Cousins is more than capable, but no comparison to the Brady who arrived here in 2020. I can't see them winning a playoff game, let alone a Super Bowl this coming season.
I doubt they lose a first, but who knows. Bad pick given the state of the roster 40-45 mil could be used on impact players. I think Penix could have just performed as well as Kirk this upcoming year
Should be between tampa and new Orleans again.
If Cousins has no set backs, they are VERY MUCH in the mix for the division.
They were in it until the end last season and that was with absolute trash QB play and coaching.
Lets not forget if the Falcons place kicker Koo hadn't missed 2 easily makeable FG's, the Bucs would have been sitting at home when the season ended.
Should be between tampa and new Orleans again.
If Cousins has no set backs, they are VERY MUCH in the mix for the division.
They were in it until the end last season and that was with absolute trash QB play and coaching.
Lets not forget if the Falcons place kicker Koo hadn't missed 2 easily makeable FG's, the Bucs would have been sitting at home when the season ended.
amazing how thin the margins are in the NFL
A poor man's version but...
Bucs had trash at QB in 2019,...
Falcons had trash at QB in 2023,...
That's a horrible comparison.
One version had over 5,100 passing yards and over 30 passing TD's; while leading the league's #3 ranked total offense.
The other version had 3,500 yards and 17 passing TD's: while hamstringing the offense to #26th in the league.
Again, the posters that think Atlanta won't be a serious threat are delusional.
Hell, the addition of Robinson at OC alone made them much better. Then you factor in Cousins, London/Mooney/Moore/Pitts/Bijan and a coaching staff who will actually utilize their weapons correctly.
They're going to be a tough out.
Those mcvay guys always sorta had Bowles number, but now that we have Coen I'm sure theres some scheming that Coen can help Bowles with recognizing the tendencys of the mcvay tree
No one should think ATL won’t be competitive. As was said previously: good defense, new OC, strong roster - coupled with a very weak schedule.
That same scenario helped propel our Bucs the year the GOAT took us to the Super Bowl.
That’s why it was necessary to become more competitive. Because we won the NFCS - we have another tough schedule. Much tougher than the one ATL will face.
We need the skill positions to really step up, and our offensive coordinator to be really good, and everyone to get the new scheme really fast.
Can’t wait to see how this will all come together!
It is true that at lot of Falcons skill players were running wide open throughout their games last season and Ridder was unable to hit them or see them open. But the flipside is that was true last year early on for Carr and Mayfield. Carr finally settled in and went on a hot streak to end the year and the same with Mayfield. And Young never even joined the party but I have a feeling that he will start to step into his throws more by having a better interior OL up front this upcoming season Because as we all know Mayfield struggles as well if he can not step into throws either.
But the problem remains for the Falcons and that is they have to face 2X Bowles, 2X Evero, 2X Allen defenses which will bring pressure and Cousins is a statue. Atlanta invested a lot of money and draft picks on the OL and skill positions but Cousins is the least mobile QB of the NFCS QB's and will take a beating. It is the same with Penix in that Penix is a stud if given enough protection but this is the NFL and that isn't realistic.
If you have a stud OL and quick trigger finger QB like Brady then yeah but that isn't Cousins' game and never has been.
But the bigger reason why Atlanta is overhyped is that I do not think their front seven defensively is competitive compared to other NFCS defenses. Now, Atlanta has a talented back end (arguably the best in the NFCS) but again the front seven determines a lot of the outcome on the backend.
Right now this is how I think it stacks up:
1.a Bucs
1.b Saints
2. Falcons
3. Panthers
Should be between tampa and new Orleans again.
If Cousins has no set backs, they are VERY MUCH in the mix for the division.
They were in it until the end last season and that was with absolute trash QB play and coaching.
This. Tampa should be improved with as logical a draft as I can remember but, the Falcons may finally be able to trot out their skill players through the air, where they have absolutely languished for the past few seasons. I see the winner in the south having 10ish wins.
Cousins is more than capable, but no comparison to the Brady who arrived here in 2020. I can't see them winning a playoff game, let alone a Super Bowl this coming season.
a poor man’s version!
brady and the Bucs were the blue print. Denver, jets and falcons tried it.
no way I see falcons in superbowl hunt but I could see them winning division and playoff game
hell, I couldn’t have seen us winning a playoff game last year if you would have asked me this time a year ago. Coming off a pathetic swan song to Brady’s tenure.
from outsiders, falcons are likely the favorite to win the division but a small favorite as Bucs and saints will be there as well realistically
we won 3 years in a row and I don’t see us being materially different talent wise. We also have the toughest schedule in the division once again this year. Those 3 games make a big difference
Falcons simply made the same gamble Minnesota made before them. NFCN had a lot of similarities to current NFCS.
To me, 3 teams (TB, NO, ATL) of the NFCS are currently pretty even. Two (TB, ATL) of the 3 have new OC’s, and all 3 added talent to already talented rosters. It will be a very competitive season, and very interesting (to me) to see if how our Bucs handle the challenge that the schedule presents - because that is the one factor that separated us for the past 3 seasons - it was stacked against our Bucs, more so than the other teams IN our division.
I’m looking forward to seeing how these Bucs handle the challenge!
Two (TB, ATL) of the 3 have new OC’s
New Orleans has a new OC as well in Klint Kubiak, a Shanahan disciple.
It depends on how similar Coen’s system is to what Canales deployed, I tend to want to see it as a slight advantage. It may be important in the early part of the schedule.
Can’t wait to see!
