Glanville. The year we lucked into the playoffs (91) I though, oh no that means we’re stuck with this poser for at 3 years. Nothing but selfish players on that team, Sanders, Rison etc. And we brought in more like them – Jeff George in particular. The firt Falcons QB to flip off the fans (but not the last) .

I remember Dan Reeves trying to turn this franchise around and he did pretty well. Superbowl in 98 but we immediately imploded after winning in Minn. Thanks Eugene Robinson and Ray Buchanan. Next year, Jamaal went down in the 1st game and there went the season. All the Vick years, I never really believed we were that good. Mora was a clown. In still don’t see why Seattle made him HC.

You might say yeah but that was the Smiths and that Vick-Mora-Petrino were learning experiences for Blank and that Mike Smith and Dimitroff have righted the ship. Thats my hope, I’ve just been following this team to be suckered in by one good year. Yes, I’m a pessimist but I have my reasons .

http://www.nflteamhistory.com/nfl_teams/atlanta_falcons/year_by_year_results.html

Fan since 1970 and zooker pretty much speaks truth in his history lesson, although I’m a bit more optimistic than he based on what Smith showed me last year. I, too, have had my heart broken before.

Still, it’s way too early to be predicting since we just can’t say for sure what any of these teams, from the divisional rivals to the Giants, Cowboys and 49ers (just to name a couple) will bring to the table in 2009. I’m cautiously predicting 9 wins, maybe more based on what happens in the draft and the offseason.

Let’s hear it for blind optimism!

If you’re a Falcon fan, being optimistic is like wearing shorts and no shirt in the middle of the North Pole. But by God I’m feeling good about this year. Will we make the playoffs? Who knows. Will we have a winning season? I think so. Even if it’s 9-7, it’s a winning season and I honestly think we can get those 9 wins.

defense mechanism. And I see that I’m not alone. Tlozwarlock, Funballd and JohnnyBacardi are right. Rationally, guarded optimism should be appropriate. But we’re talking about the Falcons. We’ve been here before. See rant/ mini history above.

At this point, pessimism is also a habit when it comes to the Birds. I suppose nowadays I could afford see a therapist who would talk me off the roof and it wouldn’t even threaten my masculinity.

You’d never know it but in everyday life I’m a pretty optimistic guy but this thread hit a nerve with me.

Is it possible the Falcons have never operated their franchise in the right way?

 I am not old enough remember 73 or 78 but through out my life time, most of the Falcons failures have been the result of shooting themselves in the foot. They seemed to have never had “A PLAN” until now.

Ok all you bystanders, come out of the wood work and make your voice heard!

The Falcons do have what I believe to be a much tougher season ahead of them than the season they faced now but….

Look at the facts. Matt Ryan, Harry Douglas, Curtis Loftin, Coy Wire – they ALL have RAW talent and are apart of a growing process. Atlanta has proved that with young talent and great, solid personalities, they can WIN football games. There are few players on offense that won’t grow this off season and there is plenty of available talent in the free agency and the draft to help our defense grow. Comrade Dimitroff has proved that his decision-making abilities are far beyond that of most GMs and he has the ability to pick pure and RAW talent wether it be through the draft or free agency.

Pessimistic or optomistic. The facts say that the Falcons have a staff that is capable of picking and designing and powerful and successful team that will only grow as time allows. Countless stars have shined at a young age on this team and have many years to progress.

There is no doubt in my mind that this team has nowhere left to go but UP. The Cowboys have let drama and character issues halter their personal growth and the Falcons show a trend that is seemingly polar opposite to them. It is almost like a testimony that character outweighs overall talent. No matter who Dimitroff and Smith choose to be the new foundation of this team (wether it be powerful defensive playmakers who develop at a young age or offensive superstars – BIG Pettigrew fan here) – this team WILL be successful.