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Last year’s ultimate surprise team won’t be sneaking up on anybody this year. Armed with a revamped defense, a blossoming offensive line, and a second-year star-in-the-making at quarterback, the Falcons appear to be better equipped to take on all comers in 2009.

The pressure will be on Atlanta to not only win its division, but to advance past the Wildcard round of the playoffs.

The trade acquisition of all-world tight end Tony Gonzalez was the cherry on the ice cream sundae for a team determined to prove that it wasn’t a fluke.

“I think we set a certain standard for ourselves,” said quarterback Matt Ryan of last year’s success. “And with the experience we had last year I think we did a pretty good job, but I think the bar has raised. We have to feel like we have to go out there and play better than we did last year because what we did as an offense wasn’t good enough to get us where we ultimately want to go.”

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks: Matt Ryan’s rookie campaign was nothing short of magnificent. The young field general showed an unmatched work ethic and understanding of the game. But beyond overcoming some of the mental challenges quarterbacks must face, Ryan proved he could make all the throws to a talented corps of young receivers. Unlike many inexperienced passers, the Boston College graduate immediately proved to possess the presence of mind to throw the ball away when there’s nothing open downfield. Ryan’s only blemish seems to be his poor decision making versus some Cover-2 defenses. Chris Redman returns as his backup. The 32-year-old veteran showed he can come in and move the offense during a late-season audition in 2007. He has a good enough arm to make stick throws in crucial moments. Former Georgia Bulldog D.J. Shockley is a local hero who creates excitement with his legs, but is raw and unproven as a passer. Shockley may be challenged by rookie free agent John Parker Wilson. The shaggy haired soft tosser has neither the arm nor the feet to be an NFL pro, but has a good football mind and quick release to maybe hang around as a practice squad player.

Running Backs: MichaelTurner’s 282 touches in his first year as a Falcon almost guarantee that he’ll see a slightly diminished workload. A few less carries, however, doesn’t mean that the 244-pound battering ram won’t continue being the centerpiece of the offense. Despite his size, Turner runs with great patience by often waiting for his blockers to set him up before attacking the open running lanes. The former Charger is a punishing and sustaining runner who has an extra burst of speed once he gets into the open field. Turner’s one glaring weakness is that he’s not a natural pass catcher. That’s where his tag-team partner Jerious Norwood comes in. Not only is he once of the fastest backs---or players for that matter---in the league, but he can line up wide and hurt you as a receiver as well. Norwood is a home run hitting threat every time he touches the ball, as evidenced by his 5.8 yards-per-carry career average. Durability has always been a concern for the 202-pound playmaker, but bulking up just to satisfy the critics isn’t the answer. Third-year man Jason Snelling is a big, physical back who stays low when running into traffic. Much like Turner, this downhill runner also runs with patience. After an injury plagued rookie campaign, Thomas Brown will compete for carries as well. The 5’8” 200-pound pro has shown the quickness to be a breakaway threat in the past. Fullback Ovie Mughelli is a no-nonsense helmet banger. Getting touches isn’t his game, Mughelli is just a flat-out mauler.

Wide Receivers: The breakout season Roddy White experienced in 2007 (83-1,202-6) was followed up by even better numbers (88-1,382-7) in his first year with “Matty Ice” at the helm. Atlanta’s lead receiver is an incredibly strong athlete who commands the ball, and has the speed to go deep. White has the tendency of being too aggressive sometimes by running downfield before properly tucking the ball away after a catch and letting it drop. The 6’4” Michael Jenkins is a gifted athlete who uses his size to his advantage. He can serve as both a possession receiver, as well as a deep threat. The former Buckeye should work on being more consistently assertive during the course of games. He has the talent to do more than he thus far. Harry Douglas isn’t as big as the aforementioned starters, but he’s a terrific slot man with breakaway speed. The second-year pro specializes in finding and exploiting small openings after the catch. He’s also a weapon on reverses and as a punt returner. Brian Finneran is a 6’5” grizzled veteran that runs precise routes. Eric Weems and Troy Bergeron will both compete for a roster spot. They have to show they’re wares on special teams in order to do so. Undrafted rookie Aaron Kelly has caught the attention of coaches in the off-season by flashing his agility, elusiveness, and leaping ability. The youngster can stand to add some bulk to his lanky frame.

