Atlanta Falcons

How do the 2016 Atlanta Falcons sack up to the 2015 Atlanta Falcons?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Oct 16, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) passes the football against the Seattle Seahawks during a NFL football game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s be honest folks, a lot of armchair GMs, glass half empty fans, or people who despise the Falcons all have one remark when we talk about Atlanta’s success this season and that’s, “Well, the Falcons started 5-1 last season and look what happened.”

Well it is a observation, but not a fair one, and I hope this article will stop any of those remarks from happening again. So, what I’ve decided to do, is take a look back at last season and compare the Falcons opponents, and how the Falcons were operating in general, and how they were ‘winning’ those games. And then, I’ll fast forward to now and see how these opponents stack against last years, and how these Falcons compare with last years Falcons.

Sep 14, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Ricardo Allen (37) celebrates his interception as Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews (81) reacts on the ground in the fourth quarter at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Falcons 2015

Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles. Final Score: 26-24 Falcons

A tidbit on this game is, I was actually at the game. So I’ll tell you what I remember from my eyes. I’ll be honest, the defense looked faster than what I was used to seeing, but is that really saying a lot? The run defense and how they attacked running back DeMarco Murray stood out to me because at the time, Murray I believed would have wrecked us. Our offense didn’t look at hot as I thought. I remember seeing Ryan do roll-outs and I was nervous. I remember a lot of the same plays, but ultimately Atlanta did win, and I was happy with the out-come. However, being up 20-3 at halftime and only winning the game by two points, didn’t sit well with me.

Stats for that game were pretty typical for a home opener. Atlanta allowed Sam Bradford to gash them for 330 yards, and that was kind of glaring. They did hold the run game to 63 yards, though. Atlanta’s offense had 290 passing yards, and 105 rushing yards. Atlanta was balanced with 34 passing attempts and 35 rushing attempts. As for the red zone, Atlanta went 1-for-3. Each team had two turnovers. Julio went off with over 150 yards. At the time, no one knew Philly’s identity. They finished 7-9 so we’ll mark that up as a win against a below average team.

Atlanta Falcons 2016

Opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Final Score: 31-24 Buccaneers

Oh nooooo, same old Falcons! Atlanta looked to be more comfortable in offense and seemed to just get outplayed when it mattered most. It honestly looked like Tampa just make the plays they needed to win, and the Falcons young defensive age seemed evident. It looked like a typical Atlanta Falcons team and the sky was definitely falling. Atlanta had 290 passing yards, but only 50 rushing yards were really surprising.

Atlanta attempted 39 passes and 22 rushes. They also did horribly in the red zone, going 1-for-4. Atlanta had zero turnovers, and Tampa had one, but the red zone success just wasn’t there. They just couldn’t stay balanced. Tampa and Winston threw 4 touchdowns and ran for 90 yards. It just looked like a bad showing when it mattered for Atlanta. Tampa has just two wins on the season so now this loss looks much sadder, but then again, how has Atlanta played since then?

September 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) scores a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders during the second quarter at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Falcons 2015

Opponent: New York Giants. Final score: 24-20 Falcons

Another game it looked like Atlanta really stopped the opponents run game. New York had chances to win the game, and Atlanta’s Kroy Biermann forced a fumble on a driving Eli Manning. Atlanta’s run game never got going that game, gaining just 60 yards, but Julio was another animal again getting 135 yards. Ryan passed for 360 total. Atlanta attempted 46 passes and 22 rushes. Not 50-50 balanced, but it got the job done. They also went 3-for-3 in the red zone and had zero turnovers. It looked like Atlanta was a power house again going into New York and winning against, at the time, what people thought would be the winner of the NFC East. Well, the Giants finished 6-10. So…

Atlanta Falcons 2016

Opponent: Oakland Raiders. Final score: 35-28 Falcons

Now, this. This was the offense most thought Atlanta was capable of. Ryan passed for almost 400 yards and three touchdowns. Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman combined for 140 yards and a touchdown. Balance was evident. Attempting 34 passes and 29 rushes. Atlanta’s defense was typical allowing 299 passing yards and 155 rushing yards. Atlanta was 50 percent in the red zone going 3-for-6 and had a turnover while creating none. But, Atlanta went into a hostile environment against a 1-0 team who is now 4-2 and won a nice game. So maybe, just maybe, things will be okay?

