The Super Bowl hangover is gone.
And now the party might just be getting started again.
Atlanta's third straight win, a 34-20 humbling of visiting Tampa Bay, kept the Falcons (7-4) on track for a playoff berth while serving as a reminder of just how dangerous this team will be if it gets there.
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The 2016 Falcons had the same record before they caught fire and zoomed into Super Bowl 51. Several of the positive elements to emerge during that run were on display again vs. the Buccaneers, in particular the showcasing of the NFL’s most dangerous wide receiver.
Julio Jones had more receiving yards individually (253) than 11 of the 13 other teams that played in Sunday’s early games. The performance made Jones the only player in NFL history with three career receiving games of 250-plus yards and made him the most prolific wideout statistically through 90 games in NFL history.
"He's unbelievable," Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan told Sporting News in a postgame telephone interview from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “Right from the start, we knew he was going to have some one-on-ones with the way they were matching up their defense.
"The biggest thing was just getting it to him. Look at the number of targets (15) and number of completions (12). It wasn’t like we were forcing anything to him. When it was there, we just went to him and he made some plays."
One of those plays was absolutely gorgeous. Jones reached out like he was flying Superman-style to touch the pylon on a 25-yard touchdown toss from Ryan. However, it was a different passer who helped Jones make his biggest gain against an overmatched Bucs secondary.
Fellow wide receiver Muhammad Sanu, who had completed all five of his passes on gimmick plays while with Cincinnati, showcased his rocket-like throwing arm for the first time since joining Atlanta last year in free agency. Sanu bobbled a shotgun snap before he lofted a bomb to Jones, who outmaneuvered Bucs safety Justin Evans for the 51-yard score that gave Atlanta a 10-3 lead.
The Falcons wouldn’t trail for the rest of the game.
"We don't actually practice that throw and catch in practice," Ryan said with a laugh. "It's the first time I’ve ever really seen it.
"Maybe it's better they didn't practice it so they don't over-think it. Mo just launched it, and it was as good a throw as I’ve ever seen. That was a huge play for us."
Ryan had some huge moments, as well, in a 26-of-35, 317-yard passing performance. Two came when the Falcons were trying to do what they couldn't in last year’s Super Bowl collapse against New England — hold off a rallying opponent.
Tampa Bay (4-7) had closed a 27-6 deficit to seven points early in the fourth quarter and was trying for one last chance to attack an Atlanta defense that was showing signs of cracking down the stretch. Ryan, though, converted on third-down passes to Jones and Sanu before Tevin Coleman iced the victory with a 14-yard scoring run with 1:53 remaining.
The Falcons converted on 11 of 14 third-down attempts and now have a 65.9 percentage during their three-game winning streak. Ryan says the two go hand-in-hand as the offense’s comfort level working under first-year coordinator Steve Sarkisian continues to grow.
"When you’re converting on third downs like that, you can stay on the field and get into a rhythm," he said. "We've been doing a nice job lately in the red zone, too. That leads to being successful."
Because of their bumpy start to the season, the Falcons don’t have much room for error to enjoy a realistic shot at winning the NFC South. A home contest looms next Sunday against red-hot Minnesota (9-2), followed by a four-game stretch featuring two games vs. division-leading New Orleans as well as rematches with fellow NFC South members Carolina (8-3) and Tampa Bay.
But even if forced to take the wild-card route, the experience Atlanta brings from last year’s postseason run — and the heartbreak with which it ended — makes the Falcons one of the NFC’s most dangerous squads entering December and potentially beyond.
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"We're different teams, but last year we were getting better throughout the year," said Ryan, the NFL's reigning MVP. “Guys here are also stepping up. That makes me optimistic.
"When you’ve got good players, good work ethic and team chemistry, that’s usually a pretty good recipe for success."
And who knows? Maybe the 2017 Falcons will finish the season with the kind of hangover that can come from drinking celebratory champagne rather than thinking about a chance that went spilling down the drain.
