2015 Atlanta Falcons season

Last updated

2015 Atlanta Falcons season
Owner Arthur Blank
General manager Thomas Dimitroff
Head coach Dan Quinn
Home field Georgia Dome
Results
Record8–8
Division place2nd NFC South
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro Bowlers RB Devonta Freeman
WR Julio Jones
CB Desmond Trufant
FB Patrick DiMarco

The 2015 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 50th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the first under new head coach Dan Quinn.

Contents

The Atlanta Falcons started the season 5–0, their best start since 2012. However, the Falcons would struggle throughout the rest of the season by losing eight of their remaining eleven games finishing at .500 for the first time in 10 years. After their Week 15 win at EverBank Field against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Falcons managed to improve their record from last season. The highlight of the season was the team's Week 16 victory over their divisional rival Carolina Panthers who were 14–0 coming into the game. The Falcons thus denied the Panthers a perfect regular season, which would have made them the second team since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule to achieve that feat. [note 1]

Offseason

Coaching staff changes

Dan Quinn at his introductory press conference Dan Quinn 2015 intro press conference.jpg
Dan Quinn at his introductory press conference

Free Agents

NumberPlayerPosition
28 Javier Arenas Cornerback
71 Kroy Biermann Defensive end
3 Matt Bryant Kicker
68 Gabe Carimi Offensive tackle
19 Drew Davis Wide receiver
42 Patrick DiMarco Fullback
30 Charles Godfrey Free safety
79 Mike Johnson Offensive guard
20 Dwight Lowery Free safety
98 Cliff Matthews Defensive end
27 Robert McClain Cornerback
86 Bear Pascoe Tight end
91 Corey Peters Defensive tackle
32 Jacquizz Rodgers Running back
64 Jonathan Scott Offensive tackle
35 Antone Smith Running back
52 Nate Stupar Linebacker
50 Osi Umenyiora Defensive end
56 Sean Weatherspoon Linebacker
14 Eric Weems Wide receiver
26 Josh Wilson Cornerback
13 T. J. Yates Quarterback

Re-signings

DatePlayerPositionContractSource
February 24, 2015 Cliff Matthews Defensive end 2 years / $1,505,000 [1]
February 24, 2015 Patrick DiMarco Fullback 2 years / $1,495,000 [1]
February 25, 2015 Matt Bryant Kicker 3 years / $8,500,000 [2]
March 3, 2015 Nate Stupar Linebacker 1 years / $585,000 [3]
March 5, 2015 Charles Godfrey Safety 1 years / $1,500,000 [4]
March 6, 2015 Eric Weems Wide receiver 2 years / $3,000,000 [5]
March 9, 2015 T. J. Yates Quarterback 1 years / $1,500,000 [6]
March 10, 2015 Antone Smith Running back 1 years / $1,400,000 [7]
March 18, 2015 Kroy Biermann Linebacker 1 years / $1,925,000 [8]

Team additions

DatePlayerPositionPrevious teamContractSource
February 13, 2015 Allen Bradford Linebacker Seattle Seahawks 1 year / $660,000 [9]
February 24, 2015 Nick Williams Wide receiver Washington Redskins 2-year / $1,100,000 [1]
March 10, 2015 Brooks Reed Linebacker Houston Texans 5-year / $22,000,000 [7]
March 10, 2015 Justin Durant Linebacker Dallas Cowboys 3-year / $10,800,000 [7]
March 10, 2015 Mike Person Guard St. Louis Rams 3-year / $3,350,000 [7]
March 10, 2015 Leonard Hankerson Wide receiver Washington Redskins 1 year / $1,000,000 [10]
March 12, 2015 Adrian Clayborn Defensive end Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 year / $3,000,000 [11]
March 12, 2015 Phillip Adams Cornerback New York Jets 1 year / $745,000 [11]
March 12, 2015 O'Brien Schofield Defensive end Seattle Seahawks 1 year / $1,700,000 [12]
March 18, 2015 Jared Smith Offensive guard Seattle Seahawks 1 year / $440,000 [13]
March 19, 2015 Jacob Tamme Tight end Denver Broncos 2-year / $4,000,000 [14]
March 19, 2015 Tony Moeaki Tight end Seattle Seahawks 1 year / $745,000 [15]
May 4, 2015 Collin Mooney Fullback Tennessee Titans 2-year / $1,100,000 [16]
May 14, 2015 Tyler Polumbus Offensive tackle Washington Redskins Undisclosed [17]
May 14, 2015 Chris Chester Offensive guard Washington Redskins 1 year / $2,800,000 [18]
July 29, 2015 DeMarcus Love Offensive tackle Denver Broncos Unknown [19]
August 7, 2015 Michael Ford Running back Chicago Bears Unknown [20]
August 16, 2015 Terrell Manning Linebacker New York Giants Unknown [21]
August 16, 2015 Evan Royster Running back Washington Redskins Unknown [21]
August 24, 2015 John Harris Wide receiver Philadelphia Eagles Unknown [22]
August 26, 2015 Rex Grossman Quarterback Cleveland Browns Unknown [23]

