Ever since the Falcons’ opponents for this season, not even the full schedule that just came out on Wednesday night, but ever since the Falcons’ opponents for this season were known analysts and media pundits looked at the combined win-loss record, winning percentage, and other analytics of Atlanta’s opponents and determined that the Falcons had the easiest schedule this season.
Now, with the full schedule out, those same analysts and media pundits are doubling down and still insist the Falcons have the easiest schedule in the NFL this season. However, earlier today The Morning Shift gave you three reasons why the Falcons’ schedule shouldn’t be looked at as the easiest in the NFL.
1.) Falcons have a tough start & finish to the season
In the Falcons first six weeks of the season they play three playoff teams from last year, including the two-time defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs, and then they play three straight division games. Yesterday when talking about the Falcons first six weeks of the season Mike Johnson said “that is about as emotional of a first six weeks as you could possibly have if you’re a Falcons player to start the schedule”. Five of the Falcons final eight games are on the road as well, so not only are they starting with some tough opponents, but they have to play a lot of road games at the end of the season too.
2.) Falcons play some really good QBs & some QBs that could be good
The Falcons will most likely face Russell Wilson, Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Derek Carr, Baker Mayfield, Justin Herbert, Geno Smith, and Dak Prescott this season. All of these guys have been to Pro-Bowls and have had some form of success in the league. The Falcons will also most likely face Bo Nix, JJ McCarthy, and Jayden Daniels this season as well, rookie quarterbacks who could struggle in their rookie season, or could flourish.
3.) It’s way too early to tell who’s going to be good & who’s not
It’s the middle of May, teams are still making additions and subtractions to their rosters, and there are teams every year in the NFL that are surprisingly good and surprisingly bad for whatever reason. The Falcons will probably play surprisingly good and surprisingly bad teams this season, but it’s just way too early to tell which teams’ schedule will actually be weak, and which will actually be tough.
At the end of the day the Falcons can only play the team in front of them, and as long as they take care of business and get into the postseason for the first time since 2017 nobody will be talking about who they played during the regular season, everybody will be talking about whether the Falcons are true contenders in the postseason or not.
