Currently the Atlanta Falcons, at 7-0 are the only undefeated team in the NFL. While Falcon’s QB Matt Ryan has lived in the shadows of previous QB Michael Vick, this season he and his team have emerged as a force to be reckoned with.
This past Sunday marked the true test of the Falcons team when they faced off against Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles. In a remarkable win, the Falcon’s defeated the Eagles, 30-17. ESPN’s Chris Berman had this to say about the game, “Most impressive win of the year. Over 50 percent of 7-0’s make the Super Bowl.”
The Falcons have also found themselves at the top of the AP Pro32 power rankings with nine first-place votes out of 12. CBSSports.com’s Clark Judge who voted for the Falcon’s said this about his decision, “crushing Philadelphia after the Eagles’ bye convinced me: No one is better.” Further the Tampa Tribune’s Ira Kaufman stated, “those Matt Ryan MVP chants are getting louder, and with good reason.”
While the Falcons have had luck in previous seasons, with an impressive 13-3 record in 2010 and followed by a 10-6 record in 2011. This was also the first time that the Falcons won 10 or more games in consecutive seasons and more importantly clenched two consecutive playoff berths. Yet even after making the playoffs, the team was unable to reach the NFC Championship or the big prize, the Super Bowl.
This year is meant to change the Falcon’s team and part of their current success comes from the hiring of two new coordinators, Dirk Koetter on offense and Mike Nolan on defense. Coach Mike Smith commented to Yahoo Sports on the coordinator hirings, stating that “we were creating a new identity for how we are going to play this season.”
While the Falcon’s future is unknown and will be challenged by a hurting Dallas Cowboys team, looking for a win to stay in as a possible playoff contender. The Falcons are no longer considered the underdog and will be tested on Sunday night.