The Athletic is bearish on Falcons, pegging Atlanta to go under win total

The Falcons don’t have many supporters in the national media. Colin Cowherd so boldly claimed Atlanta’s 8.5-win total is the safest under bet of the NFL, and you can add Vic Tafur of The Athletic to the list of naysayers.

Atlanta Falcons

Under 8.5 (-110)

The Falcons closed out last season with two consecutive wins to finish 7-10, but beating the Cardinals and the soon-to-retire Tom Brady Bucs doesn’t mean much. Desmond Ridder is likely not the answer at QB. And though Arthur Smith is a run-game savant and drafting Bijan Robinson is great for both of them, I need to see a lot more out of the coach before I think he doesn’t go 7-10 for a third consecutive season.

Assuming Desmond Ridder isn’t the answer after four games is a wild conclusion to draw, but more power to him that he’s so confident. I’m not so quick to write off any NFL player after such a small sample size.

Moreover, Tafur so conveniently forgot, or just might not know, that the Falcons upgraded the roster this offseason. The defense is vastly improved, with difference-makers added at every level. The offensive line returns four of five starters, and the skill group remains one of the most talented in the league.

A lot of it will ride on Desmond Ridder, but Arthur Smith winning seven games in back-to-back seasons with a far inferior roster compared to what he currently has shouldn’t be held against him. In fact, it should be acknowledged in defense of the Falcons winning more than eight games.