The Falcons offense has undergone a lot of changes this offseason, especially in the trenches. If general manager Thomas Dimitroff’s tinkering produces a much-improved unit, then Atlanta’s offense should be back among the best in the game.
Last season, the Falcons finished No. 10 in the league in scoring, averaging 25.9 points per game. While that’s nothing to complain about, it also doesn’t represent the team’s true potential. This year, some analysts are expecting Atlanta to climb back into the top five. According to Chris Wesseling at NFL.com, the Falcons offense ranks No. 4 in the league this year, trailing only the Eagles, Colts and Saints.
Atlanta got very high marks from Wesseling at quarterback (A-) and wide receiver (A) but the backfield and offensive line both got a B-. As Wesseling mentions, the x-factor in the backfield is Devonta Freeman’s health.
“Freeman has a lot to prove this year after groin and foot injuries limited him to 91 total yards in two games in 2018. Smith showed flashes of potential as a rookie but managed just 3.5 yards per carry behind a porous offensive line.”
Don’t sleep on Marcus Green, though. The team’s sixth-round pick mostly played wide receiver and kick returner in college, but he demonstrated some real ability as a rusher.
Of course Green could become the next Barry Sanders – it wouldn’t help the Falcons much if their offensive line continues to allow pressure on Matt Ryan the way it did last season. If new additions like Chris Lindstrom, Kaleb McGary, Jamon Brown and James Carpenter don’t work out, then this offseason should and will be considered a total failure.
