5 reasons the Atlanta Falcons are destined to win Super Bowl LI

By John Buhler | Oct 10, 2016

Oct 9, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) and quarterback Matt Ryan (2) celebrate the win over the Denver Broncos in the second half at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Falcons defeated the Broncos 23-16. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

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Oct 9, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman (26) runs past Denver Broncos strong safety T.J. Ward (43) for a touchdown in the second half at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Falcons defeated the Broncos 23-16. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Beat both Super Bowl 50 teams in consecutive weeks

In a weird set of circumstances, the 2016 Falcons became only the third team in NFL history to beat the previous year’s two Super Bowls teams in consecutive weeks.

By beating the Carolina Panthers in Week 4 and the Denver Broncos in Week 5, the Falcons joined the 1982 San Diego Chargers and the 1985 Detroit Lions as the only teams to accomplish this impressive feat. San Diego beat the San Francisco 49ers and the Cincinnati Bengals in the strike-shortened 1982 season. Detroit handled the 49ers and the Miami Dolphins back in 1985.

Will the Broncos get back to the Super Bowl? Maybe. How about the Panthers? Probably not. Regardless, both early 2016 season wins seems to have legitimized the Falcons’ on-field success. These were two juggernaut defenses that the Falcons managed to beat in consecutive weeks.

Atlanta torched Carolina through the air in Week 4 at home and decimated Denver with great tailback play in Week 5. It’s not like Atlanta is winning games by doing the same thing every week offensively. This team has shown it can adapt depending on its opponent.

To beat championship-caliber teams, a team can’t turn the football over and has to exploit an opposing defense’s vulnerabilities with a well-designed offensive game plan. Atlanta knew that Carolina was weak in the secondary and trending downwards on the defensive line. The play-action pass and vertical receiving routes ultimately did the Panthers in.

The Falcons recognized the Broncos have one of the best defenses in football. Denver’s only hole was up the middle at defensive tackle and inside linebacker. Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan devised a game plan to befuddle the Denver defense with a ton of inside runs and check downs to the tailbacks. Shanahan might have found a blueprint to beat Wade Phillips’ vaunted Denver defense for the rest of the NFL.

Atlanta will have a few more championship-caliber teams left on its schedule. Those teams include Seattle, the Green Bay Packers, the Philadelphia Eagles and another date with the Panthers. If the Falcons can continue to beat or just hold their own against the NFL’s creme de la creme, they will be a serious Super Bowl LI contender.

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