Atlanta Falcons vs. Detroit Lions: Like Looking in a Mirror

When the Atlanta Falcons travel to face the Detroit Lions, fans may be surprised how similar both teams are.

Many people are sleeping on this Sunday’s Atlanta Falcons game versus the Detroit Lions.

But what if I told you the Falcons are about to face the 2016 version of themselves? Would that change your opinion of Atlanta’s upcoming opponent?

Regardless of whether it does or not, that is exactly who the Lions are becoming under general manager Bob Quinn. And no, I’m not just saying that because the final roster decision makers of both teams have the last name Quinn.

Leaders At The Top

No, it goes much further than that, but let’s start with the aforementioned Bob Quinn. The Lions hired Quinn as general manager in 2016 after spending the previous seven seasons in New England’s personnel department.

Sound familiar, Falcons fans?

In addition to that, BQ, as he’s affectionately referred to by Lions fans, has a similar level of success in the draft as his brother-in-name Dan Quinn. Of the Lions’ ten 2016 draft picks, four have become starters while four others are entrenched in backup roles. With the nine picks at his disposal in 2017, Quinn hit on seven of them (three starters, four backups). More on the draft picks later.

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As for the head coaches, they couldn’t be more different. Dan Quinn is an energetic, rah-rah kinda guy whereas Jim Caldwell operates like a quiet commander. However, it’s at the coordinator level where the similarities surface again for these two franchises.

Jim Bob Cooter and Teryl Austin are two of the hottest names on the head coaching circuit today. Cooter, much like the Falcons’ former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, is wise beyond his years as he’s already in his third year as an NFL play caller at just 33-years old.

Many forget just how awful the Lions offense was prior to JBC taking over. But ever since the “Cooter Scooter” came to Mo-town, Matthew Stafford has posted some of the best numbers of his career. Even more impressive, the Lions’ young signal caller has accomplished all of this without the luxury of Calvin Johnson.

On the flip side, Falcons fans should remember the Lions other coordinator quite well. During the head coach hiring process in 2015, Atlanta’s front office showed considerable interest in Teryl Austin.

The team ultimately settled on Dan Quinn and the rest, as they say, is history. Austin would return to his post as Detroit’s defensive coordinator and did the best with what he had to work with. Keep in mind, the 2014 season marked the final year that the defensive core of Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, and Deandre Levy played together in Detroit.

Fast And Aggressive

It’s extremely difficult to replace the production of Suh, Fairley, and Levy overnight. But with the addition of a new general manager comes a new philosophy, and thus an infusion of new talent.

Consider the Lions’ most recent draft picks, particularly the ones on defense.

A’Shawn Robinson. Miles Killebrew. Anthony Zettel. Jarrad Davis. Teez Tabor. Jalen Reeves-Maybin. Jamal Agnew. Jeremiah Ledbetter.

With the exception of Tabor, notice the speed of the other seven draft picks. The Lions front office realized the same trend that Dan Quinn did a year earlier—team speed is a necessity in today’s NFL.

No two draft picks portray that better than the Lions’ 2017 1st and 4th round picks. Detroit adopted the Falcons’ blueprint when they selected linebackers Jarrad Davis and Jalen Reeves-Maybin.

Like Deion Jones and De’Vondre Campbell, Davis and Reeves-Maybin represent the modern day “run and hit” linebacker. While Atlanta won’t see Davis this Sunday as he’s dealing with a concussion, he and JRM figure to be at the center of Detroit’s “fast and aggressive” movement for years to come.

Faces Of The Franchise

Above all else, the men tasked with being the face of the franchise are what make these two organizations one in the same. Drafted one year apart from each other, Matt Ryan and Matthew Stafford have had very similar careers.

Both became the point men for long suffering franchises. Ryan assumed the reigns of the Falcons following the Mike Vick dog fighting saga while Stafford came to a Lions team fresh off the heels of an 0-16 season.

Unfortunately for both men, the suffering would continue a little while longer. Ryan and Stafford each started their playoff careers 0-3, with the former finally getting the monkey off his back on try number four.

Stafford has not had the same opportunity just yet, but 2017 may be the year of the Lions’ quarterback. He already earned the NFL’s richest contract earlier in the year, but the accolades may just be getting started. In this his ninth season, Stafford is finally poised to enter the ranks of the elite, just like his contemporary did in his ninth year.

Next: Atlanta Falcons vs Lions: Staff Predictions

With the Lions limping into this Sunday’s contest, their fate versus the Falcons rests on the shoulders of Matthew Stafford. Week three’s game could prove to be the first resume builder on Stafford’s bid for the 2017 MVP award.

It’s only fitting his opponent will be the reigning 2016 MVP, Matt Ryan.

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