ATLANTA FALCONS
2022 Record - 7-10
Head Coach - Arthur Smith
Offensive Rank - 24th (320 YPG); Scoring - 15th (21.5 PPG)
Defensive Rank - 27th (362 YPG); Scoring - 23rd (22.7 PPG)
Desmond Ridder will be the starting quarterback this season and he had two touchdown passes a year ago along with 708 passing yards in limited playing time. Backing up will be either Logan Woodside or Taylor Heinicke, who had 1,859 passing yards with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions with Washington last season. Tyler Allgeier (1,035 yards, 4.9 YPC average, three TD), Cordarrelle Patterson (695, 4.8 YPC, eight TD), Caleb Huntley (366, 4.8 YPC, one TD) and rookie Bijan Robinson (Texas) will be running the football. The wide receivers are Drake London (72 receptions, 866 yards, four TD), KhaDarel Hodge, Scott Miller, Mack Hollins, Frank Darby and tight ends Kyle Pitts (28, 356, two TD) and Jonnu Smith.
The defense features veteran Calais Campbell (5 1/2 QB sacks with Baltimore in 2022), Grady Jarrett (six sacks), Lorenzo Carter (four sacks), rookie Zach Harrison (Ohio State) and Bud Dupree among the front seven. The secondary added Jessie Bates III (four interceptions with Cincinnati) and has safeties Richie Grant (two INT) and Jaylen Hawkins (two picks) and corners A.J. Terrell and Jeff Okudah. Rookies Clark Phillips III (Utah) and DeMarcco Hellams (Alabama) will look to contribute.
OUTLOOK FOR 2023 - The Falcons are looking to build off a season in which they were very competitive. They lost ten games, but eight of those losses were one-score games. Head Coach Arthur Smith will be going with Ridder as the quarterback as they try to improve the passing game, which averaged the same amount of yardage per game (160 yards) as the rushing attack did.
The Falcons will be looking to get better defensively as well as they finished in the lower third of the NFL overall and in scoring defense. Losing so many close games can wear on a team and that seemed to be the case last season with four straight losses down the stretch that doomed their playoff hopes. Winning division games will be vital to that effort as all four teams in NFC South are going through a lot of roster changes. If the offense can get it going in both areas and the defense can get the big stops in key moments this season, then the Falcons just might win the division and get back to the playoffs for the first time in six years.
TEAM SCHEDULE
Week One - vs. Carolina
Week Two - vs. Green Bay
Week Three - at Detroit
Week Four - at Jacksonville (London, England)
Week Five - vs. Houston
Week Six - vs. Washington
Week Seven - at Tampa Bay
Week Eight - at Tennessee
Week Nine - vs. Minnesota
Week Ten - at Arizona
Week Eleven - BYE
Week Twelve - vs. New Orleans
Week Thirteen - at N.Y. Jets
Week Fourteen - vs. Tampa Bay
Week Fifteen - at Carolina
Week Sixteen - vs. Indianapolis
Week Seventeen - at Chicago
Week Eighteen - at New Orleans
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