Insider shares bold prediction about 2024 Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons first became media darlings picked by many to win the NFC South division title for the 2024 season shortly after they signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency this past March.

During Tuesday's edition of NFL Network's " Good Morning Football " program, analyst and league insider Peter Schrager went one step further while explaining why he " loves " the current Falcons squad.

" I ’m thinking about them for the Super Bowl, " Schrager said about the Falcons, as shared by the JoeBucsFan website. " I still might put them in the Super Bowl. "

Falcons owner Arthur Blank shocked many in the NFL community when he hired former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as the club's next head coach instead of living legend Bill Belichick in January. More recently, the Falcons added pass-rusher Matthew Judon and safety Justin Simmons to their defense this summer.

Blank hopes a Falcons team that finished last season at 7-10 was merely a good, if not great, quarterback away from making significant noise during a postseason tournament. According to Pro Football Reference stats, Cousins ended the 2023 campaign ranked seventh in the NFL among qualified players with a 63.2 adjusted QBR. Before he suffered a torn Achilles in his eighth start of the season, he tossed 18 touchdown passes and five interceptions with the Minnesota Vikings.

"T his might be one of those teams that comes out of the season, they’re like 8-0 early and you’re like, ' What? ' And then all of a sudden, they’re the No. 1 seed , oh , and that building’s rocking, " Schrager added about the Falcons. " And oh wait, their quarterback is actually one of the best in the NFL. ... I got Atlanta as the No. 3 [seed] and the winners of the NFC South. "

For what it's worth, Atlanta would have to notch wins over the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (twice) to have even a chance of starting the season at 8-0.

On Tuesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Falcons as the betting favorites at -130 odds to claim the NFC South title for the upcoming campaign. That same outlet had Atlanta sixth among the betting favorites at +1300 odds to represent the conference in Super Bowl LIX.

Not that the Buccaneers needed it, but it sounds like they have even more bulletin board material heading into Week 1.