The Falcons are the fastest-starting team in the NFL, which is a large part of the reason they’re off to a 3-0 start.
Atlanta leads the league with 20 points scored on their first possessions this year, which sets the stage for the fact they haven’t trailed.
“It’s something we’ve done the entire time I’ve been here and we take a lot of pride in it,’’ Falcons coach Mike Smith said, via Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com. “We put a lot of emphasis on first impressions and a fast start is the best impression. First impressions set the tone. You don’t want to ease into it.’’
It’s not a one-year trend, either, as the Falcons lead the league since 2008 with 193 points on their first possession. The Saints (185) are second.
Of course, there’s no indication that’s going to change either. This week’s opponent, the Panthers, have given up an 80-yard touchdown drive to opponents to open the game in all three this year, rolling out the red carpet to a team that doesn’t need an invitation.