The Atlanta Falcons skated into the playoffs in 2010 only to have the ice melt under their skates. Ironically, it was the red hot Green Bay Packers that rolled in from the “frozen tundra” to freeze over “Hotlanta”.
The front office and coaches conspired behind the scenes and devised a plan to help nudge the birds over the proverbial “hump.” We (the fans) finally have some people with vision running the organization. After decades of ridiculous moves (trading Brett Favre, and not retaining Deion Sanders, and so on), we finally tapped into the free agency market and snatched up some veteran players to help hold down the defense while adding an array of talent to the offense.
The most notable of all these acquisitions was when the Falcons traded up in the draft from 27th to 6th to draft Julio Jones, the extremely gifted wide receiver from the Alabama Crimson Tide. Jones averaged nearly 15 yards per reception in three years at Alabama (179 receptions for 2653 total yards) and 10 touchdowns. Most of these statistics came in 2010 alone; 78 catches for 1133 yards, 8 rushes for 135 yards, and 9 total TDs (Rivals).
Now, the Falcons bring Jones into the fold opposite Pro-Bowler Roddy White. Michael “The Burner” Turner will anchor the running game yet again, Matt “Matty Ice” Ryan will pilot the star-ship, and veteran Tony Gonzalez returns for another chance at a championship ring. This year’s roster looks like a who’s who of Pro Bowl starters.
Last year, we made a plunge into the playoffs, but on offense, we sputtered, leaving our defense on the field too often, and too long. You couldn’t help but feel through the year that we needed one more person to step up on offense. If Julio Jones can fill this void, it will take a lot of pressure off of Roddy White, which will mean that defenses will have to be aware of both sides of the field instead of double-teaming White. In 2010, Michael Jenkins filled the #2 WR spot, and was rarely a threat to do much of anything.
So far in the preseason, Julio Jones has already made his presence felt. In the first preseason game, he caught two passes for 43 yards, and executed a reverse for 12 yards. He was also targeted on the first two offensive plays of the game, but Ryan’s passes were off-target both times.
At the 2011 NFL Combine, Jones stunned everyone in attendance with his freakish athleticism by running a 4.39 40 yard dash (.09 faster than A.J. Green). He also jumped out of the building with a 11’3″ broad jump, and registered a 38.5″ vertical leap — all this with a fractured foot (NFL Combine)! That’s right; he had a fractured foot during the combine and didn’t know it. He also played much of 2010 with the Crimson Tide with a fractured hand that had surgical screws inserted, and didn’t skip a beat.
Jones is listed at 6’3″, 220 pounds. However, many suspect that he’s added some muscle during the summer and yet, hasn’t lost a step at all.
The Falcons also re-signed running back Jason Snelling to backup Michael Turner, and drafted “scat-back” Jacquizz Rodgers from the University of Oregon. Before Snelling was re-signed, Rodgers was looking at garnering the #2 position behind Turner, as a change-of-pace-back. However, with Snelling’s return, Rodgers will likely sit at the #3 RB position.
Wide receiver Eric Weems returns as the main punt and kick return specialist. His exploits earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2010, but with Rodgers dropping to the 3rd string running back on offense; it’s possible that the two may split returns during the season. The Falcons would be ill-advised to simply let the 5’6″, 190-lb Rodgers ride the bench, when he could be used as a pinball nightmare on returns.
My final prediction: The Falcons will boast a 12-4 record, and will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl in February. 2011 could very well be the year that Atlanta looks to rise from the ashes, much like a phoenix rather than a falcon.
It’s time for the Falcons to get down and “dirty”, take the competition out back to the wood-shed, and soar to Indianapolis. The league has officially been set on alert.
=====================================================================
Brief bio as a Falcon fan:
I’ve been a Falcon fan since I was about nine years old. I remember my stepfather at the time getting me a Falcons helmet (circa 1980). I wore it every weekend, running around the house like I was a Falcon myself. I remember vividly the old school red helmet with the old Falcon logo. Growing up as a Falcon fan was much like riding a roller coaster — ups, downs, thrills and spills. Since those earlier fan years, I learned to roll with the punches. One year would be a winning season; the next would be a Shakespearian tragedy. I also remember the day we drafted Brett Favre…and subsequently, the day we traded him to Green Bay! In the ’90s, I was fortunate enough to enjoy seeing Deion Sanders spark highlight bonfires on a weekly basis, and bore witness to the only team in history to record a 4000-yard passer, three 1000-yard receivers, and a 2000-yard rusher in the same season (QB Chris Chandler, WRs Andre Rison, Bert Emanuel, Terrence Mathis, and RB Jamal Anderson respectively). Thankfully, it appears that those suffering days are over. The Falcons should enjoy 10-wins or more for the better part of the foreseeable future.
Works Cited
NFL.com, 2011 scouting combine, Julio Jones, (2011).
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-combine/09000d5d81eab2b2/2011-combine-workout-Julio-Jones
Rivals.com, NCAA team statistics, individuals, (2010).
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/teams/aad/stats?year=2008