The Atlanta Falcons have given us a surprise announcement. After a sensationally exciting London series of games – the Falcons will be playing a regular-season international game in 2020!!
The announcement will no doubt have Falcons fans in the UK and across Europe hyped. It is however yet to be announced where the Falcons will be playing and who their opponents will be.
In recent seasons the NFL’s International Series has covered both Mexico City and London.
In the last four seasons, Mexico City has been granted one regular-season game per season. London has been granted three or four regular-season games since 2014.
The Atlanta Falcons are having a disastrous 2019 season and are currently 2-7. We all hope to see a resurgent Falcons team, full of superstars, in London in 2020.
Why Now For The Atlanta Falcons?
It is widely speculated that Atlanta have been forced to be a home team in an NFL international game because they hosted Superbowl 53.
As part of the package of being a host city for a Superbowl it usually means an agreements to play an oversees game.
The Falcons have also played in London before. They played the Detroit Lions at Wembley Stadium in 2014 where the Lions came back to beat them 22-21. Atlanta was winning that game 21-0 at halftime. If the game is in London, Falcons fans will be hoping for a better result next season.
Who Are The Potential Opponents?
In the announcement the Falcons stated the game will be a home game, in 2020 and will be against a non-divisional opponent. This means the game will not be against their divisional rivals the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
That leaves only 5 potential opponents for the international game. Because of the way the Falcons game schedule looks in 2020, they will play teams from the NFC North and AFC West. Their home games will be against the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders.
The final team to play the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 is yet to be decided. The last game is decided on the 2019 divisional standings once the season is over.
We do know however, that it will be a home game against an NFC West opponent. If current rankings stay the same it will be the Arizona Cardinals.
It is yet to be confirmed whether the Falcons will play in London or Mexico City in 2020.
At Ninety-Nine Yards we are all getting excited at the possibility of seeing the Atlanta Falcons play in London, but above all we can’t wait to see superstar players such as Matt Ryan, Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones play ball in London in 2020.
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