51 Reasons the Falcons are Super Bowl Bound

In the Divisional Round of the playoffs, Julio Jones got the best of Richard Sherman, gaining 67 receiving yards and a touchdown.

A year after losing 38-0 in Carolina, the Falcons defeated the Panthers by the score of 33-16 at Bank of America Stadium in Week 16. Hours after that victory, they clinched their first playoff berth and division title since 2012.

Head coach Dan Quinn likes to say games are "all about the ball," and the players lived by that mindset in 2016. Their plus-11 turnover ratio was the fourth-best mark in the NFL.

Arguably the best free agent signing of 2016, Alex Mack has stabilized the Falcons' offensive line by consistently playing Pro-Bowl caliber center.

Atlanta's improved defensive front has been outmuscling its opponents more often than not.

Atlanta allowed just 104 rushing yards per game during the regular season, a one-yard improvement from last year. 

After a tough loss on opening day, the Falcons got back on track in Week 2 by triumphing over the Raiders, 35-28, in Oakland.

The Falcons routed the Rams in Los Angeles during a Week 14 battle, kickstarting a six-game winning streak that is alive heading into Super Bowl LI.

Justin Hardy scored a touchdown for the second consecutive week in New Orleans. The Falcons scored 45 points at the Superdome, marking the first of six times they eclipsed 40 points leading up to the Super Bowl.

LaRoy Reynolds recovered a first-half fumble vs. the Saints, helping the Falcons to their second straight victory.

The Falcons defense held Drew Brees to 6.9 yards per attempt en route to their second win of the season.

Devonta Freeman rushed for a season-high 152 yards in New Orleans. He also notched five receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown catch.

Dwight Freeney registered his first sack on Monday Night Football against New Orleans.

Desmond Trufant tallied a sack and a tackle for loss during Atlanta's Week 3 win over New Orleans.

Before he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, Jacob Tamme caught 22 passes for 210 yards (a 9.5 average) and three touchdowns.

On the front end of its extended road trip out West, Atlanta beat Denver 23-16 thanks to a well-rounded effort on both sides of the ball.

Matt Ryan showed he can be elusive with the football in his hands. Atlanta's franchise QB rushed for 117 yards during the regular season, and in the NFC Championship game, he scrambled for a crucial first-half score.

Austin Hooper has turned in a strong rookie campaign, catching 19 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns in 14 regular-season games.

Pro Bowler Devonta Freeman had his second-straight 1,000-yard rushing campaign. He finished the regular season with 1,541 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns.

Vic Beasley, Jr. became the first Falcon to be a single-season sack leader by racking up 15.5 in 16 games. Only John Abraham (16.5 in 2012) has had more in one year in franchise history.

The Falcons were the only NFL team to start the same five offensive linemen in all 16 regular season games.

Ricardo Allen solidified his role as the team's No. 1 free safety. He made 90 tackles and caught two interceptions in the regular season. Allen has also snagged an INT in each of Atlanta's first two playoff contests.

Tevin Coleman enjoyed a breakout season in 2016, scoring 13 touchdowns so far in 15 appearances.

Even though he missed two games in December, Julio Jones' 1,409 receiving yards were the second-most in the regular season. He's continued to excel in the playoffs with 15 combined catches for 247 receiving yards and three touchdowns against Seattle and Green Bay.

Formerly a starter on defense, Paul Worrilow has embraced his new role as a special teams ace and mentor to the Falcons' young linebackers.

Mohamed Sanu and Taylor Gabriel bolstered Atlanta's wide receiving corps with 653 and 579 receiving yards during the regular season, respectively.

After taking down the Packers in dramatic fashion, the Falcons dominated the Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football, 43-28.

The Falcons defense started the year strong and continued through the season with a relentless persuit to get to opponents' quarterbacks.

Matt Ryan turned in an MVP-caliber season by breaking numerous franchise records and leading an offense that finished with the ninth-most points in NFL history.

After their bye week, the Falcons got back on track in Week 12 by beating the Cardinals, 38-19.

Taylor Gabriel has developed a knack for making big plays, scoring seven touchdcowns and averaging 16.5 yards per catch during the regular season.

By making 34 of 37 field goals during the regular season, Matt Bryant received his first ever Pro Bowl nomination.

When Desmond Trufant was lost for the year with a pectoral injury, Jalen Collins stepped up and has filled that cornerback role nicely. In his last four games, Collins has caught two interceptions and forced a fumble, which he recovered.

First round pick Keanu Neal quickly emerged as one of the NFL's best rookies. He recorded 106 tackles during the regular season (despite missing two games) and garnered a reputation as a hard-hitting safety.

De'Vondre Campbell, drafted in the fourth round, earned a starting linebacker job out of the gate and has steadily developed throughout 2016.

Second-round pick Deion Jones emerged as a leading candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year thanks to his 108 tackles, which led all rookies, four interceptions and two pick-sixes.

In his second NFL season, Grady Jarrett became the Falcons' starting nose tackle and proved valuable in all defensive situations.

After losing to the Falcons in the NFC Championship Game, Packers DB Morgan Burnett said Atlanta has "the best wide receiver in the NFL, and Matt is going to be the MVP for a reason."

This season, Aldrick Robinson had his first 100-yard game in the NFL, averaged 16.2 yards per reception and caught two touchdowns.

When Adrian Clayborn dragged down Philip Rivers on Oct. 23, he earned his fourth sack in three games.

Devonta Freeman tallied 125 yards from scrimmage and a TD vs. Seattle, helping the Falcons win their first playoff contest since 2012.

In their first meeting with the Packers, the Falcons gained 25 first downs and 367 total net yards en route to a one-point victory.

When Vic Beasley, Jr. sacked Aaron Rodgers in Week 8, he reached 6.5 sacks in a four-game span.

During an Oct. 30 meeting with Green Bay, Mohamed Sanu caught a touchdown pass with 36 seconds left in regulation that tied the game at 32-32. Matt Bryant's extra point put the Falcons on top for good, breaking the Falcons' only two-game losing streak of 2016.

Against the Chiefs, Matt Bryant tied a franchise record when he made a 59-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.

Now in his 12th year with the organization, Jonathan Babineaux is the longest-tenured Falcon. Atlanta selected him in the second round of the 2005 draft.

Devonta Freeman had 16 runs of 15-plus yards during the regular season, the fourth-most in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.

In Week 15, Atlanta held San Francisco to 272 net yards. The Falcons, on the other hand, gained 550 net yards on that day as they routed the 49ers, 41-13.

Since Week 14, the Falcons have allowed 21 or fewer points in five of six games.

Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman averaged 168.9 combined yards from scrimmage during the regular season -- the best mark of any RB tandem in the NFL.

Although Desmond Trufant remains on injured reserve, many of his younger teammates credit the 2015 Pro Bowler for helping Atlanta off the field. According to Ricardo Allen, Trufant "tells us stuff that he sees from the sideline, because once you're not in the pressure moment anymore, you see things much clearer than the people who are actually on the field."