Falcons’ 2010 slate could be tougher

By Bud L. Ellis

If the Atlanta Falcons want to return to the postseason in 2010, they will have their work cut out for them.

But in looking at the 2010 slate for the Falcons, it’s easy to see this schedule could be a lot tougher if some of the road games in September and October were in November and December.

The National Football League has unveiled game dates and times for the 2010 season. The Falcons, in seeking a third consecutive winning season, will play three road games against northern teams in the first six weeks of the season.

The season opens at Pittsburgh Sept. 12. Arizona comes to Atlanta for the Falcons’ home opener a week later. Then comes a trip to division rival and Super Bowl champion New Orleans. A home game follows against San Francisco, then the Falcons hit the road for two more northern journeys, to Cleveland and to Philadelphia. Cincinnati come sto town Oct. 24, before the Falcons take the week off for their bye on Oct. 31.

Three home games out of the next four opens November. Atlanta welcomes in Tampa Bay, then has a four-day turnaround to face Baltimore at home Nov. 11 on Thursday Night Football. After heading to St. Louis on Nov. 21, the Falcons come back home to face Green Bay.

Three consecutive road games kick off December: at Tampa Bay, at Carolina and at Seattle. The season wraps up with two big NFC South home games, starting with a Monday Night Football matchup against New Orleans on Dec. 27. The regular season ends at home Jan. 2 against Carolina.

—30—

Friday, April 23, 2010 at 10:25 pm by Bud · No Comments

Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, National Football League, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Falcons face plenty of tough home games

By Bud L. Ellis

Home is where the heart is, and for the Atlanta Falcons in 2010, it likely will be where the difference between the playoffs and an early spring reside.

The Falcons, who went 9-7 a year ago and barely missed a second-consecutive trip to the NFC playoffs, face a robust home slate this season. The National Football League has released home and road opponents for the 2010 season. Dates will be announced later.

Of Atlanta’s eight home games in 2010, seven come against teams that finished at .500 or above last season. Of course, NFC South division rival and Super Bowl champion New Orleans is on the home schedule. Along with the Saints, playoff qualifiers from last season coming to the Georgia dome include Green Bay, Baltimore, Cincinnati and Arizona. Of the remaining home games, San Francisco and Carolina each finished 8-8 last season. The other home game cpomes against Tampa Bay.

Atlanta’s road schedule is smoother. Games at New Orleans and at Philadelphia are the only ones against playoff teams, and four of the road contests come against teams that lost 11 games or more in 2009: Cleveland, Seattle, Tampa Bay and St. Louis. The rest of the road schedule features games at Pittsburgh and at Carolina.

Based on opponents’ win percentage from last season, the Falcons have the 20th-toughest schedule in the league.

—30—

Sunday, March 14, 2010 at 6:54 pm by Bud · No Comments

Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Georgia Dome, Green Bay Packers, National Football League, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers