Bill Shanks: Falcons should be better this season
It’s always tricky to try and predict what a NFL team’s record will be for the upcoming season. And when it comes to predicting the Atlanta Falcons, well, good luck.
But this year it’s even more difficult because of all the changes on the Falcons. There’s a new head coach in Dan Quinn, and with him a bunch of new assistant coaches. There are 24 new players on the 53-man roster, and by the time you read this they could have made another change or two with new players.
New doesn’t necessarily always mean better, but that’s the goal. The Falcons have tried to erase the past two years, when they went a combined 10-22 in 2013 and 2014. But will this take time, or in a weak division like the NFC South will the Falcons have a chance right out of the gate?
The biggest question on the Falcons remains the offensive line, which already has six new players. The team will use the zone blocking scheme this year, and that meant several former players just didn’t fit the new system. But this still looks like yet another Band-Aid for an area that should have been fixed two years ago.
The Falcons completely whiffed when they drafted Peter Konz in the second round and Lamar Holmes in the third round of the 2012 draft. The front office was stubborn and tried to believe both would become solid players. Instead, they were flops. And with the exception of Jake Matthews being drafted in 2014, it’s been a hodge-podge of journeymen who have played on the offensive line.
These are the players who protect the franchise, quarterback Matt Ryan. So it’s kind of important. Give Quinn credit. After seeing the leftovers from last year in training camp, he brought in three new linemen in the past week to try and make it better. But guard Andy Levitre was a bust in Tennessee and was traded. Now he’ll start in Atlanta. Gino Gradkowski was expected to start at center in Denver and was beat out, while Bryce Harris was cut by New Orleans. Gradkowski and Harris will be backups.
The other starter at guard, Chris Chester, was released by Washington in the spring. The new center, Mike Person, has never started a NFL game and has played in only 17 games as a reserve. Matthews looks like a staple in only his second season compared to those around him on the line.
Can this work? Well, again, it’s important. If the offensive line is a dumpster fire, Ryan won’t have time to get the ball to his star receiver, Julio Jones. The running game, which has been non-existent the past two years, might not improve if the line is not better. So the offensive line is crucial for any hope at an improved season.
The defense should be better. Quinn is a defensive man, being Seattle’s defensive coordinator the past two seasons. The Falcons drafted Vic Beasley out of Clemson to rush the passer, and they are really counting on second-year lineman Ra’Shede Hageman to take that next step. The depth on the defensive line of scrimmage is actually decent, with Adrian Clayborn possibly contributing if he can stay healthy.
Can Atlanta’s secondary be OK? Well, William Moore must stay healthy. When he was injured last season, the defense suffered. Robert Alford must step up at cornerback until the raw Jalen Collins is ready to take over. Meanwhile, Desmond Trufant must be a star, and he has the talent to do it.
A lot has to happen this season for the Falcons to be good. They have a brutal first month schedule, with games against Philadelphia, the New York Giants, Dallas and Houston to start the season. If they can survive that, maybe there will be hope for a decent record.
That may be all they need to win the division. An 8-8 record might be good enough, and for the Falcons that’s likely a safe prediction for a team still in transition.
Listen to “The Bill Shanks Show” from 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WPLA Fox Sports 1670 AM in Macon and online at www.foxsports1670.com. Follow Bill at www.twitter.com/BillShanks and email him at thebillshanksshow@yahoo.com.
This story was originally published September 12, 2015 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Bill Shanks: Falcons should be better this season ."