You might expect Roddy White or Julio Jones to be at the top of all wide receiver categories for the Falcons, but what you might not expect is the Falcons’ third wide receiver trumping the two stars in a big category.

According to ESPN.com NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas, Harry Douglas had the hottest hands not only for the Falcons but for the entire division.

ESPN’s catch percentage stats for the NFC South have been tallied. How they come to the final number is by dividing total receptions by receptions plus passes dropped. I don’t math, so this is all very foreign to me. Just take Yasinskas’ word for it.

Anyway, Douglas’ catch percentage tops the division at 97.4. He made 38 catches in 2012 with one drop while being targeted 56 times.

No slouches in this department, White and Jones are right at the top of the division list in the category — White at 96.8 and Jones at 90.8. White, it’s important to point out, was also targeted more than two times more than Douglas, so there’s a higher chance of drops. Still, impressive numbers for all three Falcons wideouts.

The Falcons are NFC South champions, which ensures they’ll have one of the top four seeds in the NFC playoffs and host at least one game at the Georgia Dome in the postseason.

But they’re interested in earning much more before the regular season is out. The Falcons are in prime position to earn the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC, which would guarantee home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

ESPN.com NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas revealed the Falcons’ No. 1 seed clinching scenarios Monday, and it looks like the Falcons are going to need some help if they’re going to earn the top spot this week.

Here’s what Yasinskas wrote:

“According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Falcons can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs if they win at Carolina on Sunday and get some help. Along with a victory against the Panthers, the Falcons need San Francisco to lose, Green Bay to lose or tie, the New York Giants to lose or tie and Chicago to lose or tie.”

Notice the word “and” in there. Four of the top teams in the NFC need to lose or tie this weekend for the Falcons to earn the top spot in this scenario.

For reference, the 49ers host the Dolphins at 4:05 p.m. Sunday, the Packers host the Lions on Sunday Night Football, the Giants host the Saints on at 4:25 p.m. Sunday (but also play the Redskins tonight on Monday Night Football) and Chicago plays at Minnesota at 1 p.m. Sunday.

These scenarios are for the Falcons to clinch a first-round bye this weekend:

• An Atlanta win, plus a San Francisco loss, plus a Green Bay loss or tie, plus a loss or tie by the Giants.
• An Atlanta win, plus a San Francisco loss, plus a Green Bay loss or tie, plus a Chicago loss or tie.
• An Atlanta win, plus a San Francisco loss, plus a loss or tie by the Giants, plus a Chicago loss or tie.
• An Atlanta win, plus a Green Bay loss or tie, plus a loss or tie by the Giants, plus a Chicago loss or tie.
• An Atlanta tie, plus a loss by Green Bay, plus a loss by the Giants, plus a loss by Chicago.

Yep, it’ll be pretty confusing from here on out. But rest assured that we’ll let you know when/if the Falcons clinch the top seed in the NFC.

A couple of news outlets came out with their midseason reports this week and the Falcons are well represented.

Sports Illustrated’s Peter King has quarterback Matt Ryan and tight end Tony Gonzalez on his midseason All-Pro team, and he handed out his midseason MVP to Ryan and named head coach Mike Smith his midseason coach of the year.

ESPN’s John Clayton had Ryan as his All-Pro team quarterback.

Pat Yasinskas, of ESPN.com’s NFC South blog, has an All-NFC South team that’s riddled with Falcons. Yasinskas put 13 Falcons on his midseason team from the division and gave the Falcons plenty of love along the way.

On NFL.com’s midseason All-Pro team, linebacker Sean Weatherspoon earns a spot, while Ryan got snubbed for Peyton Manning.

NFL.com also ranked the Falcons as the fifth best team in the race for the Super Bowl title, ranking the Bears — who pretty much have the same strength of schedule as the Falcons and have one loss — as the Lombardi favorite. Hmmm…

Huge shoutout to ESPN.com NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas on digging this stat up. Pretty amazing. I’m definitely not conflicted about what I want to have happen Sunday, but the obscure stat is eye-popping.

Here’s what Yasinskas found out:

“The Falcons are 7-0 and the NFL’s only unbeaten team. But there have been three occasions since 1991 when the Cowboys faced an undefeated opponent fairly late in the season. Each time, the Cowboys won.

But here’s the kicker: Each time the opponent that got knocked from the unbeaten ranks went on to win the Super Bowl.”

After an abysmal season in 2007, Ryan was drafted and brought a new sense of hope to the franchise, leading the Falcons to the playoffs in his rookie season. He’s, in fact, led the Falcons to the postseason in three of his four season — the one season it didn’t happen was when Ryan was sidelined with an injury.

But the fact remains — in playoff games, Ryan is 0-3.

Still, based on the success Ryan has experienced in his career thus far, there’s little reason to believe there would be anything but total confidence from the front office in the young signal-caller. Owner & chairman Arthur Blank just happened to back that up last week.

Speaking to NFC South blogger for ESPN.com, Pat Yasinskas, Blank called Ryan a great team leader and someone who has grown as a person and as a quarterback in his four years in Atlanta. Blank points out, however, that in order to reach that elite level as a quarterback, Ryan has to start winning playoff games.

That’s something Ryan is well aware of, and something he does not take lightly. Ryan told me last month that, “… You need to be playing your very best football in January and we haven’t done that. I think that’s, for me, the most motivating thing heading into next season.”

But while goals are still hanging out there, yet to be reached, there’s no sign or signal that anything will be changing as Ryan continues his development and strives to reach that elite level.

