Time for holiday miracle
Since the Falcons’ poor start, we’ve spent some time in this space speculating whether they were about to become another clichéd statistic as a Super Bowl runner-up falling into a year-after hangover, still adversely affected by the loss of the big game.
After a 20-17 loss to the Panthers two months ago, the Falcons were 4-4 and seemingly going nowhere — especially not the playoffs.
But here we are with two weeks remaining in the regular season and the 9-5 Falcons are in position to win the NFC South. Wins in their final two games, Sunday in New Orleans and next week at home against the Panthers, and the Falcons will win the division and earn at least one home playoff game — either in a wild-card matchup or in the divisional round.
They enter Sunday’s game against the Saints having won five of their past six games. Make no mistake: As simple as the Falcons’ task sounds, it’s hardly an easy one.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” running back Devonta Freeman told reporters this week. “I still feel like we haven’t played our best ball. But it’s a lot of football out there for us, man. Hopefully, we’re trying to be here for February.”
If the Falcons are going to make it to February, they’re going to need more of the 2016 Ryan (38 touchdowns, seven interceptions and the NFL’s MVP) than the 2017 Ryan (18 TDs, 11 INTs). Ryan threw three picks in the Falcons’ last meeting with the Saints, something he isn’t likely to get away with Sunday the way he did in that 20-17 win.
“You have to flush those out of your system right after they happen,” Ryan said. “That’s kind of the nature of this league. You’re going to have weeks that are tougher than others.”
The Falcons hold tiebreakers over all the 8-6 teams — the Seahawks, Cowboys and Lions — based on wins against those teams in the regular season.
If the Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday, they are in the playoffs. If the Falcons, Saints and Panthers all finish 11-5, the Falcons would win the division.
“We are right where we need to be at this point of the season,” Ryan said.
Who would have thought that to be the case two months ago?