The Forgotten Falcons

Today, I'm all about loving the Falcons.

You know? The 2010 NFC South champions/NFC regular season champs/team with the second best record in the NFL. In an AFC-dominated league, the Falcons have not gotten much respect this year, staying in the shadows of teams like the Patriots, Jets, Steelers, Ravens, and even the team that they beat out in their own division, the reigning Super Bowl champ Saints.

The Falcons certainly are not the most exciting team in the NFL. They don't have the loudmouth coach like Rex Ryan, or the genius like Bill Belichick. They don't have the seemingly divine quarterback like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. Their defense was only ranked 16th in the league this year. So how the heck was this team the best in the NFC? I mean no one goes 13-3 just because they have an easy schedule, you gotta be good to have that record. So what are these guys doing right?

Look at ESPN.com or SI.com and you probably won't see anything about the Falcons. That is because they do not have guys that attract attention to themselves. Still, they still have some phenomenal players. Matt Ryan and Michael Turner are both towards the top of the rankings at their respective positions, Roddy White was arguably the best wide receiver this year, and Tony Gonzalez may just be the best tight end of all time. These guys don't talk much trash and don't get into trouble and so they are therefore rarely in the news. But that does not necessarily mean that they can't compete.

The Falcons will be playing at home against the Packers this weekend and for the AFC Championship Game - should they continue on past this weekend - which spells trouble for opponents. The Falcons' Week 16 loss to the Saints was only Matt Ryan's second loss at home in his entire three-year career at Atlanta, and first home loss in what had been a 15-game winning streak at the Georgia Dome. But that loss could have been good for the Falcons, who probably needed a reality check heading into the playoffs.

The Falcons won't outrun you, but they'll out-muscle you. With a bruising back in Turner, a physical receiver in White, an experienced tight end in Gonzalez and a quarterback with ice in his veins in Ryan (who already has 12 game-winning drives in a three-year career) the Falcons do not have a flashy offense, but they have a strong offense. Guess who led the league in third down conversions this year? The Falcons.

The weakness of this team is the defense. Yet, the D also finds a way to grind its way through games. Despite being ranked 16th in total yards allowed, the defense is ranked fifth best in points allowed. The reason: turnovers. The Falcons D had the fourth most interceptions in the league this season and going up against pass-first teams like Green Bay this round and either Chicago or Seahawks next round, they will surely be ready to force a few turnovers. Rodgers has had rough games this year (including a 20-17 loss to Atlanta earlier this year in which he only had one TD), Cutler can be an interception machine at times, and Hasselbeck had more picks than touchdowns this year, and is, well, old. Plus, you can't forget about good ol' John Abraham, the 32 year old pass rush specialist who recorded 13 sacks this year.

So here's the formula. The Falcons have one of the best offenses in the league this year which includes a clutch quarterback and a great rushing attack, are great on third downs, have a defense that is perfectly suited for its pass-happy opponents, and constantly win at home, where they will be playing throughout the playoffs up until the Super Bowl. Currently they are only three point favorites over the Packers and understandably so, considering the Packers' running game coming alive last week in the win over the Eagles, and because of the Falcons' inexperience, the one knock against this team. Surely, there is no argument that can be made against inexperience; they are a young team, which collectively has spent little time in the playoffs, but they are gritty and strong enough to keep pulling out wins.

The Falcons are my favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Whether they would be able to defeat what would probably be the favored team from the AFC is still yet to be seen, but do not count the Falcons out; they may not be the best, but they certainly have all of the right tools to take down the best.