The 2008 edition of the Atlanta Falcons should look exciting. In the midst of an obvious rebuilding period, the Falcons will be going through a learning curve in 2008. Matt Ryan is expected to start Week 1, and the rest of the safeties will likely run into some problems along the way as he tries to adjust. the speed of the NFL. The Falcons took the first step in the rebuilding process this offseason by getting rid of two problem-child characters in Deangelo Hall and Jimmy Williams. Even the younger ones are trying, dumping guys who first reached Warrick-dunn and Alge Crumpler.
KEY ADDITIONS:
1) Michael Turner – While Turner never had to carry the burden of an NFL team, he had 4 years of learning from Ladanian Tomlinson. Over a 4-year career, he carries the ball only 228 times, as his legs are fresh. During this 4-year span, he also has a career average of 5.5 yards per carry and also has six career touchdowns, despite giving Tomlinson away inside the red zone. I look forward to Turner having a successful career in Atlanta. The Falcons thought so much of him that they passed on the opportunity to take Darren McFadden as Tomlinson’s backup.
2) Matt Ryan – The rookie will be thrown into the fire and will be forced to succeed right out of the gates. Most rookie quarterbacks take a year or two of so much pain and suffering before they can come into their own. The rookie quarterback’s youth inexperience equates to a long year for a first-year quarterback.
3) Jason Elam – One of the most successful kickers of all time makes his way from the very kicker friendly Mile High to another kicker friendly shelter. Elam’s cast is very accurate, the leg of which is not what it usually is. He can kick consistently, though, and Atlanta will benefit from his practice as a leader.
KEY DAMAGE:
1) Deangelo Hall – Former Virginia Tech pro bowler has fallen out of favor with the coaching staff. While Hall is one of the best in the game to cover the corners, that’s where he got burned. He will never point the finger at himself, Hall will never admit fault for his mistakes, but he will also be the first to show his greatness. Hall is a subtractive addition, much like Randy Moss and the Raiders last year. He compiled loads of character fights.
2) Warrick Dunn – Dunn opposite Deangelo Hall. A proven leader in the locker room and cap community, Atlanta could benefit from Dunn aging in and is the type of leader this young team needs. Dunn returns to Tampa Bay, where she looks to help single mothers in her community.
3) Alge Crumpler – One of the better pass tight ends in recent years, Crumpler headed to Tennessee in the offseason. He has trouble catching a pass from another mobile quarterback who throws the ball to Vince Young. Young people expect to benefit much more from Crumpler than the other way around.
4) Jimmy Williams – The third of a trio of Virginia Tech drafts gone bad, Williams was also let go after falling out of favor with the coaching staff. While Williams only had 14 tackles and 1 interception, he has potential and if he can get in the right position, he could end up in the pro bowl.
Key Weaknesses:
There are many openings on the Atlanta roster, and it is difficult to choose one at a particular location. The wide receiver has long troubled the falcons. While the Falcons are in the middle of the building, they are hanging on to the aging Joe Horn despite his requests to be traded or released. Failed number one picks Roddy White and Michael Jenkins have a hard time calling the shots as they’ve never had a quarterback who can ground the ball on a consistent basis. If this wide receiving unit can step in, it will certainly help in the development of Matt Ryan.
Key Strengths:
There aren’t many bright spots in this team. But the defensive line has some potential. The Falcons have one of the best pass rushers in the game in John Abraham, and they will have a future for a bowler on the other side in Jamaal Anderson. The defense will live and die with the defensive line, so these two steps have to cut it if the Falcons hope to win or even hit the 3 mark.
2008 Predictions
2008 will be a tough season for the Falcons to watch. The rebuilding process is never fun or easy on the fans. The Falcons had several draft picks heading into April, and found a new quarterback of the future in Matt Ryan. How the draft develops this year will determine how long it will be before the Falcons can compete again.
Here’s how the Falcons’ 2008 schedule looks:
Week / Opponent
1 Detroit
2 @Tampa Bay
4 @Carolina
5 @Green Bay
6 Chicago
VII
8 @Philadelphia
9 @Oakland
10 New Orleans
11 Denver
12 Carolina
13 @ San Diego
14 @New Orleans
15 Tampa Bay
16 @Minnesota
17 St
The Falcons compete in a division marked by 3 teams who are all more competitive than the Falcons. Finding a way to win any of these games is probably impossible. Expect the Falcons to go 0-6 in their division in 2008.
Games against the rest of the league won’t be much better. Developing a rookie QB is no easy feat, and the Falcons lost more quality players than they could bring in. The Buccaneers could seriously attack because the only team game won’t win every time. His best chances will come in Week 3 against Kansas City, and Week 17 at St. Louis. We’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and predict a 1-15 season and a chance to have the first overall pick in the April draft.
