Four days ago, Atlanta stopped a two-game skid with a thrilling victory over the Green Bay Packers—a victory spurred by quarterback Matt Ryan, wide receiver Julio Jones and the Falcons offense.
That win established Atlanta as the clear favorite in the NFC South. Thursday's 43-28 throttling of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—that wasn't as close as the score—solidified its stranglehold on the top of the division.
And in piling up 461 total yards, the NFL's No. 1 offense sent a message: The Falcons are for real.