Prediction: Packers play Atlanta week one

[Adrien]

Despite

This is assuming the Falcons don't epically blow this game.

The Packers have Atlanta as an away opponent next season.

They will be the best team on Atlanta's home schedule.

Seems like a no brainer it will happen.

I sure hope not since it would be a very tough way to start the year, but I see it happening.

Atlanta's epic meltdown, I still think Green Bay is their week 1 opponent. As you said Green Bay is the best team on their home schedule, and Atlanta is opening their new stadium.

 

[class_of_2012]

Week 1:
Atlanta at New England
Green Bay at Dallas

Atlanta gets revenge on New England and Green Bay exposes Dak Prescott for a fraud. Dallas is angry for letting go of Tony Romo.

 

[class_of_2012]

Thank you Atlanta. The Packers are no longer the biggest post season choke artists of all time.

They never were. Houston was. In 1993, they choked to Buffalo in the AFC Wild Card, blowing a 35-3 lead in the second half to a team without their starting QB, RB, and OLB (Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, and Cornelius Bennett, respectively).

 

[class_of_2012]

True, but at the same time, Atlanta will probably never get another shot at a Lombardi Trophy like this one. In fact, I'd bet the farm the Matt Ryan era Falcons will never see another Super Bowl. The 98 Vikings never got closer to the Super Bowl after their choke job with that high powered offense. Marino was supposed to go back to multiple Super Bowls with that high powered offense after losing in his second year, and even though the 85 Bears won the Super Bowl, their dynasty in the making never came close to materializing. It's just too damn hard.

Tell that to the 1971-1973 AFC Champion Miami Dolphins or the 1990-1993 AFC Champion Buffalo Bills.

 

[Half Empty]

Did those teams choke badly in the SB the season before? Don't want to put words in another poster's mouth, but it seems that was what gonzozab was talking about.

 

[Packer Brother]

Week 1:
Atlanta at New England
Green Bay at Dallas

Atlanta gets revenge on New England and Green Bay exposes Dak Prescott for a fraud. Dallas is angry for letting go of Tony Romo.

Not sure if beating a team in week 1 of the NFL season quite qualifies as...."Revenge".

 

[Adrien]

True, but at the same time, Atlanta will probably never get another shot at a Lombardi Trophy like this one. In fact, I'd bet the farm the Matt Ryan era Falcons will never see another Super Bowl. The 98 Vikings never got closer to the Super Bowl after their choke job with that high powered offense. Marino was supposed to go back to multiple Super Bowls with that high powered offense after losing in his second year, and even though the 85 Bears won the Super Bowl, their dynasty in the making never came close to materializing. It's just too damn hard.

It will be hard to get back for the Falcons in the Matt Ryan era, but I wouldn't bet the farm against it. The Falcons defense improved vastly in the latter part of the season, remember quite a few of their starters were only rookies. This is a young defense that is coached by a great defensive minded coach. And they don't have any kind of expectations because of how potent their offense is and will continue to be, although they won't be scoring at a historic pace.