What are reasonable expectations for the Falcons in 2024?

Overtaking the South is the rallying cry the Falcons should be fighting for in 2024. Right now, with all the changes and additions, there’s no reason why the Falcons shouldn’t sit atop the the NFC South. Obviously, the Bucs, Panthers and – most certainly – Saints will have something to say about it. But considering the distribution on paper of these four divisional opponents? If the Falcons aren’t at the top with the roster they currently have, I’d say something catastrophic must have happened for anyone to think differently heading into the 2024 season.

Now I know what you’re thinking: “Tori, aren’t you worried about the other opponents on the schedule?”

Of course. This year is no cakewalk with the likes of the Chiefs, Eagles and, yes, Cowboys expected to make an appearance this season. However, I will say this until I’m blue in the face: The Falcons need to do their business in the division.

And if they do? All bets are off, just take a look at the 2023 Bucs for example.

Let’s be honest, too: If the last three years of covering the NFC South have taught me anything, it’s that no matter how you prepare for the upcoming season, it will always be different.

Of course, it’s just a different way of expressing the same goal that Tori described above, but, hey, I can’t come up with earworm-eyed sayings as well as Raheem Morris. The point remains, though: winning the NFC South should be the No. 1 priority for everyone in the organization.

This is also a very achievable goal. Last season, a 9-8 record proved enough to win the division. In 2022, an 8-9 record got the Buccaneers into the playoffs. Past performance is not a good indicator of future success, I know that, but this is a division title that is well within Atlanta’s reach.

To capture him, the Falcons will need to be in midseason form before the first month is even over. No coach is likely to publicly say that a specific part of the schedule will define the season, but it’s hard not to circle Weeks 4-10 for Atlanta. During that span, the Falcons will face the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice and the Carolina Panthers once. That makes five of their six divisional games heading into Week 11!

There are obvious positives to this — the team should be relatively healthy, for example — but it also means a new team and new quarterback need to come to terms sooner rather than later.

Given the amount of football success that Morris and Kirk Cousins, among others, have been a part of during their respective careers, I’m optimistic that they will have the right cadence in place to be ready for this time. If they can manage their business, it will go a long way toward winning the NFC South for the first time since 2016.

And, as Morris likes to say, once you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen.

This seems to be the bare minimum. It’s very possible. Regardless, the Falcons need to meet that benchmark.

Atlanta hasn’t had a winning record since 2017, when the team went 10-6, reached the playoffs and lost in the divisional round to the Philadelphia Eagles, who ultimately won the Super Bowl that year.

That makes six straight losing record seasons in Atlanta, the most since team owner Arthur Blank acquired the team in 2002. Otherwise, the Falcons have had a maximum of two losing records in a row (2006-07 and 2013-14). Even if we consider profitability records, the number only rises to three (same years, but adding 2005 and 2015 to the ranges, respectively).

A winning record might not get the Falcons to the playoffs. In fact, five teams with winning records last season didn’t get bids. They were the Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints, and they all had a 9-8 record at the end of the season, which fell short of the playoff field.

However, a winning record is the necessary first step in the right direction. The Falcons should obviously aim higher. As Tori wrote: go beyond the south. Then go on and win it all. Of course, that’s always the goal.

Ready for another Waack analogy? A championship is a complete ice cream sundae. The icing on the cake is the Super Bowl. Other toppings – syrup, sprinkles, etc. – means the playoffs. The ice base is then equal to the regular season. The Falcons can’t have their strengths without their base.

So they have to earn to be able to eat.

Whether as an NFC South champion or a wild-card team, this team has what it takes to play in the playoffs – nothing less.

Although the Falcons have the easiest schedule on paper this season, they will need to iron out any kinks early enough to get through the regular season. The division title was decided in the final game of the regular season last year, but this season it could be decided sooner than that.

Atlanta will play all but one of its divisional games before Week 10, after which four of the final seven games will be against AFC opponents, making it more difficult if they try to sneak into a wild card spot. If the Falcons play their cards right, they could control their destiny in the second half of the season.

However, there are some things that will need to be addressed at the start of the season with a new offensive and defensive system, a new head coach and a new starting quarterback in Kirk Cousins ​​who is coming off an Achilles injury . Still, with a roster of talented players including Drake London, Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts – all of whom are a year older and more developed – they have the talent to make it happen.

The last time the Falcons made the playoffs was seven seasons ago. It’s time they went back, and it’s not unreasonable to believe they should.