Falcons face tougher road to Super Bowl in 2013

[Swift Is a Die Hard]

Falcons face tougher road to Super Bowl in 2013
By D. Orlando Ledbetter — The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

This time last season, Baltimore and San Francisco were sitting at home after coming up short in their conference championship games.

For Baltimore, there was the dropped pass by wide receiver Lee Evans in the end zone and a missed Billy Cundiff field goal. For San Francisco, they were at home lamenting the punt return misadventures of Kyle Williams.

A year later, Baltimore and San Francisco made it back to their respective conference championship games and won. They are now set to meet in Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday in New Orleans.

The Falcons find themselves in that unpleasant position of being at home on the lounger, re-considering a 28-24 loss in the NFC championship game, if they can get back to the game and have a Super Bowl breakthrough next season.

While considering their plight, the Falcons' road will be much tougher in 2013.

On their way to a 14-4 final mark, the Falcons won eight games by seven points or less and faced just two playoff teams during the 2012 regular season. They probably can't count on winning as many close games, will face five playoff teams and could have brutal winter trips to Green Bay and Buffalo.

Here's a look at the 2013 opponents:

NFC South foes: The Falcons didn't dominate the division last season.

While winning the division title, the Falcons were 3-3 against New Orleans (7-9), Carolina (7-9) and Tampa Bay (7-9).

New Orleans head coach Sean Payton was recently re-instated, while Tampa Bay and Carolina improved on their 2011 win totals.

The Falcons lost on the road at New Orleans and Carolina and at home to Tampa Bay.

Home opponents

St. Louis (7-8-1, 2011 regular season): The Rams should continue to improve in the second year of coach Jeff Fisher's tenure. They beat and tied the 49ers last season as quarterback Sam Bradford made strides.

Seattle (11-5): Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson nearly amassed 500 yards of offense against the Falcons in the divisional round of the playoffs. He was able to exploit the void in the Falcons defense and complete eight passes to tight end Zach Miller for 142 yards and one touchdown. The Falcons needed a 49-yard field goal with eight seconds left to pull out a 30-28 victory.

New England (12-4): The Patriots lost to the Ravens in the AFC title game and will be a playoff contender again. The clock is ticking on the Tom Brady-era and the Patriots will be poised to close it out in style.

New York Jets (6-10): The league's "Club Chaos" is making more changes this offseason, so who knows what to expect from them. They appear set to stick with quarterback Mark Sanchez while putting cornerback Darrelle Revis on the trading block.

Washington (10-6): Quarterback Robert Griffin III led the Redskins to the NFC East title, but must learn how to better protect himself. The Falcons beat the Redskins 24-17 on Oct. 7, in one of their one-score victories in 2012.

Away opponents

Arizona (5-11): The stout defense had five interceptions against the Falcons last season. They are still searching for a quarterback under new coach Bruce Arians, an offensive-minded coach who'll figure out how to get the ball to Larry Fitzgerald.

San Francisco (11-4-1): They withstood the Falcons opening flurry, before rallying to win 28-24 in the NFC title game. The Falcons came up 10 yards short from the Super Bowl.

Buffalo (6-10): Since the retirement of Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith, this franchise has been perpetually rebuilding. This one could become interesting if it's scheduled late in the season.

Miami (7-9): The Dolphins are rebuilding behind quarterback Ryan Tanneyhill, who had a solid rookie campaign. The Dolphins must decide what to do with left tackle Jake Long, who was the No. 1 overall pick in 2008.

Green Bay (11-5): The Packers are lot like the Falcons. Both franchises are trying to find a defense stout enough for their high-powered offenses. The Packers won the NFC North last season and went to the playoffs.

ORDER REPRINT

Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2013/01/2...rylink=cpy

[Aftermath]

schedule next year is going to be brutal, if we can swing a winning season there will be none of the "easiest schedule in the league" bullshit that we heard this past year. Saints are probably going to beat our ass, we seem to be able to win 1 Saints game every two years.

[Radical]

I keep hearing year after year about how our schedule is the hardest one yet. Remember when Kansas City was supposed to be a challenge in week 1?

[Aftermath]

(01-28-2013 02:58 PM)Radical Wrote:  I keep hearing year after year about how our schedule is the hardest one yet. Remember when Kansas City was supposed to be a challenge in week 1?

was this in the 1990s?

[JDaveG]

Yeah, the truth is we won't know until the season is about halfway in. The Saints could be much better, or they could be worse. Same for Green Bay. Same really for all of them. I still think our division is as tough as it gets, and the Seahawks and Niners are both really good, tough teams (though I'm secretly hoping the Niners win the Super Bowl and have the post-Bowl slump).

And besides, if we go on a tear beating everyone again, the mantra will be how the teams aren't really any good.

[swanlee]

(01-28-2013 02:58 PM)Radical Wrote:  I keep hearing year after year about how our schedule is the hardest one yet. Remember when Kansas City was supposed to be a challenge in week 1?