Departures

DatePlayerPositionNoteNew TeamSource
February 26, 2015 Steven Jackson Running back Released New England Patriots [24]
February 27, 2015 Harry Douglas Wide receiver Released Tennessee Titans [25] [26]
February 27, 2015 Justin Blalock Offensive guard ReleasedRetired [27]
February 27, 2015 Jonathan Massaquoi Defensive end Waived Tennessee Titans [28] [29]
March 10, 2015 Sean Weatherspoon Linebacker Signed Arizona Cardinals [30]
March 10, 2015 Corey Peters Defensive end Signed Arizona Cardinals [31]
March 10, 2015 Drew Davis Wide receiver Declined option [32]
March 18, 2015 Robert McClain Cornerback Signed New England Patriots [33]
March 31, 2015 Jacquizz Rodgers Running back Signed Chicago Bears [34]
April 2, 2015 Zeke Motta Safety Waived [35]
April 3, 2015 Dwight Lowery Safety Signed Indianapolis Colts [36]
April 3, 2015 Josh Wilson Cornerback Signed Detroit Lions [37]
April 23, 2015 Bear Pascoe Tight end Signed Chicago Bears [38]
May 1, 2015 Brandan Bishop Safety Waived [39]
May 1, 2015 Reid Fragel Tackle Waived Tampa Bay Buccaneers [39]
May 1, 2015 Jordan Mabin Cornerback Waived San Diego Chargers [39]
May 1, 2015 Jacques Smith Linebacker Waived [39]
May 1, 2015 Ronnie Wingo Running back Waived [39]
May 3, 2015 Kyle Miller Tight end Waived San Diego Chargers [40]
May 29, 2015 Prince Shembo Linebacker Waived [41]
June 15, 2015 Sam Baker Offensive tackle Released [42]
August 1, 2015 Harland Gunn Offensive guard Released New England Patriots [43]
August 10, 2015 Freddie Martino Wide receiver Waived Philadelphia Eagles [44]
August 11, 2015 Javier Arenas Cornerback Signed New York Jets [45]
August 12, 2015 Ricky Havili-Heimuli Defensive tackle Waived [46]
August 16, 2015 DeMarcus Love Offensive tackle Released [21]
August 24, 2015 Marquis Spruill Linebacker Waived [22]

2015 draft class

Vic Beasley, the Falcons' first round pick Vic Beasley 2015 2.jpg
Vic Beasley, the Falcons' first round pick
2015 Atlanta Falcons Draft
RoundSelectionPlayerPositionCollege
1 8 Vic Beasley Linebacker Clemson
242 Jalen Collins Cornerback LSU
373 Tevin Coleman Running back Indiana
4107 Justin Hardy Wide receiver East Carolina
5137 Grady Jarrett Defensive tackle Clemson
6185None – see below
7225 Jake Rodgers Offensive tackle Eastern Washington
249 Akeem King Safety San Jose State

Notes

Staff

2015 Atlanta Falcons staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Head strength and conditioning – A.J. Neibel
  • Strength and conditioning assistant – Jonas Beauchemin

