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Falcons Vindicate Preseason Hype, Change Narrative vs. Packers

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...two games in, the Falcons are starting to foster belief. It started in Week 1, when Atlanta outscored the Carolina Panthers 14-0 in the first quarter to take a commanding 24-10 victory. Then, this past Sunday, the Falcons followed suit with a dramatic 25-24 win over the Green Bay Packers in which they erased a 12-point fourth quarter deficit. This is Atlanta's first 2-0 start since 2017, also its last season making the playoffs and holding a record above .500. This is the year the Falcons circled when Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot arrived in Jan. 2021, the third year of a three-year plan.

The Falcons went 5-8 in one-score games last year. They've long been jabbed for their inability to finish games. Sunday was the Falcons' first time overcoming a double-digit fourth quarter deficit to win since Week 2 of 2015; it's been eight years.

In order to shake the title of being just the "same old Falcons," winning close games is a necessity. Finishing, regardless of score, matches its significance. And so far - again, a small sample size - Atlanta has accomplished exactly that, only fueling the fire that this year's team can take the Falcons back to the postseason for the first time in six years.

It starts with Ridder, who shook off an early interception and difficult first half to finish with a career-high 237 passing yards while leading four consecutive scoring drives to close out the win. On the sideline, the second-year quarterback brings consistent positivity and an unwavering commitment to winning that permeates throughout his team. Smith dubbed him a winner while Matthews pointed out that his leadership generated confidence inside the huddle.

Atlanta has outscored its opponents 27-0 in the fourth quarter through two weeks, a direct result of the increased depth added this offseason and competitive environment that Smith and staff have created. It's the middle of September; it is absolutely early ... but the Falcons feel like a team with direction, and being 2-0 with lots of room to grow is where everyone hoped to be at this stage.

Ten Thoughts on the NFL

What we’ve learned two weeks into the year

The upstart in the division is the Atlanta Falcons. The Dirty Birds knocked off the Panthers in Week 1 comfortably and barely escaped the Packers in Week 2. Head Coach Arthur Smith has a dynamic rushing attack with a somewhat boring passing game led by Desmond Ridder. It’s hard to understand how this passing game is so boring given the fact they have Drake London and Kyle Pitts. If Smith can figure out how to unlock his talented pass catchers, this team could be a lot of fun as a dark horse in the NFC. I haven’t seen enough out of Ridder to think this team could be a real factor in the playoffs, but they should be relevant in the division race all year.

Verdict: Division Contender, Conference Pretender

DirtybirdGA wrote:Vomit