Popular Sports Talk Show Predicts Falcons Win Division

The Atlanta Falcons have not won the NFC South since 2016, the year they made it all the way to the Super Bowl. Last year, it looked like the Falcons might finally win the division again for the first time in eight years. Atlanta sat at 6-3 and had swept the second-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With eight games to go, they fully controlled their own destiny. However, they sputtered out, going 2-6 to finish the season, and finished second. 

However, despite the poor end to the 2024 season, Chris Brockman of the Rich Eisen show thinks the Falcons will pull through this time around. 

“I’m going to take the Falcons first,” Brockman said. “If you look on paper, this offense really has a chance to be special with Bijan [Robinson], Michael Penix and Drake London and maybe Kyle Pitts is finally unleashed as this beast that we all thought he was when he was drafted.”

A lot has been said about this offense in the offseason. Star running back Bijan Robinson said the team has a lot of faith in Michael Penix Jr, who is slated to be Atlanta's starting quarterback this season. Penix himself believes that the Falcons can have the best offense in the league next year. Brockman did not even mention Darnell Mooney, who is one of the best deep threats in the NFL. If Penix plays well this offense could be very lethal.

On the other side of the ball, Atlanta made a lot of moves. The Falcons moved on from first-time defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and brought back Jeff Ulbrich, who called plays for a New York Jets defense that was top five in fewest yards given up in each of the last three seasons. 

Atlanta signed pass rusher Leonard Floyd to a one-year, fully guaranteed $10,000,000 contract. Floyd has not had a season with fewer than 8.5 sacks since 2019.

The Falcons double-dipped at pass rusher in the first round of the NFL draft, selected Jalon Walker 15th overall and traded back into the first to select James Pearce Jr 26th overall. Safety Xavier Watts was taken 96th overall in the third round, and defensive back Billy Bowman Jr 118th overall in the fourth round. Watts and Bowman were both named starters by head coach Raheem Morris on Thursday. 

Brockman acknowledges everything Atlanta did on the defensive side of the ball.

“And the defense is very good,” Brockman said. “They addressed the edge rushing in the draft.”

With an offense predicted to put up “fireworks” and a revamped defense, Brockman believes the Atlanta Falcons can win the NFC South for the first time in nearly a decade. 

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