Final roster

2015 Atlanta Falcons final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
53 active, 8 inactive, 10 practice squad

Preseason

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1August 14 Tennessee Titans W 31–241–0 Georgia Dome Recap
2August 21at New York Jets L 22–301–1 MetLife Stadium Recap
3August 29at Miami Dolphins L 9–131–2 Sun Life Stadium Recap
4September 3 Baltimore Ravens W 20–192–2Georgia Dome Recap

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1September 14 Philadelphia Eagles W 26–241–0 Georgia Dome Recap
2September 20at New York Giants W 24–202–0 MetLife Stadium Recap
3September 27at Dallas Cowboys W 39–283–0 AT&T Stadium Recap
4October 4 Houston Texans W 48–214–0Georgia Dome Recap
5October 11 Washington Redskins W 25–19 (OT)5–0Georgia Dome Recap
6October 15at New Orleans Saints L 21–315–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
7October 25at Tennessee Titans W 10–76–1 Nissan Stadium Recap
8November 1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 20–23 (OT)6–2Georgia Dome Recap
9November 8at San Francisco 49ers L 16–176–3 Levi's Stadium Recap
10 Bye
11November 22 Indianapolis Colts L 21–246–4Georgia Dome Recap
12November 29 Minnesota Vikings L 10–206–5Georgia Dome Recap
13December 6at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 19–236–6 Raymond James Stadium Recap
14December 13at Carolina Panthers L 0–386–7 Bank of America Stadium Recap
15December 20at Jacksonville Jaguars W 23–177–7 EverBank Field Recap
16December 27 Carolina Panthers W 20–138–7Georgia Dome Recap
17January 3 New Orleans Saints L 17–208–8Georgia Dome Recap

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Week One: Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period1234Total
Eagles0314724
Falcons3170626

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Game information

With the win, the Falcons began their season 1–0.

Week 2: at New York Giants

Week Two: Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants – Game summary
Period1234Total
Falcons7301424
Giants0137020

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game information

The Giants would lead 20–17 with below 2 minutes left, but Atlanta was able to pull off the comeback, scoring with 1:14 remaining after Devonta Freeman took it in from a yard out. New York tried to come back, but the Falcons would force a turnover on downs to end the game.

With the win, Atlanta improved to 2–0.

Week 3: at Dallas Cowboys

Week Three: Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period1234Total
Falcons71081439
Cowboys14140028

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

The Falcons would trail 14–28 at one point, but they would pull off their second comeback in as many weeks, as they scored 25 unanswered points afterwards to ultimately win 39–28.

With the win, the Falcons improved to 3–0 for the first time since 2012.

Week 4: vs. Houston Texans

Week Four: Houston Texans at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period1234Total
Texans0002121
Falcons72114648

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Game information

The Falcons routed the Texans 48–21 at home. Atlanta would build a 42–0 lead, but Houston put up a fight, as they would outscore Atlanta 21–6 for the remainder of the game. However, the Falcons still won in a blowout.

With the win, the Falcons improved to 4–0.

Week 5: vs. Washington Redskins

Week Five: Washington Redskins at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period1234OTTotal
Redskins07012019
Falcons03313625

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Game information

the Falcons would win this game in overtime against the Redskins. In overtime, the game was sealed away after Robert Alford returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown to end the game.

With the win, Atlanta started 5–0 for the first time since 2012.

Week 6: at New Orleans Saints

Week Six: Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period1234Total
Falcons0701421
Saints14010731

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

The Falcons suffered their first loss of the season in New Orleans on Thursday Night Football. The Saints would lead the entire game. The Falcons would tie it, but that was the closest they would come to striking distance, as the Saints won 31–21.

With the loss, the Falcons fell to 5–1.

Week 7: at Tennessee Titans

Week Seven: Atlanta Falcons at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
Period1234Total
Falcons037010
Titans07007

at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee

Game information

With the win, the Falcons improved to 6–1.

