For the first time since 2008, the Atlanta Falcons will see a different signal-caller under center and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There was no great reason to keep 36-year-old Matt Ryan to be a with sub-500 team, which was exactly what the Falcons were with Ryan the past four seasons. Despite being one of the least talented teams in the NFL last season, the Falcons still managed to win 7 games and were in the playoff mix into late December, so is there hope for 2022? Without Ryan, the Falcons will be bad and there’s not much to feel hopeful about for Atlanta this upcoming season. While the team insists it isn’t on rebuilding mode, it sure feels like it. To replace Ryan eventually, the Falcons used a third-round pick on Desmond Ridder, who was seen as a mediocre backup by some of the NFL scouts.
For now, Marcus Mariota will start in the meantime. The Oregon product has some potential as a former No. 2 overall pick but hasn’t clearly lived up to the hype. For the past three years, he has been learning from the sidelines so perhaps a fresh start in a new city will rejuvenate his motivation to be better. The problem is that he will find that he doesn’t really have many proven talents at his disposal. Tight end Kyle Pitts is the best receiver he has and then you have Drake London, who has yet to catch a pass in the NFL. Indeed, there is Pitts, London, who was drafted 8th overall in 2022 and not much else. Besides the duo, Mariota will have a slew of pedestrian receivers including no-names like Bryan Edwards, Auden Tate and Damiere Byrd. They lost WR Russell Gage, who caught 94 passes for 770 yards, to division rival Tampa Bay.
It doesn’t get any better for Mariota as far as his running game is concerned and protection. Cordarrelle Patterson is a dynamic runner but is not a running back equipped to handle a complete workload. Pass protection has been a huge issue for the Falcons in recent years and you can expect more of the same this season as the unit has seen little improvement in the offseason. It doesn’t get any better on the defensive side of the ball. Aside from DE Grady Jarrett, the defensive line is devoid of talent especially with the departure of Dante Fowler Jr., who fled to Dallas. The team hasn’t invested heavily in the front four this offseason, adding only journeyman Vincent Taylor. The two bright spots are the linebacker corps and secondary but they will be overworked if the front seven cannot get to the opposing quarterbacks.
The Falcons will be underdogs in all of their games this season except maybe against the Bears and the Seahawks. With the lack of talents they possess, it’s unwise to think that they could upset any other opponents they are slated to face.
Atlanta Falcons Offseason Moves:
Notable Additions: QB Marcus Mariota, WR Auden Tate, WR Damiere Byrd, WR KhaDarel Hodge, TE Anthony Firkser, OT Elijah Wilkinson, LB Rashaan Evans, CB Casey Hayward
Notable Departures: QB Matt Ryan, RB Mike Davis, WR Russell Gage, TE Hayden Hurst, DE Dante Fowler, CB Isaiah Oliver, CB Fabian Moreau
1st and 2nd Draft Picks: WR Drake London (8), DE Arnold Ebikete (38), LB Troy Andersen (58)
2022-23 Atlanta Falcons NFL Futures Odds
- Odds to win the 2023 Super Bowl LVII: 200/1
- Odds to win the 2022-23 NFC Conference: 100/1
- Odds to win the 2022-23 NFC South +3500
- 2022-23 Regular Season Win Total: Under 5 (-190)
- Odds to Make the Playoffs: Yes +650 | No -1400
- Official website: atlantafalcons.com
- Twitter Account : @AtlantaFalcons
The Bottom Line:
This is a rebuilding season for the Falcons so it means this year will be painful. The only thing the Falcons might win is the first pick of the draft next year. Don’t be surprised to see Desmond Ridder start a few games just so to see if he pans out as the quarterback of the future.
