The Falcons have captured the NFC South title four times since the NFL realigned the divisions in 2002.
This season, Dan Quinn’s second as coach, the Falcons wrapped up the division with a victory over Carolina and Tampa Bay’s loss to New Orleans last week.
The Falcons also won the NFC South in 2004, 2010 and 2012, but none of those teams advanced to the Super Bowl. Jim Mora’s 2004 team and Mike Smith’s 2012 team reached the NFC Championship game.
The 2010 team, as the No. 1 seed, was boat-raced out of the divisional round by Green Bay, 48-21.
Dan Reeves’ 1998 team, playing out of the old NFC West, remains the franchise’s lone Super Bowl team.
While the Falcons have not reached the Super Bowl as the NFC South representative, Tampa Bay and New Orleans have won a Super Bowl and the Panthers have lost two.
Before they can fully turn their attention the playoffs, the Falcons (10-5) close out the regular season against the Saints (7-8) at 4:25 p.m. Sunday in the regular-season finale of the Georgia Dome. With a win, the Falcons can wrap up the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye. They are assured of hosting at least one playoff game.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan knows addressing his 1-4 playoff record awaits.
“I think you just focus on doing your job and your work,” he said. “I’ve got enough on my plate getting ready for the Saints. … One of the things for us, and we’ve talked about it all the time, is that we’ve tried to get better, a little better every week. That doesn’t change. We want to keep getting better every day that we show up in the building.”
Ryan guided the Falcons to the playoffs as a rookie, when they finished 11-5 and were upset in the wild-card round by the Arizona Cardinals, who went on to reach the Super Bowl.
After going 9-7 in 2009, the Falcons went 13-3 in 2010 and had homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. But injuries in the secondary left the defense too weak to stand up to Green Bay’s vaunted passing attack.
After losing in the wild-card round to the Giants after the 2011 season, the Falcons went 13-3 again in 2012 and had the No. 1 seed. They raced out to a 17-0 lead in the NFC title game, but the defense couldn’t hold off Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers.
“The biggest thing that I’ve learned throughout my career is to not worry about what’s happening a week from Sunday or two weeks from Sunday,” Ryan said. “All you can take care of is this week. That’s the message to (the team). Don’t worry about it. We’ll deal with it when we get through (the regular season). Let’s take care of our business right now.”
A statistical analysis of the four NFC South champions reveals that Quinn will be leading the most potent Falcons team into the playoffs.
They are No. 1 in points scored and second in yards gained. Also, the Falcons are third in turnover differential. Their margin of victory, going into the Saints game, is 8.5 points.
The 2012 team had a 7.5-margin of victory. The 2010 team was at 7.9 and the 2004 just 0.2.
This year’s Falcons also will take the weakest defense of those four teams into the playoffs. They are 25th in points allowed and 23rd overall.
The 2010 and 2012 teams were fifth in points allowed. The 2004 team was 14th in points allowed.
The 2004 defense ranked 14th in yards allowed. The 2010 defense was 16th and the 2012 defense was 24th.
The current unit, which features several rookies and second-year players, is 23rd and might be susceptible to a playoff meltdown like the 2012 unit, which blew a 10-point lead in the divisional round and the 17-point lead in the NFC title game.
“I do think each year is different, the teams are different, and the way they connect is different,” Quinn said. “I don’t think there’s a lot to ‘Well, we’re just going to do what we did last year.’ I’ve never felt that way. I do feel that each year is unique and special to that time.”
The 2007 Saints used a potent offense, an opportunistic defense and timely special teams play to win Super Bowl XLIV over Indianapolis.
Saints coach Sean Payton has been impressed with the Falcons’ potent offense.
“The emergence of a guy like (Mohamed) Sanu, a guy like Taylor Gabriel — this receiving corps, I think, is playing exceptionally well,” Payton said. “And, look, when you watch and you see (Devonta) Freeman, and you see (Tevin) Coleman, obviously Matt Ryan is playing at a fantastic level. I think (Patrick) DiMarco is one of the better fullbacks that you never hear his name brought up.”
Payton also credits the offensive line.
“I think their veterans at the offensive line, I think they’re doing a great job,” he said. “Obviously, you’ve got a young player in (left tackle) Jake Matthews, who’s developed, (and they) bring in (center) Alex Mack. You see them hitting their spots extremely well in this running game.”
Saints running back Mark Ingram has seen growth in the Falcons’ defense.
“Man, those guys, they’ve been playing well as a unit,” he said. “The Falcons’ offense hasn’t had a lot of turnovers, and the defense has been causing a lot of turnovers, so that’s definitely a recipe for success. … Those guys fly around. They’re disruptive on the (defensive) line and on the second level. They’ve got some fast backers.”
The Falcons have battled through a tough schedule and went 3-0 against Carolina and Denver, last season’s Super Bowl participants.
The Falcons lost to Seattle on the road. They beat Green Bay at home.
“Each year, you’re not quite sure what the schedule is or how it’s going to play out, or who you’re playing, but we knew it was going to be challenging,” Quinn said. “Not just from where we were playing, but who we were playing. Not just the trips out west, and of course, our own division, so we knew it was going to be a battle.”
Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas and the New York Giants have wrapped up NFC playoff berths. Green Bay, Detroit, Washington and Tampa Bay are in the hunt for the final two spots.
“I think when you’re able to not look so far ahead and try to stay connected into what you’re doing and make that the primary purpose, knowing that the game three weeks from now doesn’t really affect what you have to do today or this week to get ready,” Quinn said. “When you have a process to trust … you don’t allow yourself to go so far down the line that you get anxious about who you’re going to play in two or three weeks.”
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