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The Atlanta Falcons finished the 2021 season with a 7-10 record. Prior to last season, Atlanta had decided to part ways with star wide receiver Julio Jones, leaving quarterback Matt Ryan with only Calvin Ridley and rookie tight end Kyle Pitts.
Fast forward to the 2022 season, and the Atlanta Falcons are going to look vastly different. The Falcons parted ways with their franchise quarterback, trading him to the Indianapolis Colts. Ridley is suspended for the season for violating the league’s gambling policy.
The Falcons signed free agent quarterback Marcus Mariota, and then drafted Desmond Ridder, so we could see a quarterback competition. They drafted wide receiver Drake London from USC. Pitts, along with versatile running back Cordarrelle Patterson will be the returning skill players. It’s time we take a closer look at what lies ahead for the Falcons so you can bet against their NFL Team Totals odds.
A Rough Road Ahead for the Atlanta Falcons | NFL Betting
Win Total Prediction
The Las Vegas oddsmakers don’t see the Atlanta Falcons having much success this season. They have set Atlanta’s predicted win total at 4.5 wins. They have to run the gauntlet to start the season. They open up with the New Orleans Saints, and then head to Los Angeles to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Rams in Week 2. They catch a slight break in Week 3 as they play the Seattle Seahawks.
From Week 4 to Week 7, they have a tough stretch. They play the Cleveland Browns, then head to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers. In Week 6, they host the San Francisco 49ers, and then in Week 7 they head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals.
The second half of their season schedule isn’t as strong as the first half. They still have to contend with the Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Baltimore Ravens. They’ll also end their season against the Arizona Cardinals and then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rebuild Time
The Falcons are in rebuild mode. Other than Pitts and Patterson, the Falcons don’t really have any established skill players. Their offensive line will be a decent group, but nothing extraordinary. They’ll rely heavily on those two and they’ll also hope that London develops quickly. They’re also not sure what they’ll get from the quarterback position, as Mariota struggled when he was a starter in the league. Ridder surprisingly fell in the draft, and he has a chance to win the starting spot in the Falcons lineup.
Defensively, the Falcons gave up 27 points per game in the 2021 season. They did make a few small improvements, but nothing that would make them a whole lot better. They didn’t have a strong pass rush last season, and they did lose some key pieces to their mediocre defense.
Season Outlook
After looking at the changes that were made and their season schedule, we’re predicting a long season for the Falcons. We think that the oddsmakers are very accurate with their prediction, as we think the Falcons will win four games this season. It’s possible that they could surprise someone this season, but we don’t see it happening. The rebuild will take its toll on the Falcons fans, as they’re going to be in for a long season.