Atlanta Falcons: Patterning Themselves After New England?

The Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots are a lot more alike than most people may think.

The Atlanta Falcon’s first meeting with the media has come and gone in Houston with little happening or coming out that we didn’t already know.  The Patriots and Falcons both avoided any smack talking even shaking hands in passing at one point as they swapped places on the stage.

It isn’t surprising as both teams have adopted similar styles, with the Patriots having the advantage of defense and the Falcons a decided advantage on offense. Both teams avoid giving interviews that will become bulletin board material. They show up and do their jobs and play as a unit and a team.

What has separated the two teams is their legacies. While the Patriots are well known for winning (and cheating) the Falcons haven’t done much of anything. They have made one Super Bowl in franchise history and lost it decidedly.

The Falcons are patterning themselves in a New England like fashion. They are building around a replaceable young players who play the game as a single unit and with a team first attitude. While it is hardly fair to compare Matt Ryan to one of the greatest to ever play in Tom Brady they are similar in their attitudes as well and true team first franchise quarterbacks.

The obvious difference between these two teams is the track record of success or lack thereof for the Falcons. If the Falcons want to establish themselves it is going to take more than one trip to the Super Bowl they will have to be contenders for the Super Bowl year in and year out much like the Braves were in the early 2000’s.

Next: Falcon's Top Five Players

The Falcons have set themselves up much like the Patriots have, as a team that could enjoy success for a long time to come if they can continue to avoid distractions and stick with the team first attitude that has gotten them to the Super Bowl in 2017.