Atlanta Falcons: Who will be the post season X-Factor?
By Randy Gurzi
The Atlanta Falcons need someone to step up and play big in the 2017 NFL Playoffs, but who will be the guy to rise up and be the X-Factor?
Well they made it. The Atlanta Falcons traversed some highs and lows during the 2017 NFL Season and found a way to sneak into the playoffs via the sixth seed. Despite being the last seed though, they have as good a shot as anyone to make it to the Super Bowl — especially considering they did so just one year ago.
The reason for pessimism is there however. The Falcons struggled all season to find some semblance of consistency all season long. Their offense went from an explosive unit that featured 2016 NFL MVP Matt Ryan at quarterback, to a team that struggled to move the ball and had a different version of Ryan at times.
Luckily for them, their defense helped big time throughout the year. Now going into the playoffs, someone from that side needs to step up and become the X-Factor.
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The reason it has to be a defender is simple, the Falcons are are about to go on the road for their entire playoff run. The best medicine for a loud and raucous crowd is to shut the opposing offense down.
Again fortune smiles on the Dirty Birds as the one person who they can count on to be that game changer will be linebacker Deion Jones.
The second-year linebacker had 138 tackles and three interceptions — with his most famous being the game-sealing pick of New Orleans Saints in Week 14. He went for double digit tackles in each of the past two games as well, so he comes into the playoffs on a hot streak.
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It feels weird to say the Falcons have the defense to win a championship, but that’s been the case this season. That’s especially true when Jones is playing at his best, which they will need to make it a second-straight trip to the big game.