The Falcoholic
USA Today has come out with their annual predictions ahead of the NFL campaign and, if this year’s prediction were to come to fruition, it would be another season of misery for Falcons fans.
The popular publication predicted a 7-10 record for the Birds, picking them to finish third in the NFC South behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8) and the Carolina Panthers (8-9), ahead of only the New Orleans Saints (2-15). This outcome would mark Tampa’s fifth consecutive division title, which would be an NFC South record.
Here is what the reasoning is behind Atlanta’s prediction:
So much boils down to the quarterback position, but especially here. Michael Penix Jr. flashed in three starts as a rookie but is hardly a proven commodity. QB2 Kirk Cousins is battle-tested … and his presence is likely to add to the burden of Penix, who will almost undoubtedly struggle at some point – and perhaps from the jump, Atlanta facing four postseason squads from last season among its first five opponents.
Given the fact that the Falcons are in “win now” mode and owe their first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams as a result of the trade up to get James Pearce Jr. in the 2025 NFL Draft, this would be a pretty catastrophic payoff, and would likely result in the replacement of General Manager Terry Fontenot, who will have overseen nothing but five losing seasons in his tenure at the top of the front office. Second-year head coach Raheem Morris may also not be safe in such a scenario.
Atlanta’s playoff drought would reach an inexplicable eight straight seasons, which would match their second-longest in franchise history (1983-90). The playoff drought now is currently the joint-second-longest active in the league (along with the Panthers), behind only the New York Jets.
Last year, USA Today predicted a 10-7 record and an NFC South title for the Falcons and were burned (but they also predicted that the Jets would win the Super Bowl, so let’s remember that this is all to be taken with a grain of salt).
This year, the publication predicts that Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens will hoist the Lombardi, beating the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl 60.
What do you think the Falcons’ record will be in the 2025 season? Will they finally break their playoff drought and taste the postseason for the first time since 2017?
