Atlanta Falcons: 5 Non-NFC South stars to account for in 2017
By Randy Gurzi
A look at five star players on the schedule outside of the NFC South that the Atlanta Falcons need to account for in order to secure a win
Heading into the 2017 NFL Season, the Atlanta Falcons will have a target on their back. They went 11-5 in 2016 and had the best player in the league according to voters as quarterback Matt Ryan won the MVP Award.
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After that, the team then turned it on in the playoffs, catching a major hot streak.The NFC South champions defeated the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers en route to their second Super Bowl appearance in team history.
While they didn’t win it all, they did prove to be a formidable team that can’t be ignored.
Offensively they’re led by 2016 NFL MVP Matt Ryan, and defensively 2016 NFL sack leader Vic Beasley, Jr. leads the way as their primary edge rusher.
We already looked at who they need to account for inside their division in order to get enough wins for another shot at a potential title run, but now we will look at star players outside the NFC South they need to account for.
. Linebacker. Seattle Seahawks. Bobby Wagner. 5. player. 36
The leader in tackles in 2016 was Seattle middle linebacker Bobby Wagner. He ended the season with a career high 167 tackles with 4.5 sacks and an interception on the season. He doesn’t get the same attention as other players on the team’s defense like cornerback Richard Sherman, defensive end Michael Bennett, or safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas. Don’t let that fool you into thinking he’s an inferior player.
Wagner is arguably the most complete linebacker in the league and can ruin a game plan in a heartbeat. He will not only be a weapon in defending the run, but could also hurt Atlanta when they attempt to create room for their running backs — Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman — as receivers out of the backfield. Atlanta needs to keep tabs on where he is when the two teams meet up for a Monday Night Football game in Week 11.