Falcons 2016 schedule preview: The much-needed bye week arrives in Week 11

By the time the Falcons get to their bye week, they’ll have played both teams involved in the 2015 Super Bowl, their entire division (and the Buccaneers twice), and quality teams like the Packers. Even if the Falcons surprise us all and fare very well over the first ten weeks of the season, they’re going to need a break in the worst way, so this will be a welcome bye week for the team.

The intrigue here is chiefly around where the Falcons will be in the standings. If they’re treading water around .500 (or better), you can make a legitimate argument that this bye week will come at precisely the right time for them to gear up and win the majority of their last six games, which should be easier than most of their first ten. On the other hand, if they’re a disappointment, all a bye week this late in the year is really going to do is give them the opportunity to rest up and try to preserve some dignity in the last few games.

We’ll see where the Falcons wind up. What’s your best guess for a record heading into the bye week?