Is it 2012 already? Ummm…..no. But with the way things are going in the Players vs Owners CBA discussions, I wish it was. It seems that there might not be a 2011 season…or much of one anyway. Therefore, I turn to the year 2012 and my expectations, predictions, and possible insights.
2011 Recap
Will there be a season? If so, full or half or quarter? No one really knows but here’s how I see a full season actually going. Currently, we are slated to have played the following teams (home teams in bold):
- Green Bay
- Chicago
- Minnesota
- Detroit
- Jacksonville
- Houston
- Tennessee
- Indianapolis
- Philadelphia
- Seattle
- New Orleans
- Carolina
- Tampa Bay
- New Orleans
- Carolina
- Tampa Bay
When I first look at this list, my first thought is “Crap, this is going to be tough.” Then my second thought is “We won the NFC South last year. Crap.” Say what you want but to me there are always absolutes in the NFL. They are the Madden curse does exist and the NFC South champ does not repeat the following year. New Orleans was hot on our trail in 2010 and 2011 wasn’t much different. Tampa Bay also surged ahead to show that the South is where the NFC powerhouses reside. Not within the NFC Least…I mean East.
Falcons end the season 9-7. It’s enough to make the playoffs as a wild card. It’s a let down for many but I’ll take it as Matt Ryan gets his first playoff win. Sadly the run ends in the second round. Four straight winning seasons, I’ll take it.
Now if there is no real season and replacement players are used, I’m looking for my replacement dream team to be led by D.J. Shockley and Herschel Walker. Like I said, dream team.
Nike Just Does It
2012 will bring new changes. Not just with player personnel. 2012 is the year that Nike will be taking over uniform operations from Reebok. Now many are fearful of this change, me included, and these fake mockups that were released previously as well as any of the Nike combats that college football has seen just makes it worse. But there is nothing we can do about it at this point, so let’s start with the positive thinking and the pro what-ifs.
Thanks to my buddy, Will, and his photoshop capabilities as well as Fraser Davidson with the original Pro Combat template (so I’m told), I present to you the new uniforms for the Atlanta Falcons 2012.
Click for bigger image.
The images are great, but let me explain the concept completely.
- Home – We have grown accustomed to the Falcons wearing red at home, but after the introduction of the recent throwbacks, I wanted to make a change to black. The socks and stripes from that throwback will stay as well as the white pants with a red belt. TV numbers (not shown in image) will be on top of the pads while the Falcons logo will be on the sides of the sleeves. I used Uniwatchblog’s idea of the compression sleeves as a nod to the old longer sleeved uniforms. I also chose to change the Falcons to the red helmet as there are so few red helmet teams and it just helps the logo pop so much more.
- Away – The same thoughts for the Home jersey went into the Away one, except that I went with the white.
- Secondary – Most hate a secondary uniform but I’m not one of them. If we have the option to go “bolder”, then let’s do it. Red was once the prominent look. Now it is a special occasion thought. I used the old red jersey as a point of reference. It is probably hard to see in the image but the red jersey also uses the gray pants.
Opponents
Now we get to the 2012 opponents. This list could change, but this is what we have as of today.
- Dallas
- Philadelphia
- NY Giants
- Washington
- Oakland
- Denver
- San Diego
- Kansas City
- NFC West
- NFC North
- New Orleans
- Carolina
- Tampa Bay
- New Orleans
- Carolina
- Tampa Bay
This list is no laughing matter. It could be just as bad as the 2011 schedule, but I’m going high and say we are thrown an easy schedule. We end the year at 14-2. The two losses are to the New Orleans Saints. It pains me to say that, but read on for the revenge.
Verdict & Expectations
14-2, eh? Well that’s just fine. In the playoffs we meet up with the hated Saints. Backs against the wall. All doubters in tow. Except that this time we plow through. We take the win that matters most and move on to the Superbowl. I don’t want to predict further as we are still so far away, but that’s where my mind stands today.
I have faith in this team that currently exists today and I see potential where so many others do not. Draft choices Weatherspoon, Jerry, Douglas, and Meier will all return from their injuries stronger than ever before. TD’s choices shine the way they were meant to shine as all signs of previous injury are nonexistent. The team has a whole becomes just that, a team. The previous heartaches in the playoffs bring the unit together and other teams in the NFL begin to fear those birds of the south.
The season starts in 573 days. Have your tickets ready?
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