Falcons' Rooting Guide for 2021 NFL Draft Implications of Week 16
It's Week 16, and for the third year in a row the Atlanta Falcons are just trying to play out the season—and possibly lose a couple more games. The playoffs have long been out of the picture, but a top-three draft selection is not. NFL teams never truly hope to tank, but at this point the Falcons have little reason not to.
There are expected to be some premier prospects in the 2021 draft. Picking up a top-tier talent like LSU wideout Ja'Marr Chase or possibly a quarterback of the future would help the Falcons a lot more than a meaningless win over the Kansas City Chiefs or Tampa Bay Buccaneers—though playing spoiler to the Bucs would be rewarding.
For Atlanta to secure a top-five draft selection, it will need to lose its last two games. It will also need some help along the way. Here's a look at the teams that draft-oriented Falcons fans should be rooting for in Week 16.
Current Draft Order, Non-Playoff Teams
1. Jacksonville Jaguars 1-13
2. New York Jets 1-13
3. Cincinnati Bengals 3-10-1
4. Carolina Panthers 4-10
5. Atlanta Falcons 4-10
6. Miami Dolphins (from Houston) 4-10
7. Philadelphia Eagles 4-9-1
8. Dallas Cowboys 5-9
9. Los Angeles Chargers 5-9
10. New York Giants 5-9
11. Detroit Lions 5-9
12. San Francisco 49ers 5-9
13. Denver Broncos 5-9
14. Minnesota Vikings 6-8
15. New England Patriots 6-8
16. Chicago Bears 7-7
17. Las Vegas Raiders 7-7
18. Baltimore Ravens 9-5
*from Tankathon
Where the Falcons Stand
At 4-10, the Falcons are currently tied just behind the top three spots in the draft. Catching the 1-13 New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars is an impossibility, so the best Atlanta can hope for is the No. 3 spot.
However, the Falcons do have a crack at it after the Cincinnati Bengals' Week 15 upset of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 3-10-1 Bengals sit just a half-game ahead of Atlanta and could be leapfrogged as early as this week.
Netting the No. 3 pick would be huge, as the Falcons could be seeking replacements for quarterback Matt Ryan and star wideout Julio Jones in the offseason. Team president Rich McKay has made it clear the next general manager will have the freedom to deal one or both players if it makes sense.
"Give us a plan. Show us what you want to do and show us why. Show us how this gets us to Ws and make sure you actually execute the plan," McKay told reporters of the possibility.
The Falcons will also want to stay ahead of the six 5-9 teams that currently sit right behind them. This means that hoping for a tie between the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos this week is on the menu. Let's dive into the Week 16 games that could affect Atlanta's draft positioning.
Games to Watch
Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans (Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, Fox)
This is a tough one. The Houston Texans' first-round draft pick belongs to the Miami Dolphins. The Texans also happen to share Atlanta's 4-10 record. Should both Houston and Atlanta lose, they'll remain tied in the draft order.
However, as previously mentioned, the Texans and Falcons could jump Cincinnati if the Bengals pull out the win. The ideal outcome, though, would be a tie.
Should the Bengals sit at 3-10-2, they would essentially hold a 4-11 record—as ties are worth a half-win for standing and seeding purposes. This would leave the Falcons in a tie with Cincinnati and a half-game ahead of the 4-10-1 Texans—assuming, of course, that the Falcons fall to Kansas City.
Atlanta would then need the Bengals to upset the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17 to move ahead of them, but stranger things have happened in the last week of the season.
Rooting Interest: Go Overtime!
Carolina Panthers at Washington Football Team (Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)
This one is much more straightforward. The 6-8 Washington Football Team could finish 6-10 and tied with Atlanta, but only if the Falcons win out. The 4-10 Carolina Panthers are tied with the Falcons, and a Panthers win would break that tie.
Unlikely? Perhaps. Washington is clawing for a playoff berth, while the Panthers are just playing out the season. However, it's not as if the Football Team is an elite powerhouse or even has a proven quarterback under center.
Dwayne Haskins is expected to start for Washington in Week 16. He's not been reliable as a pro, and if he commits just a handful of mistakes, Carolina could come out on top.
Rooting Interest: Go Panthers!
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)
This is another tricky one, as the 5-9 Dallas Cowboys and 4-9-1 Philadelphia Eagles are both just behind the Falcons in the draft order. However, the Eagles are dangerously close and could move into a tie with Atlanta should the Falcons wind up with a tie of their own this season.
Therefore, it's best to see the Eagles pull out the win here. Both teams are technically alive in the NFC East race, but the Cowboys have the better chance of winning the NFL's worst division—barely.
If Jalen Hurts and the Eagles can get the win, they'll keep their dwindling playoff hopes alive and move a game-and-a-half behind Atlanta in the draft order.
Rooting Interest: Go Eagles