The 2022 season will look very different for Falcons fans.For the first time since 2008, Matt Ryan won’t be starting at quarterback. Instead, it will be Marcus Mariota or third-round draft pick Desmond Ridder. First-round pick Drake London will be the guy at wide receiver, joining last year’s first-round pick, Kyle Pitts. Calvin Ridley was suspended for the season for betting on games.In short, the Falcons have dealt with a lot this offseason.Atlanta was heavily involved in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes as well, ultimately mi sing out when Houston traded him to Cleveland Omari Spellman Jersey . In the fallout of Watson’s move to the Browns, Ryan sought a trade. The Falcons obliged and sent him to the Colts. That left Feleipe Franks as the only quarterback in the room. Atlanta went out and signed Mariota, who is familiar with coach Arthur Smith from their time with the Titans.The Falcons are looking to put the offseason behind them and get off on the right foot in the regular season. Taking Ridder by no means prevents the Falcons from looking for another quarterback in 2023, particularly with that draft cla s likely to include Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud.The Falcons might not compete this year, but they can still build valuable continuity. Barring a disaster, this is not a make-or-break year for Smith. Don’t be surprised to see Atlanta picking near the Derrick Rose Jersey top of next year’s draft.MORE: The Falcons schedule will be unveiled as part of the NFL’s schedule release on Thursday, May 12.Home:Cardinals, 49ers, Browns, Steelers, Chargers, Bears,Panthers, Saints, BuccaneersAway:Ravens, Bengals, Rams, Seahawks, Commanders, Panthers, Saints, BuccaneersWeekDateOpponentKickoff timeTV1Sept. 11vs. Saints1 p.m. ETFox2Sept. 18at Rams4:05 p.m ETFox3Sept. 25at Seahawks4:25 p.m. ETFox4Oct. 2vs. Browns1 p.m. ETCBS5Oct. 9at Buccaneers1 p.m. ETFox6Oct. 16vs. 49ers1 p.m. ETFox7Oct. 23at Bengals1 p.m. ETFox8Oct. 30vs. Panthers1 p.m. ETFox9Nov. 6vs. Chargers1 p.m. ETFox10Nov. 10 (TNF)at Panthers8:15 p.m. ETAmazon Prime (Stream)11Nov. 20vs Malik Beasley Jersey . Bears1 p.m. ETFox12Nov. 27at Commanders1 p.m. ETFox13Dec. 4vs. Steelers1 p.m. ETCBS14BYEN/AN/AN/A15Dec. 18at Saints1 p.m. ETFox16Dec. 24at Ravens1 p.m. ETFox17Jan. 1vs. Cardinals1 p.m. ETFox18Jan. 7 OR Jan. 8vs. BuccaneersTBDTBDWith games against the NFC West and AFC North, it’s looking like rough sledding for Atlanta. The extra interconference game will be against the Chargers, another tough matchup. As third-place finishers last year, the Falcons will play the Bears and Commanders. The Falcons were 7-10 last year and somehow managed to hang around playoff contention for most of the season. While Matt Ryan was a big part of the reason, Smith’s coaching also helped get them there. Cordarrelle Patterson was one of the league’s most versatile threats, and Atlanta was able to retain him in the offseason. Losing Ryan might be the straw that breaks the camel’s T-Shirts back, but the Falcons no doubt are relying on the element of surprise.Toughest tests:Games in Baltimore and Cincinnati will be difficult, while the NFC West is looking like the deepest division in the conference. Add to that an interconference game against the Chargers, and the schedule despite the two games against the Panthers is far from a walk in the park.Biggest breaks:Getting the Bears at home could prove beneficial, and their slate of third-place opponents Dario Saric Jersey isn’t grueling. They’ll hope to at least compete at home against the Steelers and Browns.Bottom line:This Falcons team might not be particularly good, but last year’s team surprised people by going 7-10. The hope this year for Arthur Smith and company is that they’ll be able to surprise again, but that’ll be easier said than done with Ryan gone.Record prediction: 4-13 Related Articles