Tight Ends: In addition to providing Ryan with a reliable security blanket, Tony Gonzalez should also create more room for Atlanta’s receivers. The 33-year-old’s ability to effortlessly catch the ball and turn upfield for yardage will keep many a defensive coordinator up late at night trying to figure out which weapon to focus on. The longtime Chief can both outmaneuver and overpower defenders in his pass routes. Justin Peele and Ben Hartsock are both blocking tight ends, but Peele is the better pass catcher of the two.

Offensive Line: Head coach Mike Smith and offensive line coach Paul Boudreau get high marks for transforming an underwhelming , cut-blocking offensive line into a tough, hard-nosed group that knocks people off the ball. Left tackle Sam Baker got by with his outstanding technique and unrelenting effort when he was healthy enough to play despite his short arms and ordinary athleticism. Left guard Justin Blalock is an overpowering run blocker who’s prone to losing his leverage in pass protection. Center Todd McClure is a steady presence that gives the front five a shot of nastiness. The 32-year-old veteran has started 112 consecutive games. Much like McClure right guard Harvey Dahl is a tough-as-nails lineman who looks to bury his opponents. The Nevada native is a high energy component that brings it on every down. Right tackle Tyson Clabo has a massive upper body that he uses to redirect defenders. Quinn Ojinnaka is probably the team’s most talented lineman off the bench. His athleticism and anticipatory blocking skills make him a true asset. Alex Stepanovich and Ben Wilkerson are mobile enough to be decent fill-ins, but will probably be exposed if put in the starting lineup for any extended period. Brett Romberg has starting experience at center. Will Svitek is a bumbling and uncoordinated player who’s a liability against any defensive end with a modicum of speed. Rookie Garret Reynolds doesn’t look to be agile enough to stay with oncoming penetrators and certainly doesn’t have the speed to get to the second level.

DEFENSE

Defensive Line: Rumblings about John Abraham seeking a new contract even though he still has three years left on his current six-year, $45 million deal is a quite comical due to the fact the former Jet is injury-prone to the point where he’s liable to pull a hammy by reaching for his box of Corn Flakes in the morning. Jokes aside, Abraham is a premiere pass rusher, who’s coming off a stellar 2008 campaign in which he registered 16.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. The coaching staff has done an excellent job of preserving the 31-year-old by limiting his plays and making him more of a rotational guy. The powerfully-built Abraham is a handful for any tackle to contain when he gets low around the edge in hot pursuit of the quarterback. He also defends the run better than he did in New York. The disappointing Jamaal Anderson has yet to exhibit the pass-rushing skills which made him a first round pick out of Arkansas two years ago. He does do a decent job in defending the run by maintaining his leverage. In fact, the young lineman will often be shifted inside during passing situations. Peria Jerry, a 25-year-old rookie, will start at the nose tackle position in Atlanta’s 4-3 setup. The explosive defender uses his quickness to penetrate and wreak havoc in the opposition’s backfield. He may not be big enough to consistently hold up versus double-teams and comes with some injury concerns, but he has more than adequate upper-body strength to slide off blocks and drop ball-carriers for a loss. The smaller, disruptive Justin Babineaux will line up at the under tackle position, where he looks to continue being a quick, agitating presence who shoots the gaps. Fourth-round pick Lawrence Sidbury Jr. has been a terror in practice by constantly being around the ball and displaying magnificent technique as a tackler. If the youngster can fill out a bit more, he can develop into a menacing pass rusher with a pair of long arms and quick hands. Look for him to definitely get some playing time this year. Chauncey Davis is a situational end that can bring the heat. Injury-plagued defensive tackle Trey Lewis hasn’t been able to stay on the field since a terrific rookie year two seasons ago. The 320-pound colossus has a pair of strong hands he uses to fend off blockers. Kroy Bierman is an undersized end, who showed signs of being a playmaker during exhibition play last season. Jason Jefferson and rookie Vance Walker are at the bottom of the defensive tackle depth chart. Jefferson has yet to make an impact since being picked on waivers from Buffalo, while Walker is a relentless competitor, but has yet to prove he’s quick enough to beat blockers one-on-one and is also questionable against double-teams. His college stats may have been inflated by Georgia’s propensity to stunt and blitz early and often.

