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Atlanta Falcons
Overall: 60
Title track: 78
Ownership: 46
Coaching: 55
Players: 76
Fan relations: 64
Affordability: 64
Stadium experience: 87
Bang for the buck: 57
Change from last year: +7
What happens when you go from four wins (after three straight playoff seasons) to six? A meager seven-place increase in these rankings, apparently. The Falcons made some off-season moves to right the ship -- most notably firing longtime coach Mike Smith -- and started off the 2015 season well. With a new coach and, next year, a new stadium, the Falcons now hope to return to their old (winning) ways.
What's good
Owner Arthur Blank thinks the Falcons can win now, even though they looked awful the past two seasons. Blank still believes in his franchise quarterback, Matt Ryan, who makes $20.75 million per year, and in Ryan's prime target, Julio Jones, whom Blank just rewarded with a $47 million guaranteed extension. Fans like his trust in his guys -- at 46, Blank's ownership ranking is the Falcons' best showing. When Blank hired Dan Quinn as the new head coach, he hoped Quinn would return the franchise to its 2012 form, when it reached the NFC Championship. But voters in our Ultimate Standings remain somewhat unconvinced: Quinn ranks 55th in the coaching category, just five spots up from where Mike Smith was last season.
What's bad
It's hard to overlook how far the Falcons fell the past two seasons under Smith. Records of 4-12 and 6-10, respectively, caused the team to plummet from an overall standing of 20th in 2013 to 67th last season. Offensive firepower behind Ryan and Jones was nonexistent last year, as the unit was overwhelmed by the poor play of the defense -- Atlanta finished the season dead last in total defense. Partly due to an inability, presumably, to retain high draft picks such as first-rounders Sean Weatherspoon, Sam Baker and Peria Jerry, Blank's ownership group has fallen 13 spots in our ranking, and Atlanta's title track is down eight. A lot of dead weight remains on the roster, and the Falcons' players ranking has fallen accordingly, down seven spots to No. 76.
What's new
Quinn brings a new mindset to the team, and just in time, as the Falcons prepare to replace the Georgia Dome with the $1.4 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium next year. Perhaps because public spending for the new place is expected to reach $600 million, the Falcons are trying to make it up to fans and be a relatively cheap date this season, with a bang for the buck rating that's 25 spots better than last year's. With an overall rating of 60th, Atlanta needs to win now to justify the stadium costs and improve in our Ultimate Standings.
Next: Jacksonville Jaguars | Full rankings