Our schedule is the HARDEST before the season, then once we start winning alot of games it becomes the easiest.

The situation always changes to make sure the Falcons are seen in a bad light and the media gets to trounce us.

And never fear swift will make sure and post the negative articles and NEVER post anything positive here.

[AUTiger7222]

(01-28-2013 02:58 PM)Radical Wrote:  I keep hearing year after year about how our schedule is the hardest one yet. Remember when Kansas City was supposed to be a challenge in week 1?

Yep. Every year around this time of the year everyone is crying about how hard our schedule is and then when we end up back in the playoffs with at least 10 wins every year it's only because we played one of the weakest schedules in the NFL.

And I just happen to currently be watching the 2009 season opener when the Falcons beat the Dolphins and as I was typing this post they put up a graphic showing the hardest schedules in the NFL and the Falcons were rated as having the 4th hardest schedule going into 2009 based on 2008 standings.

[AUTiger7222]

Oh and calling the Falcons "lucky" for winning all those close games is retarded. If it had just been a fluke for this season than maybe you would have a case. But when it continues to happen year after year after year it's not a fluke. It's the result of good preparation and doing your job.

The Falcons since 2008 have an outstanding record in games decided by 7 points or less.

2008 - Week 5 - @ Packers - W 27-24 (1-0)
2008 - Week 6 - Bears - W 22-20 (2-0)
2008 - Week 11 - Broncos - L 20-24 (2-1)
2008 - Week 13 - @ Chargers - W 22-16 (3-1)
2008 - Week 14 - @ Saints - L 25-29 (3-2)
2008 - Week 15 - Buccaneers - W 13-10 (OT) (4-2)
2008 - Week 16 - @ Vikings - W 24-17 (5-2)
2008 - Week 17 - Rams - W 31-27 (6-2)
2008 - WC - @ Cardinals - L 24-30 (6-3)
2009 - Week 6 - Bears - W 21-14 (7-3)
2009 - Week 11 - @ Giants - L 31-34 (OT) (7-4)
2009 - Week 12 - Buccaneers - W 20-17 (8-4)
2009 - Week 14 - Saints - L 23-26 (8-5)
2009 - Week 15 - @ Jets - W 10-7 (9-5)
2010 - Week 1 - @ Steelers - L 9-15 (OT) (9-6)
2010 - Week 3 - @ Saints - W 27-24 (OT) (10-6)
2010 - Week 4 - 49ers - W 16-14 (11-6)
2010 - Week 7 - Bengals - W 39-32 (12-6)
2010 - Week 9 - Buccaneers - W 27-21 (13-6)
2010 - Week 10 - Ravens - W 26-21 (14-6)
2010 - Week 12 - Packers - W 20-17 (15-6)
2010 - Week 13 - @ Buccaneers - W 28-24 (16-6)
2010 - Week 16 - Saints - L 14-17 (16-7)
2011 - Week 2 - Eagles - W 35-31 (17-7)
2011 - Week 3 - @ Buccaneers - L 13-16 (17-8)
2011 - Week 4 - @ Seahawks - W 30-28 (18-8)
2011 - Week 7 - @ Lions - W 23-16 (19-8)
2011 - Week 10 - Saints - L 23-26 (OT) (19-9)
2011 - Week 11 - Titans - W 23-17 (20-9)
2011 - Week 13 - @ Texans - L 10-17 (20-10)
2012 - Week 2 - Broncos - W 27-21 (21-10)
2012 - Week 4 - Panthers - W 30-28 (22-10)
2012 - Week 5 - @ Redskins - W 24-17 (23-10)
2012 - Week 6 - Raiders - W 23-20 (24-10)
2012 - Week 9 - Cowboys - W 19-13 (25-10)
2012 - Week 10 - @ Saints - L 27-31 (25-11)
2012 - Week 11 - Cardinalls - W 23-19 (26-11)
2012 - Week 12 - @ Buccaneers - W 24-23 (27-11)
2012 - Week 17 - Buccaneers - L 17-22 (27-12)
2012 - DIV - Seahawks - W 30-28 (28-12)
2012 - CON - 49ers - L 24-28 (28-13)

So the Falcons are 28-13 in points decided by 7 points or less since 2008. That's a .683 winning percentage. I dare you to find another team with a winning percentage that good in such games.

[juraitwaluzka]

Also the "hard schedule" is mostly the same for the other teams in the division, 14 of the 16 games are against the same opponents.

So since we finished first, we play Washington and green bay, New Orleans plays Dallas and Minnesota. Out of 16 games that's just not a big difference.

It's just not the huge factor people make it out to be.

[ggp]

We play the AFC East and the NFC West. To me, that is not brutal.

The AFC East is pretty much a joke. Even the Pats are trending downwards.

While San Fran and Seattle are very good teams, there will be much more tape on those QB's. I respect that division, but they are not to be feared.

The rest of the schedule will be more of the same. The NFL is ever-changing and always tough. Let's not worry about future schedules. Let's just worry about ourselves and getting better.