Linebackers: Middle linebacker Curtis Lofton was a quick study as a rookie by posting 94 tackles and bringing some much-needed grit to the Falcons defense. The training wheels come off the tenacious defender this year, as he’s already been promoted to serve as a three-down player. The 6’0” run specialist combines tremendous strength and instincts in bringing down the competition. He’ll be flanked by Mike Peterson and Stephen Nicholas on the outside. This duo will try to fill the void left by Keith Brooking and Michael Boley, who are both members of the Cowboys and Giants respectively. Peterson, who played under coach Smith during his days in Jacksonville, will man the strong side and operate primarily as a run stopper. Nicholas is a high-effort athlete that has the speed to provide sound pass coverage. Converted safety Coy Wire provides insurance as a hard-hitting run stuffer, who’s aggressive, but doesn’t bring much in terms of agility and has been known to miss a tackle or two. Georgia native Tony Gilbert is a solid reserve that earns his keep on special teams. Elvis Dumervil clone Spencer Adkins is a rookie developmental project. The 5’11” defensive end/linebacker hybrid has a lightening-fast first step as an edge rusher, but has failed to perform at the level of his athleticism as a Miami Hurricane. He’ll have to show better awareness and fundamentals if he hopes to be contributor---and that all starts on special teams.

Secondary: There’s a lot of youth and potential in this defensive backfield, starting with cornerback Chris Houston. The 175-pound lightweight has made strides as a cover specialist over the past two years, although he’ll still get burned on occasion. Houston can fluidly change directions in one-on-one coverage. Former LSU man Chevis Jackson isn’t the fastest corner out there, but he’s very instinctive, which is probably a direct result of his ability to accurately read what’s happening before him. Jackson is also effective in the tackling department. Third-round pick Christopher Owens was a very productive corner at St. Jose State and has the speed, burst, and aggressiveness to grow into a playmaker. The NFL Draft Bible favorite will most likely start off as a nickel back. Brent Grimes is a hard-working corner with major hops. Von Hutchins is coming off a foot injury, which caused him to miss the entire 2008 season. The versatile corner/safety is a heady pro with instincts and speed. The departure of 35-year-old Lawyer Milloy has opened the door for second-year pro Thomas DeCoud to step in and claim the strong safety job. The Cal product is a rangy athlete can lower the boom, as well as wrap up his opponents in the open field. DeCoud will be betrayed at times by his own over-aggressiveness. He’ll be challenged by rookie William Moore. The highly-skilled safety is the better cover man that’s capable of reading the quarterback’s eyes. He’s flexible and has good straight-line speed, but isn’t known to be a bone-jarring, physical headhunter. Free safety Erik Coleman is a multi-dimensional defensive back with an effortless backpedal and the ability to support the run. The underrated defender is coming off a productive year in which he recorded three interceptions, posted 95 tackles, forced two fumbles, and came up with six pas deflections. Another rookie trying to make a name for himself is William Middleton of Furman. The small-school sleeper isn’t your typical jock. He has a degree in biology and has plans to pursue a medical degree, in addition to being a team captain in college. Middleton possesses 4.6-speed and can line up in the slot or on the outside. He’s versatile enough to provide press coverage or play in the Cover-2 scheme. And if that weren’t enough, he also has experience returning kicks. Jamaal Fudge is an undersized special-teams dynamo.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Jason Elam is walking fossil at 39-years-old, but he can still kick field goals. He may no longer have 50-yard-plus range, but he’ll hit just about anything else below that. He only missed two field-goal tries in 2008, and figures to have plenty of opportunities to score in triple digits behind a prolific attack. Michael Koenen’s 40.7 punting average was pretty mediocre, but what the stat sheet doesn’t tell you is that he typically gets a lot of air under the deliveries, giving his special teams unit ample time to defend the ensuing return. Jerious Norwood and Harry Douglas will once again join forces as the team’s game-breaking kickoff and punt-return dynamic duo.

PROJECTION

A multitude of weapons on offense protected by a hard-charging and rugged offensive line will not only put up points, but keep its defense from spending too much time on the field. The Falcons have a solid young core of talent that can turn last year’s Wildcard contender into to a powerhouse division champion. Last year’s poor defense has undergone drastic changes, and will hold the keys to Atlanta’s success in the postseason. As far as the regular season goes, the Dirty Birds have what it takes to give New Orleans a run for its money for the NFC South crown. The first three games (two at home versus Miami and Carolina, and the other at New England) look to be very challenging, but the slate becomes very reasonable afterwards. A 10-6 season awaits Mike Smith and company.