ESPN writer projects Atlanta Falcons for 9-7 record

It is officially “game week” for the Atlanta Falcons, and with that, numerous outlets have begun to weigh in with their win-loss predictions for the 2014 edition of the team. In that spirit, Vaughn McClure of ESPN has released his game by game picks, and in total, he projects Mike Smith, Matt Ryan and company to finish with a final record of 9-7.

In his piece, McClure projects losses to the New Orleans Saints (the opener in week one and again in week 16), Cincinnati Bengals (week two), Baltimore Ravens (week seven), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (week ten), Green Bay Packers (week 14) and Pittsburgh Steelers (week 15), and that would account for five road losses against just two in the Georgia Dome. On the other side, this list includes what would be an impressive road win against the New York Giants, as well as a home win over the high-powered Chicago Bears.

On a game-by-game basis, it is always interesting to simply go down the list over seventeen weeks and project winners, but in the NFL, it is never as simple as it seems. Still, the Falcons are dealing with what could be considered a difficult schedule (ranked 11th in the NFL by opponent’s winning percentage from 2013), and if health concerns emerge, the challenge will be significant.

What do you think about ESPN’s projection? Tell us in the comments!