We’ve all been bellyaching about the lack of respect afford to the Falcons over the last year, but it feels like the tide is turning heading into the Super Bowl. Outside of the New England media, which is of course going to go for the Patriots, and the usual cast of characters at ESPN, NFL Network, and other outlets.

Lost in that has been all the excellent journalism and analysis penned about these Falcons, who are being recognized for their historic offense and overall

That includes the mothership, SB Nation, where 66% of the experts consulted chose the Falcons to win the Super Bowl. In all, six of SB Nation’s nine experts went for the Falcons, including our own Jeanna Thomas, who is definitely not a biased source in this regard.

Why?

It’s easy to see why they’re a popular choice. Atlanta has crushed its opposition in the postseason so far, outscoring Seattle and Green Bay — two of the league’s hottest teams in their own right — by a combined score of 80-41. Ryan has been a monster in that span, throwing for 730 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions.

Expect to see many more experts following suit, because despite some of the narratives swirling around these two teams, I think everyone realizes this is likely to be an exciting, close game that Atlanta has an excellent chance of winning. We’ll land our predictions a little later in the week, but for now, tell us what you’re thinking.