Falcons 2012-13 Season Odds
ATLANTA, GA (The Spread) – Are the Atlanta Falcons finally ready to win a playoff game and take that next step under coach Mike Smith? The odds suggest they may actually take a step back in 2012.
Oddsmakers have installed the Falcons as 25/1 long shots to win the 2013 Super Bowl and 12/1 to win the 2013 NFC Championship. Atlanta is +130 on the money line to win the NFC South Division this season and have an over/under total of 9 for number of total wins this season. The Falcons win 10 games last year, so oddsmakers might be predicting a slight step backwards for Atlanta this year.
The Falcons didn’t make much noise in free agency this offseason. They signed veterans Lofa Tatupu and Vince Manuwai, both of whom have already been released. The biggest moves Atlanta made this offseason was hiring coordinators Dirk Koetter and Mike Nolan to replace Mike Mularkey and Brian VanGorder, respectively. The team also traded a late-round pick for cornerback Asante Samuel, who is expected to play a significant role in Nolan’s defense.
Because of their trade for Julio Jones last season the Falcons didn’t have a first round pick in 2012. In the second round they selected Wisconsin guard/center Peter Konz and in the third they took Southern Mississippi offensive tackle Lamar Holmes. They didn’t have a fourth-round pick this season but in the fifth they added Wisconsin fullback Bradie Ewing and Troy defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi. Ewing suffered a season-ending injury in the team’s first preseason game last week.
Thanks to Koetter, the Falcons will open up their passing game more this season than they did in the previous four years under the conservative Mularkey. The offense is now built around quarterback Matt Ryan as opposed to declining running back Michael Turner. Thanks to Jones, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez and Jacquizz Rodgers, Ryan has plenty of weapons around him to succeed. The left tackle spot remains a huge question mark because of Sam Baker but the rest of the unit should be improved from a year ago and the defense continues to rise. The NFC South is a tough division but if the Falcons’ offense starts to fire on all cylinders, 10 wins is within their reach again.
2012-13 Atlanta Falcons Season Odds
2013 Super Bowl Odds: 25/1
2013 NFC Championship Odds: 12/1
2013 NFC South Division Odds: +130
2012-13 NFL Regular Season Win Total: 9
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