<p><img src=”http://cdn3.sbnation.com/community_logos/2051/thefalcoholic.gif” align=”right” /></p> <p>I’ve decided that I’ll post these Know Thy Enemy posts each Wednesday.&nbsp; At that pace we’d wrap up the 11 non-divisional opponents the week of the final preseason game.&nbsp; I noticed we actually didn’t finish our list last summer, so I think that’s a reasonable goal this time around.&nbsp; I forgot to ask last time, but if you’d like certain additional bits of information in these posts let me know in the comments.&nbsp; These are meant as more broad overviews, but I’m certainly open to changes.</p> <p>This week we move on to the <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/ATL” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Atlanta Falcons</a>.&nbsp; The <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/MIN” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Vikings</a> are represented at SB Nation by Dave the Falconer over at <a href=”http://www.thefalcoholic.com/” target=”_blank”>The Falcoholic</a>.&nbsp; The Falcons have managed quite the on-field and PR turnaround in the wake of <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1188/Michael_Vick” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Michael Vick</a>’s departure from the team and I’d imagine Falcons fans are in quite the happy place at this point in time.</p> <p><u><b>Overview</b></u><br />The Falcons put together quite a turnaround last season.&nbsp; The additions of Matt Ryan and <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/3034/Michael_Turner” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Michael Turner</a> completely turned the franchise around.&nbsp; They already had a potential franchise wide receiver in <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1192/Roddy_White” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Roddy White</a>, but the additions of Ryan and Turner turned this team from 4-12 to 12-4.&nbsp; <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1107/John_Abraham” class=”sbn-auto-link”>John Abraham</a>’s re-emergence as a sack machine definitely added to that and the Falcons had them rolling before running into an <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/ARI” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Arizona Cardinals</a> team that was getting especially hot at the right time.&nbsp; The team will be looking to build on a monster 2008 and avoid a sophomore slump after an impressive Rookie of the Year campaign.</p> <p><u><b>Additions</b></u><br />After a season in which their rushing and passing offense showed impressive improvements, the Falcons used the draft to address a defense ranked <a href=”http://footballoutsiders.com/stats/teamdef” target=”_blank”>23rd in the league</a>.&nbsp; In fact, they used all 8 picks on their defense.&nbsp; If John Abraham can maintain last year’s monster performance, <a href=”http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2009/6/9/903295/the-atlanta-falcon-defensive-line” target=”_blank”>Falcons are hopeful</a> first round pick <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/71257/Peria_Jerry” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Peria Jerry</a> will help turn their defensive linemen into the best in the NFC South.&nbsp; Another intriguing addition, at least in my mind, was the addition of Mizzou safety <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/71259/William_Moore” class=”sbn-auto-link”>William Moore</a> in the second round.&nbsp; There was a fair amount of buzz around him and <a href=”http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2009/5/5/865135/atlanta-falcon-position-battles” target=”_blank”>Falcons fans seem convinced</a> he’ll be the starting strong safety this season.</p> <p>The team did not ignore the offense, even as it rolled to <a href=”http://footballoutsiders.com/stats/teamoff” target=”_blank”>8th in the league</a>.&nbsp; In fact, they went so far as to adding future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez.&nbsp; Gonzalez is coming off yet another monster season in Kansas City, finishing with 96 receptions, 1,058 yards and touchdowns.&nbsp; Although he just turned 33, Gonzalez has not yet lost a step.&nbsp; If Gonzalez continues at his current level of play, that Falcons offense could be mighty impressive (cue the complaining for the <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/SFX” class=”sbn-auto-link”>49ers</a> not acquiring him).</p> <p><u><b>Subtractions</b></u><br />The team saw important cogs like LBs <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1117/Keith_Brooking” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Keith Brooking</a> and <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1115/Michael_Boley” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Michael Boley</a> and CB <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/2928/Domonique_Foxworth” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Domonique Foxworth</a> depart in free agency.&nbsp; Brooking was an older veteran who were replaced by the likes of Mike Peterson, also a veteran.&nbsp; A switch of veterans should not hurt them all that much.&nbsp; Boley and Foxworth were both still young.&nbsp; While they did make some secondary additions in the draft, it’ll be interesting to see how they replace Boley.&nbsp; Right now it appears as though <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1916/Coy_Wire” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Coy Wire</a> and <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1169/Stephen_Nicholas” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Stephen Nicholas</a> are <a href=”http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2009/5/2/862381/its-saturday-and-were-talking” target=”_blank”>competing for the job</a>.</p> <p><u><b>2009 Questions &amp; Answers</b></u><br />The big question is whether Matt Ryan will put together a sophomore campaign like or better than his rookie season, or if he’ll suffer the dreaded sophomore slump.&nbsp; I’d say the addition of Tony Gonzalez would likely help mitigate that given that he is awesome and all.&nbsp; While the team could certainly struggle in 2009, I really think this offense could be pretty filthy this season.</p> <p>One question that could get in the way is Michael Turner.&nbsp; Turner finished 2008 with 394 total carries between the regular season and postseason.&nbsp; That is a dangerous load to carry and the Falcons will likely need to figure out a way to get <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1170/Jerious_Norwood” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Jerious Norwood</a> more involved in the offense.&nbsp; He had 95 carries for 489 yards in 2008, but might need to add a decent chunk of carries to keep Turner fresh.</p> <p>On defense, John Abraham has been rather up and down throughout his career.&nbsp; If he can maintain last season’s pace that’d be great, but if not, the question becomes who picks up the slack.</p> <p><u><b>@ San Francisco</b></u><br />The 49ers last faced the Falcons in 2007, a much different time that saw the Falcons quarterbacked by <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1142/Joey_Harrington” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Joey Harrington</a>.&nbsp; Joey Heisman didn’t do much of anything in the game, but looked better than Alex Smith in a <a href=”http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=271104001″ target=”_blank”>20-16 Atlanta victory</a>.&nbsp; Much has changed and this game will come just after the the quarter-pole of the season, with much on the line for both teams.&nbsp; In our <a href=”http://www.ninersnation.com/2009/5/16/876525/the-2009-49ers-schedule-a-very” target=”_blank”>second discussion post</a>, ProfessorBigelow and I both saw this as a 49ers loss.&nbsp; If Matt Ryan doesn’t have a sophomore slump and the Falcons defense shows some gradual improvement, I see this as potentially one of the toughest games all season.&nbsp;</p> <p>Equally important, it will be a huge measuring stick.&nbsp; If the team is playing well the 49ers should be 2-2 at this point, and even then 3-2 is just so much better than 2-3.&nbsp; And, of course, heading into the bye week, the team has an opportunity at a 2-game winning streak given that they play the <a href=”http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/STL” class=”sbn-auto-link”>Rams</a> at home the week before.&nbsp; Either way, this is a huge game early in the season.</p> <p><a href=”http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/flmBTKy_2uiqjR4pKU7I68N1JNc/0/da”><img src=”http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/flmBTKy_2uiqjR4pKU7I68N1JNc/0/di” border=”0″ ismap=”true”></img></a><br/> <a href=”http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/flmBTKy_2uiqjR4pKU7I68N1JNc/1/da”><img src=”http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/flmBTKy_2uiqjR4pKU7I68N1JNc/1/di” border=”0″ ismap=”true”></img></a></p>