New Faces Finally Elevate Falcons to Legitimate Super Bowl Contender

Quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones represent the best of the Atlanta Falcons, yet they’re not the driving force behind the team’s 2016 success. 

Center Alex Mack, linebacker Deion Jones, nickel corner Brian Poole, tight end Austin Hooper, safety Keanu Neal and wide receivers Taylor Gabriel and Mohamed Sanu stepped in when the roster needed an infusion of talent. Their combined presence lifted the Falcons from a .500 record into a 10-win playoff-bound squad and a legitimate contender in the NFC.  

With Sunday’s 33-16 victory over the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium, the Falcons clinched a playoff berth for the first time in four years. 

In order for a team reach its true potential, all of the individual pieces must be working toward a common goal and performing at a satisfactory level. A franchise can’t just rely on its star players. Those individuals set the tone, but they’re incapable of willing an entire NFL team to success. 

Eleven pieces working in cohesion are required to achieve one successful play. That cohesion must be repeated to the best of the team’s ability over 100 times per game. 

It’s difficult to achieve that level of consistency even with the one of the game’s best quarterbacks and the league’s most physically-talented wide receiver. Instead, a true foundation must be built. 

For the Falcons, the building process started in free agency when the team targeted center Alex Mack on the first day of the new league year. The two sides agreed to a five-year, $45 million contract.

In his first season in Atlanta, the center earned his fourth-career Pro Bowl berth. He’s also the focal point of an offense that’s scored a franchise-record 503 points. 

The center’s addition became vital for three reasons. 

First, Mack is an ideal fit in Kyle Shanahan’s zone-heavy scheme. The Cal product’s lateral agility and ability to reach the second level are among the league’s best. Second, Mack is making all of the line calls. This become a change fron recent years when previous …

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