Three reasons the Atlanta Falcons will make the 2020 NFL playoffs
Sure, this reason could be seen as nonsensical but that will not make this reasoning any less true. Since the start of the 21st Century, the Atlanta Falcons have made the playoffs in every single Presidential election year, which includes three times under Matt Ryan.
The most astonishing aspect of this, in three of the four Presidential election cycles, the Falcons have made it to the NFC Championship game.
In the 2004 playoffs, the Atlanta Falcons won the NFC South and finished with a record of 11-5. They beat the Rams in the Divisional playoffs but lost in the NFC Championship game to the Eagles on the road.
During Matt Ryan’s rookie year in 2008, the Falcons again went 11-5 but finished second in the NFC South. They faced the Arizona Cardinals during Wild Card weekend and lost 30-24 in the desert.
The 2012 playoffs really felt like the year the Falcons were going to win their first Super Bowl. Tony Gonzalez had already announced his retirement before the year and the Falcons found themselves with a 17-0 lead in the NFC Championship game at home against the 49ers.
As we all know, the defense let the 49ers back into the game and the birds would lose 28-24.
Finally, we have the 2016 Presidential election year and the surprise run to the Super Bowl. No one expected the Falcons to be as good as they were in year two under Dan Quinn. Not only did the team go 11-5 but they beat the brakes off of the Packers in the NFC Championship game to get to Super Bowl LI.
The Falcons have averaged 11 wins during Presidential election years in the 21st century, they are more than capable of doing it again in 2020.