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The Falcons squandered a 6-1 start last season, and not even being the only team to beat the Panthers in the regular season was enough to keep an 8-8 season from being disappointing.

But owner Arthur Blank definitely sees improvement, and expects it from his team this year.

“Yes, I do — because of the added talent and knowing the existing roster’s players, and them knowing the schemes better,” Blank said when asked if he thought they were a playoff team, via Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I think that will be evidenced on both sides of the ball. So my view is, yes – we will have a better team next year and we definitely should have a competitive team in the playoffs.”

Blank stopped short of suggesting that the season would be a mandate on the futures of General Manager Thomas Dimitroff and Dan Quinn, however.

“I wouldn’t use that word,” he said. “I’m optimistic and hopeful that would be the case, but I wouldn’t say there’s a mandate. The flip side of that answer has connotations to it that I’m not comfortable with.

“We expect to see progression in every way. We expect progression from our coaches and our players, and as a result of progression we expect to see a better result. I feel like the roster is better. I feel like the players on both sides of the ball understand more specifically what coach Quinn wants and they’ll have a better understanding of the concepts and the execution.”

Of course, the Falcons have gone three straight years without a playoff appearance, so there’s pressure there whether the owner acknowledges it or not. But after another aggressive offseason, the Falcons have given themselves a chance to compete, if not catch the Panthers for more than one game.