With the preseason underway and the regular season fast approaching, Last Word on Pro Football is analyzing the schedules of all 32 NFL teams. Each team’s 16-game slate will be split into its most difficult (1-8) and easiest games (9-16). For this article, the Atlanta Falcons’ easiest games of 2019 are under the microscope.
Check out the eight toughest games on the Falcons 2019 schedule.
Atlanta Falcons Easiest Games of 2019
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Week 15: at San Francisco 49ers
This is the first non-divisional matchup that the Falcons will play outdoors this year. Quarterback Matt Ryan’s statistics when he is outdoors pale in comparison to when he plays indoors. Hopes are high in San Francisco this year, as they hope to get their first fully healthy year out of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. This game may have huge implications in the NFC playoff race, especially if these two teams are battling for Wild Card spots.
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Week 11: at Carolina Panthers
Though the Falcons finished 2-0 against the Panthers last year, division games on the road are never easy. Also, Atlanta won 24-10 at Carolina in a game that Taylor Heinicke started in place of Cam Newton. All-pro running back Christian McCaffrey still managed to rush for 101 yards and gained 77 yards receiving, despite not reaching the endzone in the game. If Newton is healthy this year, this will be a much more difficult road trip for Atlanta.
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Week 16: at Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are one of five teams on Atlanta’s schedule that did not make the playoffs a year ago. Jacksonville would love to get back to the ways that won them a 2017 AFC South title, with a physical running game and solid defense. The Falcons benefit from playing the Jaguars late in the season, as that is all the more time that turmoil can creep into the Jaguars locker room just as it did a year ago.
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Week 12: vs Carolina Panthers
The Falcons play the Panthers twice in four weeks this season. This year’s matchup in Atlanta happens much later in the season this year. Atlanta beat Carolina in Atlanta 31-24 in Week Two last year. In this game, they held Chrisitan McCaffrey to a season-low 37 rushing yards, though he did manage to have 102 receiving yards.
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Week 4: vs Tennessee Titans
The formula for a win in this game is very much the same formula as the Falcons will employ against the Seattle Seahawks. Load the box, stop the run, and make quarterback Marcus Mariota one dimensional. Atlanta can expect a heavy dose of running back Derrick Henry, as Tennessee finished seventh in rushing attempts last year.
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Week 12: vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Atlanta’s 7-9 record last year is more disappointing when you take into account they went 4-2 against divisional opponents. Their 4-2 record includes going 2-0 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Division games are always tough, but the Falcons will enjoy playing at home in this one.
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Week 17: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
One may be confused why I would list a game on the road against the Bucs as an easier game than a home game against the same team. This is simply because this particular game is the last game of the season, and I fully expect Tampa Bay to have nothing except pride to play for. It will be interesting to see what kind of coaching decisions are made as far as who to play and who to rest if in fact Tampa Bay is buried in the standings at this point.
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Week Six: at Arizona Cardinals
With as much hype as surrounds the “air raid” offense that head coach Kliff Kingsbury will employ with his new team this year, the Cardinals have certainly underwhelmed in the preseason to date. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray has looked befuddled against the blitz, though he says the offense hasn’t shown all of their packages yet. Atlanta plays Arizona early enough in the season that the Cardinals may still be struggling to figure out their roles and identities at that point.
