Atlanta Falcons 2022 schedule: Prepare for a potentially long season

The Atlanta Falcons ’ 2022 schedule was launched together with the remainder of the NFL slate Thursday.

The season will kick off Thursday, Sept. 8, with the Los Angeles Rams internet hosting the Buffalo Payments at SoFi Stadium. ESPN opens its schedule with Monday Night time Soccer on Sept. 12 that includes the Denver Broncos on the Seattle Seahawks.

The NFL expanded to 17 regular-season video games final season, and the ultimate regular-season video games might be performed Jan. 8, 2023. The playoffs start Jan. 14 and proceed by Tremendous Bowl LVII on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona.

Here is what’s in retailer for the Falcons:

Schedule

Sept. 11: vs. New Orleans

Sept. 18: at Los Angeles Rams

Sept. 25: at Seattle

Oct. 2: vs. Cleveland

Oct. 9: at Tampa Bay

Oct. 16: vs. San Francisco

Oct. 23: at Cincinnati

Oct. 30: vs. Carolina

Nov. 6: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Nov. 10 at Carolina (TNF)

Nov. 20: vs. Chicago

Nov. 27: vs. Washington

Dec. 4: vs. Pittsburgh

Dec. 11: Bye

Dec. 17/18: at New Orleans

Dec. 24: at Baltimore

Jan. 1: vs. Arizona

Jan. 7/8: vs. Tampa Bay

Power of schedule: ninth, .524

Largest takeaway

This schedule was at all times going to be difficult with each of final yr’s Tremendous Bowl members – the Rams and Bengals. As soon as Tom Brady returned to Tampa Bay, it meant the Buccaneers had been going to nonetheless be good too. Falcons coach Arthur Smith confirmed he can beat groups at or under his crew’s stage final season, however not a lot of these video games exist on paper this season (two towards Carolina, at Seattle, Chicago). Having to face the NFC West goes to be troublesome, plus having to face the Chargers within the seventeenth recreation crossover. Be prepared for an extended yr.

Revenge recreation

The Falcons host the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 2. It may imply quarterback Deshaun Watson, who spurned the Falcons’ commerce provide, taking part in in Atlanta. The Texans tried to commerce Watson, who’s going through 22 civil lawsuits in Houston alleging sexual misconduct and sexual assault, since 2021. He met with the Falcons in March earlier than he selected to play with Cleveland. Going after Watson additionally gave quarterback Matt Ryan the possibility to discover his choices, which led to his commerce to the Colts. To switch Ryan, Atlanta signed Marcus Mariota and drafted Desmond Ridder. However the Watson pursuit and ensuing commerce pushed the Falcons right into a transitory interval with greater than $62 million in useless cap.

Is it revenge? No. However a recreation with deep storylines for a way the Falcons reached this level, in addition to the current and way forward for the franchise? Completely.

What Vegas thinks

Oddsmakers aren’t excessive on the Falcons – the over/below on win whole is 5.5 – and that’s with good cause, primarily based on the roster as at present constructed. Atlanta may shock a bit, notably within the entrance seven on protection, however inevitably falls slightly below the over/below mark at 5 wins this season.

Daring prediction

Smith will as soon as once more present he can get essentially the most out of a roster – however the Falcons will wrestle towards this schedule. Ridder begins a number of video games this season and Atlanta finally ends up with a top-5 choose within the 2023 NFL draft.