Since the last time we saw them:
2008 Record: 11-5, Wild Card loss to Arizona
Key Additions: TE Tony Gonzalez, LB Mike Peterson, C Brett Romberg, WR Marty Booker, WR Robert Ferguson, OLB Jamie Winborn
Key Losses: CB Dominique Foxworth, OLB Michael Boley, MLB Keith Brooking, DT Grady Jackson, S Lawyer Milloy, LT Todd Weiner, DT Kindal Moorehead, OT Wayne Gandy
Top Draft Picks: DT Peria Jerry, S William Moore, CB Chris Owens
What we now know:
Best Player: RB Michael Turner
Most Underrated: WR Roddy White
Looking Forward:
Breakout Candidates: MLB Curtis Lofton, LT Sam Baker, LG Justin Blalock, DE Chauncey Davis
Looking to bounce back: LB Mike Peterson, WR Brian Finneran, CB Von Hutchins
Time to step up: OLB Stephen Nicholas, DT Peria Jerry, S Thomas DeCoud, CB Brent Grimes, CB Chevis Jackson
Strengths:
- Awsome running game with powerful RB Turner and speedy RB Jerious Norwood
- QB Matt Ryan, who is coming off of arguably the greatest season ever for a rookie QB
- Playmakers WR White and newly added TE Gonzalez
- Solid, underrated starters at LG, C and RT (OG Blalock, C Todd McClure, OT Tyson Clabo)
- League's most underrated pass rusher in DE John Abraham (16.5 sacks in 'o8, 10 in '07)
- LB Peterson starred in Head Coach Mike Smith's defense in Jacksonville, while LBs Nicholas and Lofton are young, emerging players
- FS Erik Coleman had breakout season in '08
- Special Teams solid with K Jason Elam, franchise P Michael Koenen and return man Norwood
- Injury to second-year man Harry Douglass leaves WR position dangerously thin and without sure-fire slot guy
- QB Matt Ryan's poor play late last season
- RB Turner's durability and wear-and-tear after 377 carries last season (he will get less carries this season)
- Pass rush totally reliant on DE Abraham
- 25th ranked run defense relying on rookie DT Jerry to fix problems
- SLB Nichols, while promising, is completely unproven
- CB position very questionable with incumbent CB Chris Houston starting opposite quagmire of unproven CBs, including 3rd round rookie Owens
- SS will be manned by unproven S DeCoud
- Falcons have loftier expectations, much tougher schedule and even younger roster in '09
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