Week 8: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week Eight: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period1234OTTotal
Buccaneers31070323
Falcons30710020

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

  • Date: November 1
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 70,524
  • Referee: Ron Torbert
  • TV announcers (Fox): Justin Kutcher, Charles Davis and Tony Siragusa
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

With the loss, the Falcons fell to 6–2.

Week 9: at San Francisco 49ers

Week Nine: Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
Period1234Total
Falcons3100316
49ers0170017

at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

  • Date: November 8
  • Game time: 4:05 pm. EST/1:05 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C), cloudy
  • Game attendance: 70,799
  • Referee: Tony Corrente
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

With the bitter loss, the Falcons fell to 6–3.

Week 11: vs. Indianapolis Colts

Week Eleven: Indianapolis Colts at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period1234Total
Colts0771024
Falcons777021

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Game information

The Falcons would lead 21–7 at one point, but Indianapolis would rally to erase it after D'Qwell Jackson returned an interception 6 yards to tie it at 21. The Colts would eventually go down the field to win it with an Adam Vinatieri field goal from 43 yards with 52 seconds left.

With the loss, Atlanta fell to 6–4.

Week 12: vs. Minnesota Vikings

Week Twelve: Minnesota Vikings at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period1234Total
Vikings7031020
Falcons030710

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

  • Date: November 29
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 70,610
  • Referee: Clete Blakeman
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

With the loss, the Falcons fell to 6–5.

Week 13: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week Thirteen: Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Period1234Total
Falcons093719
Buccaneers709723

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Game information

With the loss, the Falcons fell to 6–6.

Week 14: at Carolina Panthers

Week Fourteen: Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Period1234Total
Falcons00000
Panthers21710038

at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

  • Date: December 13
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C), sunny
  • Game attendance: 74,420
  • Referee: Tony Corrente
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

The Falcons would suffer a blowout and shutout loss to undefeated Carolina. The Falcons would struggle all day, as the Panthers romped them 38–0, their worst shutout loss since 2004.

With the loss, the Falcons fell to 6–7. This is the first and only time they had been under .500 all season.

Week 15: at Jacksonville Jaguars

Week Fifteen: Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
Period1234Total
Falcons7100623
Jaguars0314017

at EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Florida

  • Date: December 20
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C), clear
  • Game attendance: 64,016
  • Referee: Bill Vinovich
  • TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, David Diehl and Kristina Pink
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

With the win, the Falcons improved to 7–7. They finished 3-1 vs AFC South.

Week 16: vs. Carolina Panthers

Week Sixteen: Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period1234Total
Panthers703313
Falcons077620

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

  • Date: December 27
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 70,981
  • Referee: John Parry
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

In a major upset win, the Atlanta Falcons defeated Carolina 20–13, spoiling the Panthers' run at a perfect season. Unfortunately for the Falcons, they were eliminated from playoff contention due to the Minnesota Vikings' 49–17 win against the New York Giants later in the day.

Week 17: vs. New Orleans Saints

Week Seventeen: New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period1234Total
Saints773320
Falcons3140017

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Game information

With the loss, the Falcons ended their season 8–8, and finished 1–5 against their division. For the first time since the 2013 season, they were swept by the New Orleans Saints who also finished their season with a 7-9 Record.

Statistics

Team leaders

CategoryPlayer(s)Value
Passing yards Matt Ryan 4,591
Passing touchdowns Matt Ryan 21
Rushing yards Devonta Freeman 1,061
Rushing touchdowns Devonta Freeman 11
Receptions Julio Jones 136
Receiving yards Julio Jones 1,871
Receiving touchdowns Julio Jones 8
Points Matt Bryant 83
Kickoff return yards Eric Weems 403
Punt return yards Eric Weems 221
Tackles Paul Worrilow 95
Sacks Vic Beasley 4.0
Interceptions Ricardo Allen 3
Forced fumbles Vic Beasley 2

Stats as of week 16. [47]

Standings

Division

NFC South
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
(1) Carolina Panthers 1510.9385–111–1500308W1
Atlanta Falcons 880.5001–55–7339345L1
New Orleans Saints 790.4383–35–7408476W2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6100.3753–35–7342417L4

