The Falcons can make the playoffs three times in a row for the second time in franchise history

The Falcons just achieved their first back-to-back winning seasons under Mike Smith, and their first back-to-back playoff seasons in 2010-2011. It’s depressing in the extreme that it took them so long, yes, but they got there, and they’re a successful team in the here and now. They actually managed three in a row in their terrific 2012 season, and the Falcons have the opportunity to do that again in 2018.

I mention this not only because it’s the offseason and these are the kinds of topics that one thinks about over the offseason, but also because of how exciting it is that the Falcons find themselves in such a unique situation relative to their history. They’d also be the only team in the NFC to make it it three years in a row, because they were the only NFC team to repeat a year ago.

And hey, despite Atlanta’s somewhat frustrating 2017 season, they did make the playoffs and beat the Rams just a year ago, and they head into the 2018 season as one of the NFC’s finest teams. After their Super Bowl run in 2016, this team genuinely has the opportunity to put together the finest run of success in franchise history, and cement Dan Quinn as one of the best coaches ever to done the, uh, Falcons-themed headset. Yeah.

I’m hopeful the Falcons will manage to repeat history and make the playoffs for a third straight year, but obviously very few of us will be satisfied unless they can get to the Super Bowl in their shiny new home stadium. Fingers crossed.