On paper, the Falcons should be much better than 3-3.
The offensive line may have regressed a bit from last year but is still a formidable unit. The skill group features a 1,000-yard running back in Tyler Allgeier, a swiss army knife in Cordarrelle Patterson, and a $50 million tight end in Jonnu Smith. Oh yeah, that doesn’t include the three top 10 draft picks — Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson.
Moreover, the defense is a top 10 unit under Ryan Nielsen. A.J. Terrell, Jeff Okudah, and Dee Alford have proven to be an effective trio of corners. Jessie Bates might be the best free agent signing in franchise history, and the front seven has consistently applied pressure thanks to Kaden Elliss, Grady Jarrett, David Onyemata, and Calais Campbell.
It’s a well rounded team, but the quarterback position has held them back. Desmond Ridder has had his moments; it’s been mostly bad, though. Brian Baldinger, a former offensive lineman turned analyst, thinks so highly of the Falcons roster that he went as far as to call them Super Bowl contenders… if Tom Brady were under center.
Put Tom Brady on the Atlanta Falcons: Super Bowl contenders?@BaldyNFL pic.twitter.com/Veb1kVo0ra
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) October 18, 2023
I think you could probably make a case that a few different teams would be Super Bowl contenders with Tom Brady at signal caller instead of their current circumstances, but that’s wishful thinking.
I don’t think Baldy is necessarily wrong, but I also don’t think it’s fair to criticize Desmond Ridder by saying the greatest to ever do it — Tom Brady — could lead this team to the promised land. No shit.
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Photographer: Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire
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