What Atlanta Falcons game are you most pumped for?

Can you hear that sound?

It’s the sound of football, and it’s getting closer. We have entered the dead zone of the offseason — the excitement of free agency and the draft are over and the end of OTAs and minicamp means we have a six week wait before training camp.

Week 1: vs Philadelphia Eagles

What a way to kickoff the new season. Not only is this the Monday Night Football curtain raiser, but it’s also against one of the most intriguing teams of 2015. It’s been all change in Philadelphia this offseason, and no team has lost so many key players but also made so many big gains.

If you had told Eagles fans back in February they would lose Nick Foles, LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin, I don’t think it would sit well. But when you tell them they added Sam Bradford, DeMarco Murray and Byron Maxwell, how would they feel?

That’s a small sample of the Eagles’ chaotic offseason. Is there some order to this chaos? Only Chip Kelly knows. I’m sure he has a plan, and it’s going to be tested early in this clash. I spoke with Anthony DiBona, editor of Inside The Iggles last month to look at the Week 1 matchup, which you can read in full here.

The Falcons’ new-look defense will be tested early here, but they will also have the opportunity to score a victory over a team with so many new pieces trying to establish chemistry.

Week 3: @ Dallas Cowboys

Was it a catch or wasn’t it? According to the letter of the law it wasn’t, but Dez Bryant can certainly feel frustrated about the way the Cowboys bowed out at Lambeau Field in the Divisional Round last season. You can bet he will be fired up — well, assuming he plays that is. Right now it seems he’s more focused on his contract than football.

From a matchup point of view, it’s hard to know just how good the Cowboys’ offense will be. We know they have an elite offensive line, we know they have a top passer in Tony Romo and we know they have arguably the league’s best wideout.

Here’s the concern for Dallas — last season much of their success was owed to the pounding DeMarco Murray, and he’s hopped over to the Cowboys’ arch rivals. Can they produce the same success on the ground?

If so, the Falcons’ defense will be severely tested. If not, the secondary will be able to focus on suffocating the passing lanes.

This one should be fun to watch.

Week 6: @ New Orleans Saints

What a difference a year makes. Just 12 months ago, the Saints were considered a Super Bowl contender. Now, some don’t even feel they will finish in the top two of their own division. I’m one of those, but I do feel they have the potential to bounce back.

A major loss for them is Jimmy Graham, and I’m not sold on their defense either even after some solid additions.

Nevertheless, this will be a game to watch. The Falcons and Saints shared many similarities last season. Both teams had potent, pass-happy offenses led by top-tier quarterbacks, yet neither side knew how to defend.

Atlanta swept the series in 2014; can they do the same this season?

Week 11: vs Indianapolis Colts

You want to see how good you are, Falcons’ pass defense?

Here’s the ultimate test. Andrew Luck is a rising star at quarterback, and he has been incredible the past few years in Indianapolis. Stopping him is going to be so tough, especially when he has T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson and Coby Fleener to throw the football to.

Trent Richardson has gone, and in comes Frank Gore. Gore isn’t the player he was a few years ago, but he will still have plenty to offer in the Colts’ backfield.

Stopping the Colts’ offense will be tough no matter how good your defense is, so Matt Ryan and the Falcons’ offensive unit will have to be ready to step up and play a big game of their own.

This is a potential shootout, but the Falcons will need to play well on each side of the football to prevent this from being a blowout.

Week 16: vs Carolina Panthers

It doesn’t get much better than December football, especially when it’s a divisional game. Who knows what implications this game could have on the NFC South race, but I’m expecting it to mean something.

More from Blogging Dirty

In my opinion, the Panthers and Falcons are the two best teams in the division right now, and this game could determine who wins the South.

For Atlanta to make the playoffs, they will likely need to win the division. To do that, they need to knock off the Panthers at home.

After going a perfect 5-0 in the division before Week 17 last season, the Falcons collapsed at home to Carolina, and this was the deciding factor in the playoff race.

To go one better, they must get the job done.

So, which game are you most excited for?

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What Atlanta Falcons games are you most excited about in 2015?

By Freddie Boston | Jun 22, 2015