“I think the worst thing you can see in a leader whether it’s on a football team or in business, is to see someone say ‘I’ve gotten as much as I can get and I’ll just keep performing that way.’ But you have an opportunity to grow throughout life, professionally as well as personally. I think he has that mentality,” Blank told Yasinskas. “It’s not just words with him. He really believes that. We’re fortunate to have him as our franchise quarterback and look forward to a long relationship with him.”

ESPN.com NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas writes more draft gold today, focusing on the past players drafted at the slots of each of the NFC South teams.

The Falcons, in the No. 27 spot, have a solid chance of drafting a high caliber player if history is any indication.

Don’t want to steal any of Pat Y’s thunder, so click here if you want to see his list and analysis.

One thing I will say is that Pat brings up the idea of the Falcons taking a wide receiver with the No. 27 pick if they like the value. I have to tell you, I’m starting to really get on board with that idea.

I know I’ve written about defensive ends to death since the offseason began, but wide receiver would be a very likely option in the first round if there’s one available the Falcons think would be worth taking at No. 27. I actually can see this being so much of an option that the Falcons could even trade back if there’s nothing they like at 27 and know they can get better value in the second.

If Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith is there, I can see him easily being the choice. If he’s not, I could see receivers like Troy’s Jerrel Jernigan, Boise State’s Titus Young, Miami’s Leonard Hankerson or Kentucky’s Randall Cobb being the pick if the Falcons trade away No. 27 and get into the early part of the second round.

I wrote before about how it generally takes three seasons before a wide receiver really starts to reach his potential, so I think Falcons fans have to be patient with whoever comes in, if the Falcons go that direction in the draft. But, as Yasinskas notes, head coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff have been talking about a need to get more explosive, and taking a wide receiver who can take some pressure off Roddy White would certainly push the offense in that direction.

You know the drill. Vote below.

Now That We’re Closer To The Draft, What Are Your Thoughts On Taking A Wide Receiver Early?Market Research

Our good friend Pat Yasinskas over at ESPN.com’s NFC South blog is always providing and digging around for insightful information about the division, and he comes up with a pretty good gem today.

He detailed a five-year study of NFL drafts and how all 32 teams did during that window of time when it came to picking the right players.

The NFC South, Yasinskas writes, did pretty good for itself. The Saints rank No. 2 in the study in the past five years. The Falcons were right behind at No. 5. The Bucs came in at No. 10 and Carolina rounded out the division at No. 24, although Yasinskas points out the Panthers’ ranking might be a bit too heavily influenced by last year’s 2-14 season.

The study calls quarterback Matt Ryan the best pick of the past five years for the Falcons. No surprise there.

Of 42 picks in the past five years, 26 are still on the roster. Nine of those players are starters, putting the Falcons right near the top in that category.

Thoughts below. Pick a choice. Press “vote.” Easy as pie.

What Grade Would You Give The Falcons’ Drafts For The Past Five Years?Market Research

ESPN.com is coming out with power rankings for just about everything these days. I expect the power rankings for all-time greatest TV dad to be out within days (here’s my suggestion for No. 1).

Anyway, ESPN.com released its NFL head coach power rankings today, and Falcons head coach Mike Smith makes the top 10 at No. 9, behind a slew of great NFL coaches.

You can view ESPN’s list of top head coaches here. Four of the eight panelists here didn’t rank Smitty in the top 10 at all. Of the other four, NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas rated him the highest, at No. 6.

Personally, I think the top four are solid. Things get a little murky after that, for me. Should Tom Coughlin really be as high as No. 6? What about Sean Payton at No. 5? Rex Ryan right behind them?

Makes me wonder what the criteria was. What’s interesting is ESPN.com NFC West blogger Mike Sando’s comments about how he picked “coaches that walked into tough situations, won relatively quickly and then sustained the improvement over more than one season,” yet he didn’t rank Smith, who arguably walked into one of the most difficult situations a coach possibly could and saw immediate success.

What’s your take? Let us know below.

What Do You Think Of ESPN.com’s Rankings?Market Research

It started with mock drafts and now it’s moved to blog posts with facts to back it up: It seems the Falcons are looking for help at wide receiver.

More than one mock draft has the Falcons going with a wideout with the No. 27 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, but friend of the site and ESPN.com NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas reports the Falcons held a private workout with East Carolina wide receiver Dwayne Harris. The Falcons will also have “at least one representative to Cincinnati’s pro day to see receiver Vidal Hazelton,” Yasinskas wrote.

It doesn’t surprise me to see this kind of news as general manager Thomas Dimitroff, the scouts and the coaching staff do their due diligence on every position there is to look at.

If the guys at the top decide to take a wideout, I’ll caution fans to temper expectations for what that wide receiver will be able to accomplish in the first three years of his career.

It’s pretty common knowledge around the league that wideouts tend to take a while to develop. There are a few exceptions, of course, but those exceptions are few and far between. Perhaps the only wide receiver in this Draft that could contribute at a high level right away is Georgia’s A.J. Green.

Everyone else could need one, two or even three years to start producing on a consistent level. Even wide receivers like Detroit’s Calvin Johnson needed a year to find his stride. Houston’s Andre Johnson did, too.

Is it possible to hit the jackpot with a wideout who can unexpectedly become a pivotal part of the offense right away? Sure. But, judging by history, it doesn’t seem likely.

What’s your take? Let us know below.

Should the Falcons Draft a Wide Receiver with the No. 27 Pick?online survey