Conference

NFC
#TeamDivisionWLTPCTDIVCONFSOSSOVSTK
Division Leaders
1 Carolina Panthers South1510.9385–111–1.441.438W1
2 Arizona Cardinals West1330.8134–210–2.477.457L1
3 Minnesota Vikings North1150.6885–18–4.504.449W3
4 Washington Redskins East970.5634–28–4.465.403W4
Wild Cards
5 [lower-alpha 1] Green Bay Packers North1060.6253–37–5.531.450L2
6 [lower-alpha 1] Seattle Seahawks West1060.6253–37–5.520.431W1
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Atlanta Falcons South880.5001–55–7.480.453L1
8 [lower-alpha 2] St. Louis Rams West790.4384–26–6.527.482L1
9 [lower-alpha 2] Detroit Lions North790.4383–36–6.535.429W3
10 [lower-alpha 2] Philadelphia Eagles East790.4383–34–8.508.473W1
11 [lower-alpha 2] New Orleans Saints South790.4383–35–7.504.402W2
12 [lower-alpha 3] New York Giants East6100.3752–44–8.500.396L3
13 [lower-alpha 3] Chicago Bears North6100.3751–53–9.547.469L1
14 [lower-alpha 3] Tampa Bay Buccaneers South6100.3753–35–7.484.406L4
15 San Francisco 49ers West5110.3131–54–8.539.463W1
16 Dallas Cowboys East4120.2503–33–9.531.438L4
Tiebreakers [lower-alpha 4]
  1. 1 2 Green Bay finished ahead of Seattle based on head-to-head victory.
  2. 1 2 3 4 St. Louis and Detroit finished ahead of Philadelphia and New Orleans based on conference record. St. Louis finished ahead of Detroit based on head-to-head victory.
    Detroit finished ahead of Philadelphia and New Orleans based on head-to-head sweep, while Philadelphia finished ahead of New Orleans based on head-to-head victory.
  3. 1 2 3 The New York Giants and Chicago each finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on head-to-head victory, while the Giants finished ahead of Chicago based on conference record.
  4. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.

Notes

  1. ↑ The 2007 Patriots were the first; however the Patriots lost in Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants. When the NFL regular season was only fourteen games long, the 1972 Miami Dolphins achieved a complete perfect season finishing 17—0, whilst when it was still shorter, the Chicago Bears achieved perfect regular seasons in both 1934 and 1942, but lost the NFL Championship game on both occasions.

Related Research Articles

The 2011 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the fourth under head coach Mike Smith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Atlanta Falcons season</span> NFL team season

The 2012 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 47th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the fifth under head coach Mike Smith. Atlanta started the season 8–0, a franchise best for a start to a season. By beating the Detroit Lions during Week 16, the Falcons clinched homefield advantage throughout the playoffs in the NFC for the second time in three years, and made it to the NFC Championship for the first time since 2004, where they lost 28–24 against the San Francisco 49ers. It was the third straight year in which they didn't lose two consecutive regular season games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Atlanta Falcons season</span> NFL team season

The 2013 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 48th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the sixth under head coach Mike Smith. The Falcons entered the season as one of the Super Bowl favorites; however, due to multiple key injuries to the team, the Falcons failed to improve on their 13–3 season from 2012, finishing 4-12. They did not qualify for postseason contention for the first time since 2009 and secured the Falcons’ first losing season since 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Arizona Cardinals season</span> NFL team season

The 2014 season was the Arizona Cardinals' 95th in the National Football League (NFL), their 27th in Arizona and their second under head coach Bruce Arians. Following an explosive 9–1 start to the regular season, they finished at 11–5, achieving their highest win total since 1975 when they were still in St. Louis. The Cardinals clinched their first playoff berth since 2009, and had a chance to become the first team to try to play the Super Bowl on their own home field, University of Phoenix Stadium. However, after season-ending injuries to Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton, they were forced to start third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley in the wild-card round, losing to the Carolina Panthers, 27–16, which was the first time since 1982 when they were in St. Louis that the Cardinals went one-and-done.