Sep 27, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) spikes the ball after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Falcons 2015

Opponent: Dallas Cowboys. Final Score: 39-28 Falcons

Lets be real, if Atlanta loses this game, they are bad. This team had no Tony Romo, no Dez Bryant. Nothing. But they hit us in the mouth early. Their RB Joseph Randle went off, and they had a 28-17 lead at the half. Atlanta ended up battling back thanks to the random emergence of Devonta Freeman rushing for three touchdowns and Julio having another crazy game of165 yards. Goodness. Looking at the game, it was a nice win statistically. Atlanta had 36 passing attempts for 260 yards, and 32 rushing attempts for 158 yards. Balance seemed to be a thing. Atlanta was 4-for-5 in the red zone and had zero turnovers and forced one. Oh, and Julio. Their defense was like usual allowed 220 yards passing from Brandon Weeden. Yuck. And they allowed Joseph Randle and Co to rush for 120. But, Atlanta was 3-0 and you couldn’t tell us fans nothin! Oh, by the way, Dallas finished 4-12.

Atlanta Falcons 2016

Opponent: New Orleans Saints. Final Score: 45-32 Falcons

I’ll tell you, this game wasn’t as close as the score says. This was a game I did not see Atlanta winning despite the Saints early season struggles. The media was using the 10 year anniversary of the Super Dome re-opening as the biggest head line. It looked like Atlanta had no shot, but boy, oh boy were people wrong. Atlanta just out played the Saints from start to finish. Leading at halftime 28-17 and then finishing. Atlanta had 225 passing yards on 30 attempts, and 217 rushing yards on 31 attempts. If that isn’t balance, what is? Oh, Julio was seventh on the team in receptions, with one, and we won. What? Atlanta went 5-for-7 in the red zone. The Falcons were also plus-2 in turnover margin, forcing two and having zero. Atlanta’s defense was pretty typical giving up a lot of garbage yards 360 passing, and 115 rushing. But don’t let it fool ya, Atlanta kept their lead all game. And basically no Julio. The Saints are now 2-3.

Oct 2, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) stiff arms Carolina Panthers cornerback Bene

Atlanta Falcons 2015

Opponent: Houston Texans. Final Score: 48-21 Falcons

Look, I’m not even going to talk about this game. Atlanta just played great from start to finish. The Texans had quarterback problems all year and just lost badly this game. They did squeak into the playoffs by going 9-7; however, they got dominated then too.

Atlanta Falcons 2016

Opponent: Carolina Panthers. Final Score 48-33 Falcons

I went to this game as well, and even though the score says Atlanta won by 15 points, they really won by 30. I remember specifically seeing pre-play, that Julio was going deep and catching a fly route. Why the Panthers played press on Julio with rookies, I’ll never understand, but Atlanta made them pay. You already know the stats. 503 passing yards. But what’s telling to me is how the Falcons’ defense performed. They allowed Cam to pass for 170 yards and the Panthers rush for 49. I won’t go into Derek Anderson. But, Atlanta was plus-1 in turnover margin, forcing two and giving one. And were 2-for-3 in the red zone. This was a dominant win. The Panthers are 1-5, but it’s always fun to talk about this game.

Oct 11, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Robert Alford (23, right) intercepts a pass intended for Washington Redskins wide receiver Ryan Grant (14, left) as Alford returns the interception for a touchdown to win the game in overtime against the Washington Redskins at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons won 25-19 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Falcons 2015

Opponent: Washington Redskins. Final Score: 19-25 OT Falcons

This game was pretty back and forth, and Atlanta found a way to win. This game was another coming out party for Devonta Freeman, as he had 153 yards. That and allowing the Redskins rushing offense just 49 yards is probably why Atlanta was even in the game. Atlanta had 254 passing yards, and Ryan threw two picks. Atlanta was 2-for-4 in the redzone and minus-1 in turnovers. Giving three and taking two. The Redskins won a weak division and lost in the wild card.

Atlanta Falcons 2016

Opponent: Denver Broncos. Final Score: 23-16 Falcons

Falcons lost. No way they beat the 4-0 defending champs. Oh, wait, they don’t have their starting quarterback [who’s really a back up anyway] but no problem, no way the Falcons score on this defense. Nope.

