ESPN’s Mike Clay projects 10 wins for Falcons in 2017

ESPN’s Mike Clay projects 10 wins for the Falcons in 2017, along with a number of other statistics throughout the team. Jason Getz jgetz@ajc.com

Credit: Jason Getz

Credit: Jason Getz

ESPN’s Mike Clay projects 10 wins for the Falcons in 2017, along with a number of other statistics throughout the team. Jason Getz jgetz@ajc.com

ESPN’s Mike Clay has been tweeting a series of NFL team projections this week, ranging from their won-loss record to a game-by-game breakdown and individual stats. Earlier this week, he touched on the Falcons.

Clay expects quarterback Matt Ryan’s numbers to dip a bit, with 4,509 yards, 33 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, vs. his 4,944 yards, 38 touchdowns and 7 interceptions during his MVP season in 2016. Still, those numbers would hold up well with his career numbers.

He also anticipates receiver Julio Jones’s numbers ticking up slightly (101 receptions, 1,486 yards) from 2016, and he sees the carries being more evenly divided between Devote Freeman (196 carries, 833 yards) and Tevin Coleman (140 carries, 600 yards), as opposed to 2016, when Freeman had roughly twice the carries and yards as Coleman.

In addition, Clay’s projections for records and seedings have the Falcons winning another NFC South title and starting the postseason as the No. 1 seed.