Finished: 2nd Place in the NFC South; Lost in wild Card Round
2012 Draft Position: 22nd
Preseason Ranking: 5
Week 1: Lost at the Chicago Bears, 30-12
Ranked - 20
I don’t know how the Bears managed such a disparity on the scoreboard, but Atlanta better get its act together fast if they hope to be anything more than a bad preseason Super Bowl prediction in 2011.
Week 2: Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 35-31
Ranked - 16
A big win for the Falcons over the Eagles on Sunday night. Though it merely kept them even with the Saints and Bucs in the standings, the victory could pay huge dividends at the end of the season when tiebreakers determine who gets into the playoffs and where they'll play.
Week 3: Lost at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 16-13
Ranked - 20
Note to self: Play fakes do not work if nobody thinks you can, or are going to, run the ball effectively. Signed, Mike Mularkey.
Week 4: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 30-28
Ranked - 19
Atlanta has all the potential in the world, but potential won't help them overcome both the Saints and the Buccaneers. If their defense doesn't start playing better, they'll be hard pressed to keep pace in a competitive division.
Week 5: Lost to the Green Bay Packers, 25-14
Ranked - 20
The Falcons looked rock solid for about one quarter against the Packers before everything fell apart. For a team that spent the offseason shoring up their weak points specifically to win games like this, the result was quite disappointing.
Week 6: Defeated the Carolina Panthers, 31-17
Ranked - 18 Indiana Jones Style Recap
Matt Ryan: Nickname's the Birds, Dirty Birds.
Matthew Stafford: Dirty Birds?
Matt Ryan: Yeah.
Matthew Stafford: What kind of name is that?
Matt Ryan: It's the one we picked. You got a problem with it?
Week 7: Defeated the Detroit Lions, 23-16
Ranked - 16
Huge win over the Lions. The Falcons may just have saved their season with that victory, now that they hold a wild card tiebreaker over Detroit.
Week 8: BYE WEEK
Ranked - 15
The Dirty Birds are flying again and the collapse of the Saints in St. Louis over the weekend has given them some hope.
Week 9: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 31-7
Ranked - 13
Playing the Colts is like getting an extra bye week. The Falcons made the most of their superior skills and are now back squarely in the playoff race.
Week 10: Lost to the New Orleans Saints, 26-23
Ranked - 13
Gutty call to go for it on 4th and inches in overtime… but even if it had worked, the Falcons still would have needed to go at least another 30-40 yards before they could kick a winning field goal themselves.
Week 11: Defeated the Tennessee Titans, 23-17
Ranked - 12
Tiebreakers will kill them in the division, but a Wild Card spot is well within their grasp.
Week 12: Defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 24-14
Ranked - 12
The division may be out of reach, but the #1 Wild Card spot is a distinct possibility.
Week 13: Lost at the Houston Texans, 17-10
Ranked - 11
A loss to the Texans hurts, but doesn't end Atlanta's playoff hopes after most other NFC hopefuls stumbled last week.
Week 14: Defeated the Carolina Panthers, 31-23
Ranked - 8
The Falcons control their own destiny now. A Wild Card spot is theirs to lose.
Week 15: Defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 41-14
Ranked - 8
Atlanta still has faint hopes for a division title, but those dreams will die quickly if they lose to the Saints on Monday Night.
Week 16: Lost at the New Orleans Saints, 45-16
Ranked - 10
A humiliating loss to a division rival is no way to charge into the playoffs. Maybe the Falcons can take out some of their frustration on the miserable Buccaneers this weekend.
Week 17: Defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 45-24
Ranked - 9
Fully rested after their quick defeat of the Buccaneers, the Falcons should give the Giants all they can handle this weekend.
Wild Card Round: Lost at the New York Giants, 24-2
Final Ranking: 11
Tomorrow, the 2011 Detroit Lions...
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