"Thomas Dimitroff really hit a grand slam in his first ever offseason as general manager of the Atlanta Falcons Calvin Ridley Jersey Boys , didn’t he? First, he used the No. 3 overall pick in the draft to secure Matt Ryan, who would go on to become the team’s franchise quarterback for the next decade plus. Then, he brought in maybe his greatest free agent acquisition ever — Michael Turner.Turner was the big prize of the free agency pool that offseason, hitting the market after proving himself as a capable running back in San Diego, but blocked from the starting job by the legendary LaDainian Tomlinson. Dimitroff won the Turner lottery, and lured him to Atlanta with a six year, $34.5 million contract.Turner was spectacular as an Atlanta Falcon, especially in that initial 2008 season which was his magnum opus. He was a First-Team All-Pro selection after totaling 1,699 rushing yards and a league-leading 17 rushing touchdowns in Matt Ryan’s rookie season Cheap Calvin Ridley Jersey , leading the Birds to an unlikely 11-5 record and playoff appearance.Turner spent five wonderful years in Atlanta, and he exceeded 1,300 rushing yards in three of those seasons (he didn’t achieve the feat in 2009 because of an injury which cost him five games). The Burner also scored double-digit rushing touchdowns in all five of his years as a Falcon.Turner was the engine of Atlanta’s offense in Matt Ryan’s early days, and he would carry the weight of the load on his shoulders in between 2008 and 2011, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl in the 2008 and 2010 seasons (he led the league in carries in both of those years).Michael Turner rushed for 6,081 yards in his time as a Falcon — second in franchise history behind only Gerald Riggs; and he totaled 60 rushing touchdowns — by far the most in franchise history (Gerald Riggs is second with 48). His 81.1 rushing yards per game is also the best mark in franchise history by a substantial margin (Gerald Riggs is second with 72.9 rushing yards per game).The numbers are spectacular to look at, and they make the Burner arguably the greatest running back in Falcons history, but Michael Turner’s impact can’t be measured simply by looking at the numbers.A young Matt Ryan’s life was made so much easier because of Turner’s presence in the backfield, and with the knowledge that he could be leaned on when the Falcons needed it most. Ryan was able to develop at his own pace, and win right away at the same time Custom Calvin Ridley Jersey , because of Michael Turner. Who knows how different things would be Ryan today if not for Turner’s impact in those early days.A salute to the great Michael Turner, who once upon a time turned the power running game into an art form for the Atlanta Falcons. Our staff roundtable covers the games we’re most looking forward to, the ones we dread, and our overall thoughts."How are we feeling about the newly released 2019 Falcons schedule? Let’s find out.Dave ChoateGame I Can’t Wait For: vs. Rams, Week 7Game I Dread: @Saints, Week 10Irresponsibly Early Prediction: 9-7 I’m not ready to get overly excited about this team’s prospects until at least after the draft, but this schedule’s not going to fill me with dread. Having a bye right before a road game against the Saints is a good thing, given that those are almost always miserable slogs, but I relish the opportunity for the Falcons to play the NFC’s Super Bowl representative last year in a home game to see how far they’ve come. If the Falcons are healthy and their roster moves prove savvy, they’ll likely have a good season Calvin Ridley Jersey Discount , with only that brutal late-in-the-year NFC South stretch and road games against the Eagles and Vikings really giving me pause. Evan BirchfieldGame I Can’t Wait For: at. Vikings, Week 1Game I Dread: vs. Saints, Week 13Irresponsibly Early Prediction: 11-5The NFL Schedule Release is another example of how powerful football is in this country. Fans around the country, including myself, stay glued to leaks/rumors leading up to the ultimate reveal. I’m very excited for the Week 1 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings solely because my dad who introduced me to the sport when I was 6 years old, is a lifelong Vikings fan. I love Thanksgiving, specifically for the food.. and now we all have to watch the Saints and Falcons for the second year in a row. I feel good that it’s in Atlanta, but surrounded by food and family, it’s not exactly a calming environment. David WalkerGame I Can’t Wait For: vs. Eagles, Week 2Game I Dread: vs. Saints Calvin Ridley Jersey Super Bowl , Week 13Irresponsibly Early Prediction: 10-6The Falcons have a perfectly placed bye week this year and an odd stretch of 5 straight division games right after it. This is the weirdness of the NFL schedule. I’m looking forward to that game against the Eagles because it’s about damn time we got to play a Pennsylvania team in Atlanta. Maybe we can actually win this one. I don’t “dread” facing the Saints on Thanksgiving per se, I just dread that a perfectly good holiday has the potential to turn into a stress-fest. The combination of tryptophan and nail-biters against the Saints could make for a very uneasy evening. That said, the overall schedule has the potential to play out nicely for this team. There could be some surprising losses (49ers as an example), but I don’t see a team that I consider an impossible win either.Kevin KnightGame I Can’t Wait For: vs. Saints, Week 13Game I Dread: @Saints, Week 10Irresponsibly Early Prediction: 10-6This is a very interesting schedule for the Falcons. On the one hand, the opening slate is pretty brutal. The Vikings and Eagles both feature outstanding defenses that will give Atlanta’s new-look OL a phenomenal test. The Colts and Texans both showcase electric offenses that should tell us a lot about the Falcons’ defense in 2019. A home match-up with the Rams in Week 7 could either be a triumphant moment for an ascending team, or a look at how far we still have to go. Then after the bye its five straight division games, which I actually like. Having those games later in the season will hopefully lend itself to a Falcons’ offense that is firing on all cylinders after some adjustment time. Overall, a tough schedule that should still allow Atlanta to sneak into the playoffs at 10-6.Cory Woodroof Game I Can’t Wait For: Falcons vs. Eagles Calvin Ridley Jersey For Sale , Week 2 Game I Dread: Of course it’s the trip to New Orleans in Week 10Irresponsible Early Prediction: 10-6 I’ve outlined my general thoughts on the schedule, so I’ll keep this brief. The Falcons have a gauntlet ahead, but it’s not unlike that 2016 schedule they managed just fine. It’s not about the fight; it’s about what you bring to it. The Falcons need not worry about how tough the road may be ahead. If they bring their A-game every week, they’ll always be competitive. I’m expecting anywhere from 9-7 to 11-5, so I’ll settle in 10-6. It’ll be a fascinating fall, full of possibility and pratfall in equal measure...so a typical season for the Atlanta Falcons. Eric Robinson Game I Can’t Wait For: vs. Rams, Week 7 Game I Dread: at Texans, Week 5 Irresponsible Early Prediction: 11-5 The start to the season for the Falcons will definitely be a tough one. The first five games include three playoffs teams and two teams in the Titans and Vikings who are gritty and are the type of teams that have punched the Falcons in the mouth before in the past. We truly are going to see how good and how much of a threat the Falcons are before their bye week in week nine. A home Thanksgiving contest against the (S)aints sounds like revenge on the mind for Dan Quinn and his group. A five-week stretch against division opponents after the bye week is interesting. If the Falcons are able to navigate to a 5-3 or 6-2 start to the season, this is a playoff team that will scare folks.