Desperation is a state of being that nobody wants to be in. Even more so, nobody wants to admit that they are in a state of desperation. That's why we have articles like the most recent from SB Nation's James Dator that recognize the five most desperate teams heading into the 2024 season. Dator defined these teams as "organizations who either see their windows closing, or who made rash moves in the hopes of winning right now. For them 2024 isn’t just part of the journey, but a mark of finality, with everything hinging on it." And guess who is the first team on that list? The Atlanta Falcons. But could Atlanta's desperation turn them into a team of destiny?
When you try to emulate two Super Bowl winners it’s proof you’re in desperation mode. Many teams have thought about emulating the Buccaneers and Rams in their victories with older established quarterbacks, and the Falcons are simply the next in line.
The decision to sign Kirk Cousins and shoot for the moon shows that this team really thinks it can compete deep in the NFC this year, and not just settle for winning the NFC South. On paper this seems possible. There’s a ton to like about the Falcons on offense, and their late moves to trade for Matthew Judon and signing Justin Simmons makes Atlanta a force on defense as well.
It’s been seven years since the Falcons won a playoff game. A team that saw a window with Matt Ryan come and go, without much success to show for it. Considering the unpredictability of the NFC South the braintrust in Atlanta feels like it’s got to take its shot, lock up the division, and hope they can go far.
If that doesn’t materialize it’ll be a dark season in Atlanta.
Head coach Raheem Morris and General Manager Terry Fontenot have stated teams they have emulated in their approach: The Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs with their succession plans with Jordan Love and Patrick Mahomes, respectively. However, with the last two moves to solidify the defense, trading for Judon and signing Simmons, it does feel like the Falcons are pushing the chips in for 2024, similar to the Tom Brady Buccanneers or the Matthew Stafford Rams.
With the way Atlanta had gone about this season, stating with certainty that they "won't be picking high enough" in future drafts to pick a franchise-caliber quarterback to justify the Michael Penix Jr. selection, paying Kirk Cousins his exorbitant contract, success is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity.
That's why when they were going into the preseason with the defense they had at the start of training camp, it was confusing. There seemed to be no sense of urgency to change what was a clear deficiency for the roster. Whether it was the safety position opposite Jessie Bates or the pass rush, there was no indication that Atlanta was going to upgrade those positions. That is until Demarcco Hellams and Bralen Trice, two key young depth pieces, were lost during the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins.
So, was this out of desperation? Probably. But that's nothing new for Falcons fans. Falcons fans have been desperate for a playoff berth for the past six years. Desperate for a Super Bowl since their inception in 1966. Not to mention desperate for anything to wipe the taste of Super Bowl LI out of their mouths.
Atlanta has a chance to do that with this season's team. All the cards are set up to where the Falcons could both make the playoffs and make a run of sorts if the cards fall correctly.
Desperation is not a place nobody wants to be in, that's a fact. But if out of that desperation comes destiny, maybe it pays to live in that desperation just a little while longer.
