INDIANAPOLIS – Who are the Atlanta Falcons?
That is one of the more curious second-half questions in the NFC.
The Colts will find out which Falcons team they will see on Sunday afternoon at the Georgia Dome in a Week 11 matchup.
Atlanta comes out of their own bye week at 6-3, but have lost three of four with their lone win in that stretch coming in a 10-7 victory at Tennessee.
Turnovers have plagued the Falcons in recent weeks and is really the lone item holding back a very balanced, potentially explosive, offense.
Wide receiver Julio Jones has already caught 80 balls this season and is averaging a league-best 114.3 receiving yards per game. A Vontae Davis' shadow assignment could definitely be in store on Sunday.
After stating the season as a reserve, Atlanta running back Devonta Freeman has emerged. Freeman, who leads the NFL with 11 total touchdowns this season, is the definite starter, ahead of Indiana University rookie Tevin Coleman.
New head coach Dan Quinn has helped turn a Falcons defense around rather quickly.
Quinn, who was previously Seattle's defensive coordinator, is watching an Atlanta defense rank third against the run this season.
Where Atlanta is struggling on defense is getting after the quarterback. They have just 10 sacks on the season.
After the Falcons, the Colts will play just one team with a record currently above .500 in their final six games.
*2015 Record: *6-3, 2nd in the NFC South.
*Head Coach: *Dan Quinn, 1st season as Falcons head coach and 1st NFL season as head coach (6-3 overall regular season).
*2015 NFL Rankings: *Offense – Overall, 5th (402.2); Rushing, 15th (113.9); Passing, 5th (288.3). Defense – Overall, 12th (342.3); Rushing, 3rd (88.9); Passing, 19th (253.4).
2015 Leading Passer: Matt Ryan (239-of-357 comp., 2,702 yards, 66.9 pct., 12 TDs, 7 INTs, 92.4 rating).
*2015 Leading Rusher: *Devonta Freeman (164 carries, 721 yards, 9 TDs).
*2015 Leading Receiver: *Julio Jones (80 receptions, 1,029 yards, 6 TDs).
2015 Leading Sacker: O'Brien Schofield, Adrian Clayborn, Vic Beasley (2.0).
2015 Turnover Breakdown: 0 (tied for 15th in the NFL).
2015 NFL Draft Results: For the second straight season, the Falcons were picking in the top 10 of the draft. At No. 8 overall, Atlanta selected edge rusher Vic Beasley out of Clemson. Beasley has two sacks in his rookie season. In the third round, the Falcons found a running back in Tevin Coleman, who played collegiately at Indiana University. Coleman began the season as the Falcons starting running back but after a ribs injury, he's received just 13 carries in the past six games.
2014 Review:In a division that saw no team finish above .500 last season, the Falcons' postseason fate ended in Week 17. With the loss, head coach Mike Smith was fired after back-to-back losing seasons. It was a 34-3 home loss in Week 17 that ended Smith's tenure in Atlanta. Smith led the Falcons to the 2012 NFC Championship, but followed that up with 10 combined wins in his final two seasons.
Last time in Playoffs: 2012 season. Lost in the NFC Championship, 28-24, to the San Francisco 49ers.
*Last time in Super Bowl: *1998 season. Lost Super Bowl XXXIII, 34-19, to the Denver Broncos.
*Super Bowl Championships: *None.
2015 Pro Bowl Selections:QB-Matt Ryan, WR-Julio Jones, WR/RS-Devin Hester.
