FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) -In 43 seasons in the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons have had only 10 winning campaigns and never two in a row.
Reaching that modest goal – consecutive seasons above .500 – is the task that falls to second-year quarterback Matt Ryan. As a rookie, he led the Falcons to a surprising 11-5 record in 2008.
Ryan has heard much about Atlanta’s long history of futility. All he asks is that he and the 2009 team not be judged on that inglorious past.
“What’s done is done. The past is kind of the past,” he said. “Our focus is on just trying to be the team that we feel we can be.”
Ryan and the Falcons open training camp on Saturday with a team that will have five new starters on defense, but looks deep and balanced on offense, thanks in part to the addition of 10-time Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez.
As for Ryan, he started every game last season, passing for 3,440 yards and 16 touchdowns and winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
ushed for 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns in his 2008 breakout season. Jerious Norwood gives the Falcons depth at running back. Roddy White caught 88 passes for 1,382 yards and seven touchdowns and Michael Jenkins added 50 catches for 777 yards.
And now Ryan has Gonzalez, who gives the offense a receiving threat over the middle of the field, making it more difficult for defenses to load up against the run or place an extra defensive back on White.
“I think we set a certain standard for ourselves,” said Ryan of last year’s success. “And with the experience we had last year I think we did a pretty good job, but I think the bar has raised. We have to feel like we have to go out there and play better than we did last year because what we did as an offense wasn’t good enough to get us where we ultimately want to go.”
The Falcons lost in the first round of the playoffs to Arizona last year, so added winning a playoff game to the list of goals.
The lack of sustained success has been especially painful in the last decade.
In 1998 the Falcons finished 14-2 in the regular season and made it to their only Super Bowl, but they fell back to 5-11 in 1999.
In 2002, Michael Vick led Atlanta to a 9-6 record and a playoff win at Green Bay, but again the Falcons fell back to 5-11 the following year.
ing seasons seemed to be a lock when the Falcons were 6-2 midway through the 2005 season, but a 2-6 collapse in the second half left the team 8-8.
The key to ending the pattern may be on defense. Gone are linebackers Keith Brooking and Michael Boley, defensive tackle Grady Jackson, safety Lawyer Milloy and cornerback Domonique Foxworth.
The Falcons’ first two draft picks, defensive tackle Peria Jerry and safety William Moore, could earn starting jobs in training camp.
Add A Comment