Last year’s record: 7-10
My Prediction: 2-15
2022-23 Atlanta Falcons Stage of Elimination
- To Miss the Playoffs -1400
- To Lose in Wildcard Round +600
- To Lose in Divisional Round +1400
- To Lose in Conference Championship Game +5000
- To Lose in Super Bowl +10000
- To Win Super Bowl +20000
Odds According to Bovada as of September, 2022
2022-23 Atlanta Falcons Season Team Specials
ATL Falcons to score over 340.5 Reg Season Points EVEN
Cordarelle Patterson & Kyle Pitts over 11.5 combined Reg Season TDs Scored EVEN
Drake London & Kyle Pitts Combined Over 1600.5 Reg Season Receiving Yards EVEN
Cordarelle Patterson Over 950.5 Reg Season Combined Rush & Rec Yards and Over 7.5 TDs Scored +225
Marcus Mariota Over 3500.5 Reg Season Passing Yards & Over 300.5 Reg Season Rushing Yards +250
Marcus Mariota Over 20.5 Reg Season Passing TDs & Drake London Over 700.5 Reg Season Receiving Yards +275
ATL Falcons to make the playoffs and Kyle Pitts over 1000.5 Reg Season Receiving Yards +1200
ATL Falcons over 7.5 Reg Season Wins and Drake London to have most Rookie Receiving Yards in the Reg Season +2000
ATL Falcons to be a Wildcard Seed and Marcus Mariota over 2.5 Reg Season Rushing TDs +3500
ATL Falcons to reach NFC Championship Game +3500
Aengus NFL Season Special Prediction on Falcons:
- Pitts will go over 1,000 yards receiving
- Mariota will not go over 3,000 yards passing
- Patterson will go over 1,000 yards combined receiving/passing
- Atlanta will have fewest sacks in the NFL in 2022
- Atlanta will finish last in NFC South
- Atlanta will get first pick in 2023 draft
Season Props According to Bovada as of September, 2022
Bet on the Atlanta Falcons 2022-23 Season Props at Bovada Sportsbook.
Atlanta Falcons 2022-23 Schedule
| PRESEASON | |||||
| W. | Date | Time | Opponent | Game site | TV |
| 1 | 12-Aug | at Detroit Lions | Ford Field | ||
| 2 | 22-Aug | at New York Jets | Metlife Stadium | ||
| 3 | 27-Aug | Jacksonville Jaguars | Mercedes Benz Stadium | ||
| REGULAR SEASON | |||||
| W. | Date | Time | Opponent | Game site | TV |
| 1 | 11-Sep | 1:00 p.m. | New Orleans Saints | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Fox |
| 2 | 18-Sep | 4:05 p.m. | at Los Angeles Rams | SoFi Stadium | Fox |
| 3 | 25-Sep | 4:25 p.m. | at Seattle Seahawks | Lumen Field | Fox |
| 4 | 2-Oct | 1:00 p.m. | Cleveland Browns | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | CBS |
| 5 | 9-Oct | 1:00 p.m. | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Raymond James Stadium | Fox |
| 6 | 16-Oct | 1:00 p.m. | San Francisco 49ers | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Fox |
| 7 | 23-Oct | 1:00 p.m. | at Cincinnati Bengals | Paycor Stadium | Fox |
| 8 | 30-Oct | 1:00 p.m. | Carolina Panthers | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Fox |
| 9 | 6-Nov | 1:00 p.m. | Los Angeles Chargers | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Fox |
| 10 | 10-Nov | 8:15 p.m. | at Carolina Panthers | Bank of America Stadium | Prime Video |
| 11 | 20-Nov | 1:00 p.m. | Chicago Bears | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Fox |
| 12 | 27-Nov | 1:00 p.m. | at Washington Commanders | FedExField | Fox |
| 13 | 4-Dec | 1:00 p.m. | Pittsburgh Steelers | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | CBS |
| 14 | Bye | ||||
| 15 | Dec 17/18 | TBD | at New Orleans Saints | Caesars Superdome | TBD |
| 16 | 24-Dec | 1:00 p.m. | at Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium | Fox |
| 17 | 1-Jan | 1:00 p.m. | Arizona Cardinals | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Fox |
| 18 | Jan 7/8 | TBD | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | TBD |
All Time EST
Bet on the Atlanta Falcons 2022-23 Season at Bovada Sportsbook.
