Head coach Dan Quinn Owner Arthur Blank Record 11–5 | General manager Thomas Dimitroff Home field Georgia Dome Division place 1st NFC South | |
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The 2016 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 51st season in the National Football League and the second under head coach Dan Quinn. It will also mark the team's 25th and final season playing their home games at the Georgia Dome, as the Falcons will move into the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017. The Falcons won the NFC South for the first time since 2012 and improved on their 8–8 record from 2015, going 11–5 and earning the second seed in the NFC playoffs.
Contents
- Draft
- Schedule
- Week 4 vs Carolina Panthers
- Week 7 vs San Diego Chargers
- Week 9 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 13 vs Kansas City Chiefs
- Week 17 vs New Orleans Saints
- NFC Divisional Playoffs vs 3 Seattle Seahawks
- NFC Championship Game vs 4 Green Bay Packers
- References
The Falcons defeated the Seattle Seahawks 36–20 in the Divisional Round to advance to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 2012. In the NFCCG, they defeated the Green Bay Packers, 44–21, to reach Super Bowl LI, where they faced the New England Patriots. The game marked the Falcons' second Super Bowl appearance; they had competed in Super Bowl XXXIII 18 years earlier. Reaching overtime for the first time in Super Bowl history, the Falcons lost 28–34, after leading 28–3 midway through the third quarter. Although it ended in bitter defeat, the 2016 Falcons season was one of the most successful in team history, being only their second Super Bowl appearance since the conception of the franchise and quarterback Matt Ryan becoming the 2016 NFL MVP.
Draft
Notes
Schedule
The Falcons preseason opponents and schedule were announced on April 7, 2016, the opponents being the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Schedule
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Week 4: vs. Carolina Panthers
Matt Ryan and Julio Jones made Falcons team history as Ryan exploded to 503 passing yards and Jones caught twelve passes for 300 yards and a touchdown, becoming the first quarterback-receiver duo to break 500 passing yards and 300 receiving yards in club history and the first such tandem in the NFL's Super Bowl era. Cam Newton was knocked out of the game with a concussion incurred on a two-point conversion run.
Week 7: vs. San Diego Chargers
The Falcons wore their black throwback uniforms for this game. With the game tied at 30–30, a missed 58-yarder by Matt Bryant forced the game into overtime. The Falcons received the ball first in overtime but turned the ball over on downs after failing to convert a fourth down. Then Josh Lambo silenced the Georgia Dome crowd by nailing a 42-yard field goal in overtime to seal a 33–30 victory for the Chargers.
Week 9: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Despite Mike Evans finishing the game with 11 receptions for 150 yards and two scores, the Falcons still managed to blowout Tampa Bay on the road, 43–28 in order to go to 6–3. Falcons fans, who attended the game chanted "M-V-P!" after Matt Ryan's four-touchdown and 344-yard performance.
Week 13: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
The Falcons trailed 27–16 going into the fourth quarter, and took the lead through a 1-yard touchdown run by Devonta Freeman, followed by a 5-yard pass from Matt Ryan to Aldrick Robinson. Having failed on the two-point conversion following Freeman's touchdown, they tried for two points again after Robinson's catch with the aim of securing a three-point lead going into the last four minutes of the game; however, Chiefs safety Eric Berry intercepted Ryan's attempted pass and returned it all the way to the Atlanta end zone for a defensive two-point conversion that gave Kansas City a 29–28 lead that they were able to defend for the remainder of the game.
Week 17: vs. New Orleans Saints
This was the Falcons' final regular season game at the Georgia Dome.
NFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (#3) Seattle Seahawks
After coming off a first round bye, the Falcons hosted the Seahawks in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Falcons trailed midway through the first quarter when the Seahawks went up 7–0 from a 7-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to Jimmy Graham. In the second quarter, Atlanta tied the game 7–7 on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to Julio Jones. On the next Seattle drive, the Seahawks took a 10–7 lead with a 33-yard field goal.
The next Falcons drive ended in a three and out. On the ensuing punt, Seattle's Devin Hester returned the punt 80-yards to Atlanta's 7-yard line. However, that punt return was called back on a penalty, forcing Seattle to start at its own 7-yard line. After Thomas Rawls was tackled for a 3-yard loss, Wilson attempted to drop back to pass. However, while doing so, Wilson tripped over Rees Odhiambo's foot and was tackled in the end zone, leading to a safety for Atlanta. Receiving the ball following the safety, Atlanta took its first lead of the game on a 35-yard field goal from Matt Bryant. After forcing Seattle to Punt, the Falcons took a 19–10 lead going into halftime on a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tevin Coleman.
Atlanta remained ahead for the rest of the game, eventually beating Seattle 36–20. With the win, the Falcons improved their record to 12–5. Matt Ryan threw for 338 yards and 3 touchdowns and improved his playoff record to 2–4, with both of his playoff wins (up to that point) coming against the Seahawks.
NFC Championship Game: vs. (#4) Green Bay Packers
This was the Falcons' final game ever in the Georgia Dome after 25 seasons, as the team will move into the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017. The Falcons never trailed in the game, scoring 31 unanswered points until Rodgers threw a touchdown pass halfway through the third quarter to score Green Bay's first points. The Falcons won 44–21 to advance to the Super Bowl for the first time since their 1998 season, as well as the second time in franchise history. Matt Ryan had a big game, throwing 4 touchdown passes and running for another score. His 392 yards were the second-most ever thrown in a Championship Game, only behind his 396 yards in the 2012 NFCCG vs the 49ers. Julio Jones was another huge part of the Falcons win, tearing the injury-plagued Green Bay secondary with 9 catches, 180 yards and 2 touchdowns, one of the scores came in a 73-yard tackle-breaking catch. The Falcons' defense held the MVP-candidate Rodgers and his offense in check most of the game, forcing several hurries and drops. They also forced 2 turnovers, one of them coming in a desperate 3rd and 21 pass by Rodgers, that landed safely on Ricardo Allen's arms.