After 12 weeks of the 2015 NFL season the Atlanta Falcons (6-5) are just barely on the outside of the playoffs looking in, and it will stay that way. It’s unbelievable that this seems to be the case because Dan Quinn’s team started the season 5-0, and the first year head coach looked like a good candidate for Coach of the Year. But they have yet to beat a truly quality opponent and the Falcons are 1-5 in their last six games (lost four straight), including losses at the hands of the New Orleans Saints (4-7) and San Francisco 49ers (3-8). Their only win in that stretch was over the Tennessee Titans (2-9). It really appears that the Atlanta Falcons’ playoff hopes for 2015 are all but gone.
Atlanta Falcons Playoff Hopes for 2015 Are All But Gone
In his previous seven seasons Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan never reached elite status among NFL quarterbacks. That said, he certainly proved he is a really good quarterback and most fans of the Falcons were happy to have him under center. This season has been a different story though. Matty Ice has thrown only 16 touchdowns to 12 interceptions this season, which is worse than his career numbers (including the 2015 season), where he’s thrown 197 touchdowns to 103 interceptions.
The former Boston College Eagle just doesn’t look like the same quarterback this season. Ryan has regressed and he’s struggling to make the right reads and it’s leading to bad interceptions. When Atlanta started the season 5-0 Ryan threw four picks, but he threw two each in two games. The other three games he was mistake free. In the Falcons’ last six games he has thrown eight interceptions, including five in the last two games. The Falcons have lost the turnover battle in their last six games and Ryan is a big reason why. He needs to make better decisions and Atlanta needs to cut down on the turnovers while forcing more takeaways of their own. If they fail to do that they have no shot at getting into the postseason.
Atlanta’s schedule isn’t exactly a cakewalk the rest of the way. They have to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road (already lost to them at home), and the Carolina Panthers twice, and three of their last five games are on the road. With their struggles over their past six games, their schedule the rest of the way doesn’t exactly scream 4-1.
Winning the NFC South will in no way happen. The Falcons won’t be able to catch the 11-0 Panthers for the division crown. That leaves a wild card berth as Atlanta’s only option to make the playoffs. To get into the postseason the Falcons will probably have to stave off the likes of either the Minnesota Vikings or Green Bay Packers because it appears one of those teams will win the NFC North while the other will take one of the two wild card spots. That leaves one wild card spot available and the Falcons will probably have to contend with the Seattle Seahawks, Buccaneers, and even the Chicago Bears, who have won three of their last four games. None of those teams are even close to great this season, but I think they are all better than the Falcons right now. The Bucs are probably the weakest of the three and they already defeated the Falcons back in Week 8. I know Seattle has had issues protecting quarterback Russell Wilson, and they are not as strong defensively this season, but my money would be on the Seahawks securing the final wild card spot.
I believe either the Washington Redskins or New York Giants will win the NFC East, but the other team will not be a wild card. The Vikings or Packers will win the NFC North with the other team securing the first wild card spot. The Panthers will take the NFC South and the Arizona Cardinals will dethrone Seattle for the NFC West title, with the Seahawks taking the second wild card spot. That all seems likely, and if the Falcons continue to play as they have over the last six games, they will be watching the 2015 NFL playoffs with the rest of us.
Main Photo:
