Atlanta Falcons

The 2007 NFL season will live in infamy for the Atlanta Falcons. Sure, this franchise has had some tough times, and worse records than 4-12. But the last calendar year or so has been very tough on this team, and unfortunately, may have a lasting effect.

Atlanta put a lot of hope and money toward QB Michael Vick and his future with the team, and he ended up in jail, and probably out of the league forever. With Vick, the Falcons were at least a threat to make the playoffs, and to give almost any other team a good game on any given day. But without him, Atlanta was a shell of a team last year, with an anemic offense, a porous defense, and dissension within the ranks.

The Falcons lost their first three games last year, and six of their first seven, and later lost six in a row. And their first-year head coach quit before the season even ended. With Joey Harrington and later, Chris Redman, handling the QB duties, Atlanta ranked 23^rd in the league in total offense last year at 301 YPG. Without Vick and his scrambles, the Falcons ranked 26^th in rushing at 95 YPG.

On the other side of the ball, the Falcons ranked 29^th in total defense at 356 YPG and 26^th vs. the run at 127 YPG. Atlanta also ranked 28^th in total yardage at -55 YPG and 29^th in time-of-possession at -2:34 per game.

The Falcons managed to go 8-8 vs. the NFL betting odds, but they were just 2-5 ATS as home underdogs. On the other hand, they were 5-3 ATS on the road. And the totals went 9-7 in Atlanta games, mainly because Falcon foes averaged 26 PPG, fourth-most in the league.

This team is now a rebuilding project. The new coach is Mike Smith, who produced good results as the defensive coordinator at Jacksonville. Over the offseason, Atlanta discarded Harrington, CB DeAngelo Hall, TE Alge Crumpler and RB Warrick Dunn, and drafted 11 players including QB Matt Ryan at No. 3 overall and OT Sam Baker at No. 21. They also signed RB Michael Turner and K Jason Elam.

Smith named Ryan the Week 1 starter in August, but Redman put up decent numbers in relief last year, and will probably see action sometime this season. Three years ago, this team played in the NFC championship game, and seemed headed for multiple seasons of success. Now, they're starting over with a new GM, a new head coach, a rookie starting QB and a very, very big price in the NFL odds. It's a long season coming this fall in Atlanta.