Three Bold Sports Illustrated Predictions About the Atlanta Falcons

Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr gave 100 bold predictions about the 2024 NFL season, from the potential signing of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce to Cooper DeJean becoming the face of Philadelphia Eagles athletics. For the Atlanta Falcons, Orr had three predictions ranging from Bijan Robinson doing something that hasn’t been done in Atlanta in over 25 years to Michael Penix, Jr. getting a run in 2024.

Bold Prediction #1 – Drake Maye, not Michael Penix, Jr., will make the fewest starts among all first-round rookie quarterbacks.

The Patriots could — and should — protect Maye from their repair roster and allow him to learn from Jacoby Brissett, although Penix will be forced into the mix for at least two starts. (I’m not saying Kirk Cousins ​​will have a serious injury, because that’s not cool to predict and goes against the Oracle Code. Maybe, like Aaron Rodgers, he will need to take time off work for a vision quest. Or maybe he’s like all of us 36-year-old dads who are prone to body aches.) Penix will go 1-1 in his two starts. , throwing four touchdowns, three interceptions and a very cool broken play. off-balance throw that sets up a winning basket.

While Cousins ​​going on a vision quest near Stone Mountain and giving Penix a chance to flex his muscles in year one is a fun possibility, the more likely scenarios are that the Falcons are so far ahead of the pack in the NFC South that they are capable of resting their starters for a playoff run (more on that later) or Cousins ​​is finally showing signs of wear and tear, giving Penix scattered opportunities to play.

As for Drake Maye, the more the New England Patriots can keep him off this current roster, the better.

Bold Prediction #2 – Bijan Robinson will surpass 2,000 yards on offense

While I’m less optimistic about seeing the Kyle Pitts train roll, I don’t think it’s an accident that Raheem Morris brought a Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator with him. The Atlanta Falcons running game will be exotic, and it will be created specifically to give Robinson the most opportunities humanly possible. I wouldn’t rule out a 2017-2018 Todd Gurley type performance.

SOMEONE of this trio of first-round point guards needs to have a breakout year, or Falcons fans might riot outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Whether it’s Pitts, Robinson or Drake London, one of them needs to have a big year.

If Robinson exceeds 2,000 yards, it will be only the fourth time in franchise history and the first time in the 21st century:

• William Andrews – 1981 – 2,036 yards (1,301 rushing, 735 receiving)
• William Andrews – 1983 – 2,176 yards (1,567 rushing, 609 receiving)
• Jamal Anderson – 1998 – 2,165 yards (1,846 rushing, 319 receiving)

Bold Prediction #3 – The Falcons will lead the NFC South at Thanksgiving, and the division will have three different leaders at different times this season.

The NFC South will play out a bit like one of those giant taco races, where each taco (chicken, steak, mahi mahi) has a lead time before the eventual champion bows out and a select row of fans receive $4 off a new one. wiper set at WIPER VIPER™. The Saints, Falcons and Buccaneers will all spend time in first place, although the all-important Thanksgiving quarterback will put everyone on Kirk Cousins ​​​​and Raheem Morris.

The Falcons’ schedule starts as rocky as possible, facing the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in four weeks. Not to mention, Cousins ​​usually starts seasons slowly.

Atlanta has a much easier schedule as you go through the bye week, finishing the season against teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders. So there’s a chance they run away with the NFC South by stacking up wins in the latter. half the season.

Dishonorable mention – Five general manager positions will open in 2025

After a long period of coaching layoffs with much more regularity, we’ll see just two fewer general manager layoffs than head coach layoffs, reshaping some divisions and putting a few teams on very different trajectories.

Terry Fontenot played with fire in the way he built this team, but when you start playing with the quarterback position, that’s how you end up flying too close to the sun. Failing to find a player capable of helping them in 2024, opting for a future game, Fontenot has significantly reduced his margin for error. So there’s a chance that one of those five vacant general manager positions could come from Flowery Branch, especially if the Falcons miss the playoffs again this season.

Honorable mention- The charcuterie board will make a comeback before tailgate season

Culinary fads come and go, but an assortment of jams, hard cheeses, cold cuts, olives and nuts is really hard to beat, especially when paired with thinly sliced ​​pieces of toast instead crackers.

Let’s end on a good note. The charcuterie board is an underrated part of the party that I think deserves more respect. It’s a perfect storm of meats, cheeses, olives and nuts that come together beautifully to make a great appetizer before you really get into your meal. OR it could be your meal if you try to be careful about what you try to eat.

The charcuterie board that is making a comeback is a beautiful thing that will only help the tailgater.