ESPN’s Mike Clay has been tweeting a series of NFL team projections this week, ranging from their won-loss record to a game-by-game breakdown and individual stats. Earlier this week, he touched on the Falcons.

Clay expects quarterback Matt Ryan’s numbers to dip a bit, with 4,509 yards, 33 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, vs. his 4,944 yards, 38 touchdowns and 7 interceptions during his MVP season in 2016. Still, those numbers would hold up well with his career numbers.

He also anticipates receiver Julio Jones’s numbers ticking up slightly (101 receptions, 1,486 yards) from 2016, and he sees the carries being more evenly divided between Devote Freeman (196 carries, 833 yards) and Tevin Coleman (140 carries, 600 yards), as opposed to 2016, when Freeman had roughly twice the carries and yards as Coleman.

In addition, Clay’s projections for records and seedings have the Falcons winning another NFC South title and starting the postseason as the No. 1 seed.

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Houston County High School football players take the field for a region game against Coffee High School on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. This season, Houston County has outscored its opponents by an average of 26.9 points per game. (Courtesy of hocofootball.com)

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