2017 Falcons Schedule: Analysis and Predictions
Week 10: vs. Dallas Cowboys, November 12 (4:25 PM EST, FOX) – WIN
The Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta’s presumed opponent in the 2016 NFC Championship game, never made it that far due to Aaron Rodgers channeling some ethereal postseason magic and Jared Cook realizing he has hands.
The Falcons get their battle with the upstart Cowboys, heading back to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for a late-afternoon affair on FOX. Atlanta never got to test its defensive mettle against Ezekiel Elliott last season, so this will be their first taste of a daunting Dallas rushing and passing attack.
This will be a tight one, but I think Atlanta surprises many fans and analysts and is able to handle the Dak/Zeke/Dez trio. Atlanta squeezes out a tough one at home.
Week 11: @ Seattle Seahawks, November 20, Monday Night Football (8:30 PM EST, ESPN) – LOSS
The 13th man reared its ugly head in last year’s regular season tilt against Seattle. The Non-DPI Heard ‘Round the World threatened to shove a stick in the spokes of Atlanta’s season after getting off to a 4-1 start. They would follow up this “loss” with a blown lead against San Diego in Week 7, setting off alarms that this team might be headed to a collapse similar to what occurred after their 5-0 start in 2015.
The 2016 incarnation of the Falcons was a resilient one, however, and the missed pass interference call had little bearing on the ultimate outcome of Atlanta’s season.
The Falcons head into rowdy CenturyLink Field for Monday Night Football with that memory plastered in their minds. With newly-acquired running back Eddie Lacy and an effective band of receiving threats, this promises to be a tight, high-scoring game.
When the Falcons faced the Seahawks last year they were without superstar strong safety Kam Chancellor. There’s a possibility that cornerback Richard Sherman is playing elsewhere, but assuming their squad is at full strength, Seattle’s defense proves to be the differentiator in this one.
Week 12: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, November 26 (1:00 PM EST, FOX) – WIN
The start of a three-game homestand, the Falcons get Jameis Winston and the Bucs’ revamped wide receiving core in Week 12. The inclusion of DeSean Jackson creates unique challenges for Atlanta, having to account for his elite, vertical speed along with containing the colossi combination of Mike Evans and Cameron Brate.
Jalen Collins and Desmond Trufant will be immense factors in this football game.
Tampa Bay also possesses one of the NFC South’s better secondaries, with second-year corner Vernon Hargreaves and former Atlanta Falcon Brent Grimes. Falcons fans are acutely aware of Grimes’ ability to create turnovers, even at his age-, so any errant Matt Ryan pass could easily end up in Tampa’s hands.
This game will be closer than many of us would like. Roberto Aguayo shanks a field goal, and Atlanta pulls it out.
Week 13: vs. Minnesota Vikings, December 3 (1:00PM EST, FOX) – WIN
2016’s Minnesota Vikings were practically a parallel to the 2015 Atlanta Falcons. Even after losing their starting quarterback in the preseason, the Vikings started off scalding hot, their premiere defense leading them to a 5-0 start.
Then the wheels fell off.
Minnesota won only three of their remaining 11 games, finishing the season at a lackluster 8-8 and missed the playoffs.
The Vikings come into Atlanta with a still top-flight defense, but an array of question marks on offense. Sam Bradford is a serviceable signal caller at the NFL level, but lacking the backfield explosiveness of Adrian Peterson certainly dulls your offensive output.
Atlanta creates a few turnovers and wins this one.