Ten looks like the magic number in the NFC this year. It’s virtually impossible that an NFC team will win ten games and not make the playoffs.
Atlanta is one win away from that magic number.
The Falcons’ 41-14 win over Jacksonville Thursday night was the type of game G.M. Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith dreamed of during the offseason when they drafted Julio Jones.
Roddy White had 135 yards and two scores. Jones caught five passes for 85 yards in Atlanta’s no huddle offense. The Falcons attack has been plodding for much of the year, but the passing game is starting to click.
The defense has quietly been improved from last year’s group. The Jaguars offense doesn’t present a great challenge, but Atlanta’s dominance was still impressive.
Through 57 minutes, the Jaguars had six net passing yards and three turnovers, all by Blaine Gabbert. The Falcons had five sacks.
When Smith and Dimitroff arrived in Atlanta, the franchise had never put together back-to-back winning seasons. They just clinched their fourth straight and sit at 9-5 on the season.
We still have questions whether the Falcons can win on the road in the playoffs, but the 2011 Falcons have come a long way since starting the season at 2-3.
With a home game against the Bucs to wrap up the season (after a big Monday night affair in New Orleans), we don’t have any doubt that the Falcons are playoff bound.