The 2014 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 49th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the seventh and final under head coach Mike Smith. The Falcons were defeated by the Carolina Panthers in week 17, officially eliminating them from postseason contention for the second straight year. As a result, Smith was fired after his seventh year as head coach, after two straight years with a losing record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Carolina Panthers season</span> 20th season in franchise history

The 2014 season was the Carolina Panthers' 20th in the National Football League (NFL) and their fourth under head coach Ron Rivera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 New Orleans Saints season</span> NFL team season

The 2014 season was the New Orleans Saints' 48th in the National Football League (NFL), their 39th playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their eighth under head coach Sean Payton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 New Orleans Saints season</span> NFL team season

The 2015 season was the New Orleans Saints' 49th in the National Football League (NFL), their 40th playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their ninth under head coach Sean Payton. On November 16, 2015, the Saints hired Dennis Allen to replace fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. However, the Saints still missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The Saints set a new league record for the most passing touchdowns allowed with 45.

The 2015 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 40th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the second and final under head coach Lovie Smith. The offseason was marked by the draft selection of All-American Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston first overall in the 2015 NFL Draft. The team wore a patch to commemorate the club's 40th season.

The 2016 season was the San Diego Chargers' 47th in the National Football League (NFL), their 57th overall, their 56th and final season in San Diego, California and their fourth and final season under head coach Mike McCoy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Green Bay Packers season</span> NFL team season

The 2016 Green Bay Packers season was their 98th season overall, 96th season in the National Football League (NFL), and the 11th under head coach Mike McCarthy. Despite a 4–6 start to the season, the Green Bay Packers went on a 6-game winning streak to finish the regular season with a 10–6 record. The team clinched the NFC North for the fifth time in six years with their week 17 win over the Detroit Lions. They routed the fifth-seeded New York Giants 38–13 in the wild card round of the playoffs and defeated the top-seeded and heavily favored Dallas Cowboys 34–31 in the divisional round of the playoffs, but their season came to an end when they were beat by the second-seeded Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game 44–21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Atlanta Falcons season</span> NFL team season

The 2016 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 51st season in the National Football League (NFL) and the second under head coach Dan Quinn. It also marked the team's 25th and final season playing their home games at the Georgia Dome, as the Falcons moved into the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017. The Falcons won the NFC South for the first time since 2012 and improved on their 8–8 record from 2015, going 11–5 and earning the second seed in the NFC playoffs. Quarterback Matt Ryan was named the 2016 NFL MVP. The Falcons scored 540 points, the most in the NFL for 2016 and 8th all-time. The team scored fewer than 23 points only once all season: a 24–15 loss to the Eagles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 New Orleans Saints season</span> NFL team season

The 2016 season was the New Orleans Saints' 50th in the National Football League (NFL), their 41st playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and their 10th under head coach Sean Payton. The Saints matched their 7–9 record from 2014 and 2015, and missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. One highlight from the season includes quarterback Drew Brees' first return to San Diego for the first time since the Chargers released him at the end of the 2005 season, also where Brees played his first five seasons in. This came 10 years after the Chargers released Brees after the Saints' previous regular season meetings with the Chargers were home games for the Saints, and including a 2008 meeting at Wembley Stadium in London, a game which New Orleans was designated as the home team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Arizona Cardinals season</span> NFL team season

The 2016 season was the Arizona Cardinals' 97th in the National Football League (NFL), their 118th overall, their 29th in Arizona, their 11th at University of Phoenix Stadium and their fourth under head coach Bruce Arians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 San Francisco 49ers season</span> NFL team season

The 2016 season was the San Francisco 49ers' 67th in the National Football League (NFL), their 71st overall, their third playing their home games at Levi's Stadium and the only season under head coach Chip Kelly. The season saw the 49ers attempting to rebound from their 5–11 record the previous year, but finished 2–14, with their only wins coming against their division rival Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers also nearly became the first team since the 2001 Carolina Panthers to win their opener and lose the remainder of their games, prior to the 49ers' Week 16 win over the Rams. The 49ers' record was their worst since 2004, when they also finished 2–14. The 49ers' 1–7 home record tied the worst home record in franchise history. As a result, the 49ers fired Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Atlanta Falcons season</span> 52nd season in franchise history

