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| Andrew Perna. 29th March, 2009 - 2:40 pm
 Record: 11-5
Trench Counter: +3.5
Point differential per game: 4.1 (11th)
Payroll: $96.4M
Cost Per Win: $8.76M (3rd)
Passing offense: 208.5 (14th)
Rushing offense: 152.7 (2nd)
Passing defense: 220.4 (21st)
Rushing defense: 127.5 (25th)
Turnover differential: -0.2 (21st)
Strength of schedule: 21st
If their season were a song: Cold As Ice by. M.O.P.
Game-by-Game (Score, Trench Counter)
Week 1: DET, 34-21 Win, +11.3
Week 2: @ TB, 9-24 Loss, -5.4
Week 3: KC, 38-14 Win, +17.6
Week 4: @ CAR, 9-24 Loss, -5.5
Week 5: @ GB, 27-24 Win, +8.1
Week 6: CHI, 22-20 Win, +4.1
Week 7: BYE
Week 8: @ PHI, 14-27 Loss, -13.6
Week 9: @ OAK, 24-0 Win, +31.3
Week 10: NO, 34-20 Win, +7
Week 11: DEN, 20-24 Loss, -5.6
Week 12: CAR, 45-28 Win, +0.5
Week 13: @ SD, 22-16 Win, +10.8
Week 14: @ NO, 25-29 Loss, -4.9
Week 15: TB, 13-10 (OT) Win, +5.7
Week 16: @ MIN, 24-17 Win, -2.7
Week 17: STL, 31-27 Win, -2.8
Season Summary
Atlanta won five of their last six games to reach the postseason, but ran into an Arizona team that caught fire in January. No one could have expected that rookie quarterback Matt Ryan would step in right away and run the offense as well as he did, but he lived up to his 'Matty Ice' nickname. His play, combined with the league's second-best rushing attack, propelled the Falcons to their best season since 2004.
Reina Value and FIC Rank
Quarterback
- Matt Ryan (14th, 704, 173%)
Ryan compiled a very solid rookie campaign, going 265-for-434 with 3,440 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. However, I don't think his numbers properly reflected just how seasoned he looked behind center, and how effectively he ran Atlanta's offense. His best month of the season was November, when he completed 68% of his passes and threw six touchdowns against just one interception. The Falcons were 3-1 over that period of time.
Running Backs
- Michael Turner (6th, [628 rushing, 29 receiving], 51%)
Turner, who had never carried the ball more than 80 times during his four seasons with the Chargers, appeared in all 16 games and tallied 376 rushing attempts (leading the league) in his first year as Atlanta's top option. He finished just behind Adrian Peterson for the league lead in yards (1,699 to 1,760), and trailed only DeAngelo Williams in terms of touchdowns (17 to 18). He averaged 4.5 yards per carry, tied for ninth, no bad production for a guy that more than quintupled his workload from the 2007 season.
- Jerious Norwood (27th, [187 rushing, 227 receiving], 290%)
Norwood rushed 93 times, a career-low for the three-year running back out of Mississippi State. He scored a career-high four touchdowns, and averaged 5.1 yards per carry when spelling Turner. As often as Turner was on the field, he tallied just six receptions. Norwood is a far-better receiving target, having caught 36 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns in 2008.
Wide Receivers
- Roddy White (4th, 870, 436%)
White cemented his status as one of the best young receivers in the game with his best season this past fall. He has yet to miss a game during his four-year NFL tenure, and grabbed a career-high 88 passes for 1,382 yards and seven touchdowns in 2008. He was fourth in the league in terms of yards, ninth in receptions and tied for twelfth in touchdowns. As long as he and Ryan continue to mature together, he'll be a leading receiver for several seasons to come.
- Michael Jenkins (36th, 491, 97%)
He didn't catch as many passes as he did in 2007 (53), but was more productive than he had ever been during his five-year career. He caught 50 passes for 777 yards and three touchdowns, averaging a very solid 15.5 yards per receptions. He wasn't targeted nearly as much as White, but his hands were a little more reliable than White, who dropped nine passes off the arm of Ryan.
- Harry Douglas (86th, 201, 132%)
Douglas established a solid role with the team as a rookie, working nicely as a third receiver behind the solid talents of White and Jenkins. He caught 23 passes for 320 yards and one score, including a breakout game against Carolina in Week 12. In the 45-28 win, he grabbed four balls for 92 yards and a touchdown. He showed flashes in Week 6 as well, tallying five catches for 96 yards in a 22-20 victory over Chicago. Those numbers indicate he'll be ready to produce should Atlanta need more than you'd expect from a third receiver.
Tight End
- Justin Peelle (41st, 114, 113%)
The Falcons only deficiency on offense came from the tight end position, where Peelle was their leading option. He had just 15 catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns, which means that Ben Hartsock and Jason Rader will likely take snaps away from him in 2009.
Defensive Summary
Atlanta struggled at times defensively, allowing 347.9 yards per game (24th) with significant issues stopping both the run and pass. They did a decent job keeping teams off the scoreboard, holding teams to 20.3 points per game (11th), but didn't do so because of a good turnover differential (-3). If they don't shore up their defense, team are bound to convert all those yards into more points.
Biggest draft needs
I have to believe that they'll look to fortify their secondary with a cornerback, and there are a number of good options in this year's draft class. Assuming they take a guy like Alphonso Smith, Vontae Davis or D.J. Moore with the 24th pick, perhaps they'll grab a tight end in the middle rounds.
Previous Audits
32. Detroit Lions
31. St. Louis Rams
30. Oakland Raiders
29. Cleveland Browns
28. Seattle Seahawks
27. Cincinnati Bengals
26. Kansas City Chiefs
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
24. Buffalo Bills
23. Denver Broncos
22. San Francisco 49ers
21. Dallas Cowboys
20. Houston Texans
19. Green Bay Packers
18. Chicago Bears
17. Arizona Cardinals
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15. New Orleans Saints
14. Indianapolis Colts
13. New York Jets
12. San Diego Chargers |
