The Flight Of The Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons figured to pass a lot in 2012 regardless of what Bradie Ewing was up to. The Falcons chiefly drafted him to provide a power-blocking complement to the run game with Ovie Mughelli headed out of town, but you know Turner was going to have his carries cut.

Replacing Ewing with Mike Cox or Lousaka Polite, both guys who aren't exactly amazingly powerful at blocking in the run game and can both catch a pass, isn't going to do anything to reverse that trend. If anything, it's going to make an already pass happy team even more pass happy.

We should ready ourselves for a team that passes early and passes often. They'll pass a little more often across the board, which will probably cut at least 50 carries from the backs in total and contribute to the statistical coffers of everyone from Matt Ryan to Roddy White. We've known this for months now, but the further into the summer we get, the more obvious it is.

From here, it'll be worth watching who wins the fullback job, how the pre-season games shape up and whether Julio Jones literally transforms into a ten-armed receiving god. The Falcons are going to throw, dang it, and it's never been more obvious than now.

Let's talk passing game again, everyone. Chime in with your 2012 expectations.