The 2017 season was the Atlanta Falcons' 52nd in the National Football League (NFL), their first playing their home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and their third under head coach Dan Quinn. They entered the season as the defending NFC champions and tried to defend their NFC title for a second consecutive trip to the Super Bowl after losing the previous year against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI after blowing a 28-3 lead. This was the Falcons' first year in Mercedes-Benz Stadium after spending the previous 25 seasons in the Georgia Dome, which was demolished on November 20, 2017. Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened as scheduled on August 26, 2017; however, its retractable roof system was incomplete. The roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium remained in the closed position for most of the 2017 season, with the roof opened only during the September 17 game against the Green Bay Packers, as contractors continued to fully mechanize the roof.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 New Orleans Saints season</span> NFL team season

The 2017 season was the New Orleans Saints' 51st in the National Football League (NFL), their 42nd playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their 11th under head coach Sean Payton. The team improved on their 7–9 output from the previous season, while achieving an eight-game winning streak after losing their first two contests, their longest streak since 2009, when they won Super Bowl XLIV. In Week 13 the Saints clinched their first winning season since 2013 and swept the Carolina Panthers for the first time since 2011. In Week 16, the Saints clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2013 by defeating the Atlanta Falcons. In Week 17, the Saints clinched the NFC South for the first time since 2011 with the Panthers loss to the Falcons. This was the first of four consecutive NFC South titles for the Saints. On January 7, 2018 the Saints played their divisional rival Carolina Panthers in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. They beat Carolina 31–26 in the Wild Card, but lost 29–24 to the Minnesota Vikings in the Divisional Round in a shocking ending.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Miami Dolphins season</span> 53rd season in franchise history

The 2018 season was the Miami Dolphins' 49th in the National Football League (NFL), their 53rd overall and their third and last under head coach Adam Gase. During the offseason, the Dolphins tweaked their uniforms' orange color to better align with their classical past and history. For the second straight season, they also brought back their throwback uniforms from the Shula/Marino eras and wore them for three games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Atlanta Falcons season</span> 53rd season in franchise history

The 2018 season was the Atlanta Falcons' 53rd in the National Football League (NFL), their second playing their home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and their fourth under head coach Dan Quinn. The Falcons attempted to be the first team to play the Super Bowl in their home stadium as an expected Super Bowl contender. However, the Falcons were riddled with injuries, losing 7 starters to IR with the Falcons stumbling to a 1–4 start.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 New Orleans Saints season</span> NFL team season

