After a disappointing loss in Week 1, expectations for the Atlanta Falcons are already tempered, at least in the short term. No one is particularly optimistic that they’ll go up against a good Eagles team in Philadelphia and come away with a win, but man, we sure hope so.
The Falcons haven’t played a primetime game in a long time, Kirk Cousins isn’t exactly known as a productive passer under the lights, and the Falcons offense looked brutal against Pittsburgh. On the other hand, their defense held up well against Pittsbur.
From a perception and league table perspective, the following is at stake in the upcoming game.
If the Falcons win
It’s going to feel much, much better. At 1-1, the Falcons are in the thick of the NFC South race early on, and they just knocked off a serious NFC contender on the road in prime time with the Chiefs game still around the corner. That would be a drastic improvement over what we saw against the Steelers in Week 1, even if the game ends up being a mess, and it would help ease fears about that team.
For fans, that would be a sign that our preseason optimism was not misplaced. That’s especially true if the Falcons drastically improve their offense and get the passing game going after a troubling first week. If the defense holds up against Philly’s bevy of playmakers, it’ll be a sign that they mean business and aren’t just a group that can feast on lesser players.
The Falcons will also soon earn their first road win in Philadelphia and help Kirk Cousins shed the reputation of “not standing out in prime time” that he has built up over the years.
If the Falcons lose
They’ll be 0-2, a record no one wants or needs. Just over 10% of teams with that record actually make the playoffs, meaning it’s tough to get out of that hole, and 0-3 is even tougher. With the Chiefs next in line after the Eagles, the Falcons will be off to a start that’s tough to overcome.
Depending on how and why they lose, this will be either a slightly disheartened fan base or a panicked one. After the team assured us all week that they have a plan to improve the offense and that Kirk Cousins is healthy, another poor performance on that side of the ball will have people freaking out, and with good reason. If they lose a close, hard-fought game, it will be a lot easier to chalk it up to an improved team facing a very strong opponent.
There’s also a good chance the Falcons will be two full games behind in the NFC South when the season begins. If that’s the case, the early season games against the Saints and Buccaneers will be even more of a priority.
