Atlanta Falcons: A Chance For Growth
I can imagine Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks led to a VERY quite plane ride home for the Atlanta Falcons. As cliché as it is, the Falcons have every reason to keep their heads held high and excited for the upcoming game against the San Diego Chargers. Many people are pointing fingers at the referee's as the reason for Sunday's loss while I completely disagree. Too many different variables happen during the game to fixate on one individual play. Did it hurt that the referee's didn't call pass interference on All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman? Absolutely. Should pass interference have been called? Absolutely. But that is not the topic of this article, as it seems to be the topic of all other Falcons/Seahawks related news.
[10.17.16 - The 7th Report - Episode 39 by The 7th Report]What I saw from the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday was tenacity, toughness, and adaptability. Kyle Shanahan threw different looks at the Seahawks as well as forcing communication errors against one the toughest defenses in the National Football League. The Seahawks entered this football game only allowing 264.1 yards per game (183.8 passing/80.3 rushing). On Sunday, the Falcons tallied 362 total yards (310 passing). All over my newsfeed and Falcons related articles people are complaining about the the lack of a pass interference call when there was so much more to take away from the game. Games of these nature in the past, the Falcons have shied away from. The Falcons turned the football over twice and allowed four sacks AND STILL HAD A CHANCE TO WIN. There is hope. This team could be a legitimate contender (as much as I didn't think they could develop this quick).
The Falcons need to keep their heads up moving forward. Their offense is primed to help lead this team to the playoffs where they may get a little help from a down division. While the team was 5-0 to start the season last year, their offense looked unsustainable. They were only beating teams by using Julio and Devonta. This year they are incorporating much more depth at the wide receiver and tight end positions. Additionally, they are being efficient in their run game which allows for the play-action pass. They are also using their running backs as matchup problems against linebackers. This offense is averaging 10 yards a passing attempt (if this held up, it would set an NFL record). No one has averaged that many yards per attempt over a season. Matt Ryan and the offensive line look much more comfortable running Shanahan's offense. Shanahan has also grown to understand his players better - he is allowing more no huddle offense for Matty Ice. There are so many reasons for hope in Atlanta - a young, fast, athletic defense glued together with a powerful, quick-strike, potent offense makes a great tandem. And one looking for continued success moving forward with its sights set on being the NFC South division champions.
