Atlanta Falcons headed to the playoffs as NFC South Champions
By John Follett
We couldn’t have scripted this Christmas edition of football better. The Atlanta Falcons are NFC South Champions and in the driver’s seat of a playoff bye.
Most of us would’ve been happy with an Atlanta Falcons’ win and shot at the NFC South title next week. The Falcons took care of business against Carolina and then came news they had secured a playoff spot courtesy of Oakland. The Raiders’ win over Indianapolis was all Atlanta needed to gain the tiebreaker over Detroit.
Things would get better as the late games wrapped up.
The division is ours. #RiseUp
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 25, 2016
Tickets: https://t.co/LchUjPLWLN pic.twitter.com/2VtbPPX8K6
NFC South Champions
The Atlanta Falcons officially became NFC South Champions after Tampa Bay’s 31-24 loss to New Orleans. Not long ago Tampa Bay was one of the hottest teams in the NFL, but they’ve been more prone to error over the last couple of weeks. The Buccaneers were tied for with the Falcons for the division lead heading into Week 15. The Falcons have only played stronger as of late and are a heavy favorite as the playoffs approach.
The NFC South title is Atlanta’s first since 2012, Dan Quinn’s first overall, and the third of Matt Ryan’s tenure.
Falcons Nation would’ve been satisfied with such a gift, but the NFL wasn’t done giving yet.
NFC’s #2 Seed
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In a situation few imagined, the Arizona Cardinals stunned the Seattle Seahawks with a 43-yard field goal as time expired. The loss dropped Seattle to 9-5-1 on the season and promoted the 10-6 Atlanta Falcons to the NFC’s #2 seed. Atlanta can now enjoy Christmas Day in control of their first round playoff bye destiny.
What a wonderful life.
Only the most optimistic of fans could’ve imagined a 2-seed Falcons team back in August. The 2015 season was nothing short of a disappointment and worse, we suffered through watching a rival head to the Super Bowl. Many within Falcons Nation were growing impatient with Matt Ryan and second-guessing Dan Quinn.
The frustration is paying off.
Looking Ahead
Dan Quinn now faces some difficult decisions heading into Week 17 vs New Orleans. The Falcons will play at home and with a first round bye on the table. Playing all starters would seem obvious; however, injuries have to be a forefront of Atlanta’s collective mind. The Falcons have suffered a fair share of key injuries this season and are lucky to have welcomed back key players. With the news of Derek’s Carr leg fracture, we have to wonder if a playoff bye is worth the injury risks.
It will be interesting to see how Quinn approaches this week; his first big test as head coach of a really, really good football team. For now, we should spray loved ones in egg nog as we celebrate the division title and trip to the postseason.