The Atlanta Falcons are the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl after finishing the regular season with a conference-best 13-3 mark. That record earned the Falcons home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
Atlanta has enjoyed one of the best home field advantages in the NFL in recent years. The Falcons were 7-1 in the Georgia Dome this season, and the only team to beat them there (New Orleans) is already out of the playoffs. Looking back, the Falcons are 20-4 at home since the beginning of the 2008 season.
NFL odds makers listed the Falcons at +500 to win Super Bowl XLV. You can also bet the Falcons at +150 to win the NFC championship.
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The Atlanta offense is led by quarterback Matt Ryan, running back Michael Turner and wide receiver Roddy White. This talented trio helped the Falcons boast the fifth-best scoring offense in the NFL at 25.9 points per game.
Ryan took a step back in his sophomore year, but he bounced back strong in 2010 to post his best season as a pro. He completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,705 yards with 28 touchdown strikes and nine interceptions. 115 of his 357 completions went to White, who finished second in the NFL with 1,389 receiving yards. Ryan and White hooked up for 10 touchdowns.
So much of what Atlanta is able to do through the air is set up by Turner and the running attack. Turner was a huge reason why the Falcons made a postseason run in 2008, rushing for 1,699 yards with 17 touchdowns in that season. He bounced back from an injury-riddled 2009 to rush for 1,371 yards and 12 scores this season. Turner’s rushing yards were good for third-most in the league.
Led by defensive end John Abraham, the Falcons ranked fifth in the NFL in scoring defense with 18.0 points allowed per game. They were at their stingiest against the run, allowing 105.9 yards per game on the ground (10th in the NFL).
While the Falcons gave up some yards through the air, the pass defense was dangerous because of Abraham and Brent Grimes. Abraham finished tied for fifth in the league with 13 sacks – his third double-digit sack season in the last four years and the fourth of his career. With Abraham bringing the heat, Grimes was able to capitalize with five interceptions to lead the team.
Those five picks came after a six-interception campaign in 2009. It’s only a matter of time before more media outlets start giving this guy the respect he deserves. He’s certainly earned the respect of opposing quarterbacks.
Getting to stay right at home for the NFC playoffs, the Falcons have a great shot to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1998 season. Getting past Green Bay in the divisional round will be no easy task, but Atlanta has already defeated the Packers at home this season.
With a 3-1 performance in the Wild Card round, Jimmy Boyd and his faithful followers showed a profit for the seventh straight week on the pro gridiron. Make sure you’re playing his expert NFL picks for continued success through the Super Bowl. Regulars remember his side and total sweep on the Saints and the Under in last year’s Super Bowl.
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