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While the Falcons still have a small, minute hurdle in front of them in the form of the greatest quarterback this century, and maybe ever, they have shown the Arizona Cardinals the light.
The Cardinals are built on the ability of Carson Palmer, they have always gone as he as gone, despite the fact that some, myself included, think that is wrong, it obviously can work when no dominant defense rears its head in the NFL.
Look at the Cardinals last year, were they really that different than the 2016 Atlanta Falcons?
Outside of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman being a little better than David Johnson before he became David Johnson, and not have Julio Jones, cause no one else does, they were a lot alike.
Dominant offenses, the ability to play from ahead, and the ability to win offensively in a number of different ways.
Yet, they did it in the wrong season.
2015 had the Carolina Panthers and of course, Denver Broncos in the Arizona Cardinals path.
The Cardinals were not built to beat teams who could keep them at bay and continually punch them in the mouth.
They were built to get ahead and hang on, or get ahead and stay there.
The Falcons were similar, if not better.
They have the ability to score from anywhere on the field at any time.
They have dynamic playmakers in Jones, Freeman and Coleman, to go along with steady, if unspectacular Mohamed Sanu and Taylor Gabriel.
It is the diversity and choices for Matt Ryan that have led the Falcons to the brink, oh and the fact that their offensive line played every game together.
Their offensive line was constructed with proven vets and high draft picks, and it worked out because in every game, they rolled the same five out there.
It is something that can give Arizona Cardinals fans excitement, because the Cardinals were similar to the 2015 Falcons this year in 2016.
They had flashes of brilliance, but lacked continuity and help outside of David Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald. Flashes of J.J. Nelson and Jermaine Gresham are nice, but they need consistency.
This offseason, the Arizona Cardinals can retool and be similar to the 2016 Falcons... Hell they can be similar to the 2015 Arizona Cardinals. Now, if they can just make sure there is no historic defense in their way.