Atlanta Falcons: 17the game not that exciting for this fan base

The NFL has officially added a 17th game, which means the Atlanta Falcons will be on the road.

Over the weekend, the NFL announced that is what officially changing the schedule, which means for the first time ever, the Atlanta Falcons will play 17 regular-season home games.

While many football fans are excited about another game, Atlanta Falcons fans may not share the same jubilation given the results on the field over the last three years. Finishing 7-9, 7-9, and 4-12 have given fans more reason to be ready for the season to end rather than hope for its extension.

The addition of the 17th game means that the Atlanta Falcons will end their season on the road in 2021 and 2023 while ending their season at home in 2022 and 2024.

They will face an AFC team that finished in the same spot in their division as the Falcons did the previous year. That means Atlanta will square off against the AFC South (Jacksonville) in 2021, AFC West in 2022, AFC East in 2023, and AFC North in 2024.

The Atlanta Falcons will face off against the new look Jacksonville Jaguars and presumed number one pick, Trevor Lawrence, in 2021. Lawrence grew up just 45 minutes from Mercedes Benz Stadium and owns many Georgia High School football records from his time at Cartersville High School.

If Arthur Smith and Terry Fontenot can put together a competitive roster in 2021, that additional 17th game could end up being the difference between making the playoffs in 2021 and sitting at home on the outside looking in for the fourth year in a row.

In the last several seasons, many of us have bought into the Kool-Aid about the Atlanta Falcons being under the radar, however, that will change in 2021 as most of us will now take a prove to us stance as the new coaching staff and roster take over.