But New England fans shouldn’t start planning a championship parade just yet. The South may rise again.
An inconspicuous Atlanta Falcons team has been flying under the radar for most of the season with an impressive, not to mention unexpected, 12-3 record, good enough to be perched atop the NFC South. All they have to do to win their division and clinch homefield advantage for the playoffs is beat the league-worst Carolina Panthers.
While a lot can happen between now and Feb. 6, a Patriots-Birds throwdown in Dallas is a good bet.
Generally, the NFC is an afterthought, at least until the postseason. This year, though, Atlanta has been impossible to overlook. Though they lost to the Saints in Atlanta on Monday night, the Falcons should not be underestimated.
Their win over the reigning Super Bowl champs on Sept. 26 at the Superdome is proof. In overtime, quarterback Matt Ryan marched his team down the field with a 12-play, 62-yard drive to set up the game-winning field goal by Matt Bryant, after the Falcons’ defense held off the Saints.
Atlanta’s loss to New Orleans might be fresh in people’s minds, but the Falcons, much like the Patriots, have consistently found ways to win all season. Unlike New England, however, Atlanta has won through persistence more often than domination. New England’s ability to overpower almost any opponent is very impressive, but come-from-behind wins sometimes can prepare teams better for tough games than blowouts.
The Falcons have faced adversity, and they know how to overcome it. How they respond from the loss to the Saints — their first defeat since Oct. 17 against the Eagles — will show what kind of character they have.
Week after week, the Falcons have shown a knack for improving this season. They have beaten formidable opponents like the Packers and Ravens, and taken care of business against lesser teams they were supposed to beat.
Nobody wants to lose, but the Falcons’ loss to the Saints hurt may have been a blessing. Atlanta now remembers what the agony of defeat.feels like, how bitter it tastes. They can take the pain and use it as motivation against the Panthers to secure homefield in the playoffs. Falcons players can learn from their mistakes so they don’t make the same mistakes again when a loss means the season is over.
Do the Falcons have what it takes to beat the Patriots? Yes. Atlanta had the most Pro Bowl selections of any team in the NFL (seven), a clear indication of the Birds’ ability and talent.
If anyone can derail the Patriots’ streaking juggernaut, the Falcons are the best choice.
Will the Patriots and Falcons meet in Super Bowl XLV? Share your thoughts below.
