FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- With Tennessee's 16-10 win over Indianapolis Sunday night the NFL regular season came to an end. That means the Falcons can head into the offseason knowing more about their position in the 2008 NFL Draft and their opponents for next season.
There's still some uncertainty however, which will be solved with the flip of a coin.
Atlanta, Oakland and Kansas City finished the season with the same strength-of-schedule. According to the NFL, the Chiefs and Raiders tie is broken based on common opponents. Because of the Raiders 2-12 finish in common games with the Chiefs, they will draft ahead of Kansas City.
Thus, Atlanta and Oakland will flip a coin for the third spot in the draft. If the Falcons win, they get the third spot. A loss of the toss, however, will result in a second flip with Kansas City to determine the fourth and fifth position.
In short, the Falcons could pick as high as third or as low as fifth. According to rule, the teams will rotate through the third, fourth and fifth positions in subsequent rounds of the draft.
Coin flips have traditionally taken place at the NFL Combine, which will begin Feb. 20 in Indianapolis.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported Sunday evening that the Falcons will have the third pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Atlanta beat the Seattle Seahawks Sunday evening to finish 4-12. But, even a loss -- according to the paper -- would have given the Falcons the No. 3 pick, as St. Louis would have remained in the second slot. Atlanta would thus the pick after tiebreakers with Kansas City, Oakland and the New York Jets according to the report.
NFL Network reported early Monday morning that the draft order between Atlanta, Oakland, Kansas City and New York will be determined by coin flips, however. The Atlanta Journal Constitution modified its report on Monday to agree with NFL Network.
The NFL Draft will be held the last weekend in April in New York. Atlanta currently has nine picks in the draft -- one in the first round, two in the second round, one in rounds three, four, five and six and two in the seventh round. Additional second (Houston) and seventh (Pittsburgh) round picks were obtained in trades.
Click here for a list of the tentative first-round draft order.
Week 17 does brings confirmation to the Falcons slate of opponents for 2008.
At home next year the Falcons will play Tampa Bay, Carolina, New Orleans, Chicago, Detroit, Denver, Kansas City and St. Louis (the fourth-place finisher in the NFC West). On the road the team will face Tampa Bay, Carolina, New Orleans, San Diego, Oakland, Green Bay and Minnesota. The Falcons will also travel to the last-place finisher in the NFC East, which was Philadelphia.
MORE FROM THE FALCONS-SEAHAWKS GAME:
- NEWS: Draft position narrowed, 2008 opponents set
- BOARDS: Talk about the Draft on FalconsLIFE
- GAMEDAY: All the coverage from the Falcons-Seahawks game
- STATS AND PLAY-BY-PLAY: NFL.com Game Center
- GAME NOTES: Updates and injury news from the Georgia Dome press box
- INACTIVES AND STARTERS: Inactives and starters from Week 17
- QUOTABLE: Thoughts on the game -- and the season -- from Falcons players and coaches
- VIDEO: Interim Head Coach Emmitt Thomas
- VIDEO: Quarterback Chris Redman
- VIDEO: Defensive end John Abraham
- VIDEO: Tight end Alge Crumpler
- VIDEO: Safety Lawyer Milloy
- VIDEO: Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux
- AUDIO: Linebacker Keith Brooking
- VIDEO: Falcons-Seahawks Highlights
- VIDEO: Can't Miss Play: Crumpler