The 2018 season was the New Orleans Saints' 52nd in the National Football League (NFL), their 43rd at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their 12th under head coach Sean Payton.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Jay Adams (February 24, 2015). "Falcons Extend Two Vets, Sign WR Williams". Atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  2. ↑ Jay Adams (February 25, 2015). "Falcons Sign K Bryant to Contract Extension". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  3. ↑ Jay Adams. "Falcons Sign LB Stupar to Extension". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  4. ↑ Jay Adams. "Falcons Sign Veteran S Godfrey to Extension". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  5. ↑ Jay Adams. "Falcons Sign Weems to Contract Extension". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  6. ↑ Jay Adams. "Falcons Sign QB Yates to Extension". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Atlanta Falcons on Twitter: "The Falcons have agreed to terms with LB Justin Durant, G Mike Person, LB Brooks Reed and RB Antone Smith. #RiseUp"". Twitter.com. March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  8. ↑ Jay Adams (March 18, 2015). "Biermann Returns to Falcons with New Contract". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  9. ↑ Jay Adams (February 13, 2015). "Falcons Add Linebacker Bradford to Roster". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  10. ↑ Jay Adams (March 11, 2015). "Falcons Add Wide Receiver Hankerson". Atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Falcons free agency: Adrian Clayborn, Phillip Adams sign with Atlanta Thursday". The Falcoholic. March 12, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  12. ↑ Jay Adams (March 12, 2015). "Falcons Agree to Terms With LB Schofield". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  13. ↑ Jay Adams (March 18, 2015). "Falcons Add More Depth to OL With Smith". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Falcons Sign TE Jacob Tamme". Atlantafalcons.com. March 19, 2015. Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  15. ↑ Jay Adams (March 19, 2015). "Falcons Continue to Add to TE Position". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Falcons add former army Fullback". Atlantafalcons.com. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on October 24, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  17. ↑ Jay Adams (May 14, 2015). "Falcons Sign Veteran Tackle Polumbus". Atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  18. ↑ Jay Adams. "Falcons Sign Veteran Guard Chester". Atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Falcons sign offensive tackle DeMarcus Love". www.ajc.com. July 29, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  20. ↑ "With Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman ailing, Atlanta Falcons sign RB - Atlanta Falcons Blog - ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  21. 1 2 3 Conway, Kelsey. "Falcons Make Roster Moves". Atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  22. 1 2 Conway, Kelsey. "Falcons Sign WR Harris, Waive LB Spruill". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on August 26, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  23. ↑ Conway, Kelsey. "Falcons Sign QB Grossman, Waive RB Royster". Atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  24. ↑ Jay Adams. "Falcons Part Ways with Veteran RB Jackson". Atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  25. ↑ Jay Adams (February 27, 2015). "Falcons Release Veteran WR Douglas". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  26. ↑ Wyatt, Jim (March 11, 2015). "Titans Agree to Terms with Former Falcons WR Harry Douglas". Titansonline.com. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  27. ↑ Jay Adams (February 27, 2015). "Falcons Release Veteran G Blalock". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  28. ↑ Jay Adams (February 27, 2015). "Falcons Trim Roster Further, Waive DE Massaquoi". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  29. ↑ Fann, Joe (March 3, 2015). "Titans Release S Bernard Pollard; Claim OLB Jonathan Massaquoi". Titansonline.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  30. ↑ Getlin, Rand (March 6, 2015). "Source: LB Sean Weatherspoon, Cardinals agree on one-year deal - Yahoo Sports". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  31. ↑ "Source: Corey Peters to Cardinals on three-year, $10.5 million deal". Nationalfootballpost.com. March 9, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  32. ↑ Hartstein, Larry. "Falcons decline to tender WR Drew Davis : Fantasy News". Fantasynews.cbssports.com. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  33. ↑ "Robert McClain on Twitter: "Thankful to have the opportunity to continue my career with the @Patriots"". Twitter.com. March 18, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Bears ink Rodgers to one year deal". Chicago Bears. March 31, 2015. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  35. ↑ "Falcons waive former seventh round pick". Atlanta Falcons. April 2, 2015. Archived from the original on April 9, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Colts reach deal with S Dwight Lowery". Pro Football Talk. April 3, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  37. ↑ "Lions sign cornerback Josh Wilson". detroitlions.com. April 3, 2015. Archived from the original on April 8, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  38. ↑ Larry Mayer (April 23, 2015). "Bears sign veteran tight end Pascoe". Chicagobears.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  39. 1 2 3 4 5 Jay Adams (May 1, 2015). "Falcons Make Roster Moves During Draft". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  40. ↑ "Falcons waive TE Kyle Miller". The Falcoholic. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  41. ↑ "Falcons Waive Linebacker Prince Shembo". Atlantafalcons.com. May 29, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  42. ↑ Jay Adams (June 15, 2015). "Falcons Release Veteran OT Baker". Atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  43. ↑ "Falcons Sign OL Burton, Release G Gunn". Atlantafalcons.com. August 1, 2015. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  44. ↑ "Eagles sign wide receiver Freddie Martino; release two others". NJ.com. August 10, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  45. ↑ "Jets Sign Javier Arenas". Gang Green Nation. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  46. ↑ Kelsey Conway. "Falcons Sign CB Lee, Waive NT Heimuli". Atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  47. ↑ "Atlanta Falcons 2015 Statistics - Team and Player Stats - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.