You’re wrong. Atlanta passed for 250 and no interceptions against this defense, and ran for 122. They went 1-for-3 in the red zone, and were even in turnover margin. The story here though is, Julio was basically taken care of. But Atlanta dug in the playbook and allowed Coleman and Freeman to get going. Coleman with 132 receiving yards, and Freeman with 88 rushing yards. Atlanta’s defense sacked Lynch six (!) times and allowed him to throw only one TD, and forced a pick. They also allowed no rushing touchdowns. But let’s be real, Denver’s offense hasn’t been anything special at all. The telling stat of this game was the Falcons offense being able to win without Julio having to take over. The Broncos are 4-2 on the season.

Oct 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) talks to Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) following a win in a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Falcons 31-21. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Falcons 2015

Opponent: New Orleans Saints. Final Score: 31-21 Saints

I remember specifically this game was ugly start to finish. I remember the unbalanced play of Atlanta (44 passes to 21 rushes) and I remember fumbles. Atlanta had three of them. I remember the center being a reason for one specifically. What was bad, though, was the play-calling. Atlanta had seven yards per rush, but only ran the ball 21 times. This game was the beginning of the end for the season. The play calling became repetitive. The Falcons had no No. 2 wide receiver getting the ball. It was run, or pass to Julio. And its easy to prepare for two guys. Atlanta went 2-for-3 in the red zone but were minus-3 in turnovers. The Saints ended up being 7-9 by seasons end.

Atlanta Falcons 2016

Opponent: Seattle Seahawks. Final Score: 26-24 Seahawks

Atlanta was to be thought to be dominated this game. No way could they play on the road against a top-three defense for a second straight week and compete.Early on, down 17-3 it looked like these thoughts were going to come true.

Wrong. The Falcons were something different in that third quarter. Ryan came out and tossed three touchdowns, and the defense allowed zero points. The Falcons should have won this game based off that second half. One point I want to touch on is the halftime adjustments. Atlanta was getting manhandled early and came out a different team in the second half. Going into the game, the one thing I was wondering was how would Atlanta respond if they ever find themselves in a hole. In seasons past, when down at halftime, this team rolled over.

This is one of the rare occurrences where you really learn something about your team in a loss. Atlanta was 1-for-2 in the red zone but were minus-2 in Turnovers. They got away from being balanced rushing 18 times and having 42 passing attempts. Defensively, it was pretty Atlanta-esque. They didn’t allow Wilson to throw for a touchdown but allowed 3 rushing touchdowns.

Oct 16, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) reacts during a NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

So let’s look at this overall, the Falcons beat three teams who didn’t sniff the playoffs, and two wild card teams to begin the season last year, and be 5-1.

Something I’ll point out is the difference in Matt Ryan. At the 5-1 mark last season Ryan had games of: 66 QBR (90 RTG), 60 QBR (105.4 RTG), 93.4 QR (109 RTG), 73 QBR (112.6 RTG), 60 QBR (55 RTG), 75 QBR (102 RTG) .

Great for a QB, I admit, but against what competition? Do any of these defenses scream elite to you? Houston, borderline. But lets look at this year.

45 QBR (112 RTG). Damn, that’s the Matt Ryan some say he is, with that 45 QBR, but hold on..this is gonna be fun..the next 5 games; 97.5 QBR (131.5 RTG) , 92.4 QBR (113.2 RTG), 97.0 QBR (142.0 RTG), 66.5 QBR (98.4 RTG), 66 QBR (102.8 RTG) QBR Stat is subjective because there are a lot of people who don’t even agree or use that stat. But, looking at the rating, it’s something that’s remarkable.

Add into the fact that this time last year, when being 5-1, Ryan had eight touchdowns, four interceptions and 1,751 yards. And that was against teams that many other teams ran over. Ryan basically doubles his touchdowns right now with 15, has one less interceptions, and 300-plus more yards. And he’s beating quality teams.

It may be bias, but honestly, this team is not your regular Falcons team, and that begins with Matt Ryan. He is what is different. His comfort is evident. It took him 11 games to get to 15 touchdowns in 2015, and at that time he had nine interceptions. Stats I really didn’t take, are missed tackles but by the eye, Atlanta seems to be faster and attacks the ball much better. Atlanta has three new starting linebackers, a new starting strong safety and multiple rotational players have been enhanced. The defense isn’t great by any means, but they’re young so that’s something to look at.

The big story is the offense. We hear it every year don’t we? Atlanta has a top 5 offense. We heard it last year in the beginning but the question remains, “What defense did they play?” This year, though, they’ve played two top 3 defenses and moved the ball pretty much at will.

This team is different than last year.