The Atlanta Falcons made the playoffs in four of Matt Ryan's first five seasons and won at least nine games during each of those five years as well. That successful stretch was followed by a three-year absence from the postseason, though, before the team returned to the dance last year and eventually made its way to the Super Bowl.

Atlanta blew a 25-point to the Patriots in that Super Bowl, but the team's owner isn't worried about having that type of losing carry over into 2017. On the contrary, Arthur Blank thinks the Falcons will be right back in the hunt.

"I think we're in a great position," Blank said, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I look forward to this year and many years to come. It's not about a one-trick pony or one-year wonder. It's about creating a sustainably winning organization. And we've done that."

Blank expanded on his idea that what the Falcons are doing is sustainable. "I love our head coach," he said. "I love our general manager. I love our coaches, coordinators and whole personnel department. I love a lot of the talent that we have, all the talent that we have ... "

The Falcons certainly do have a ton of talent. Ryan, Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Taylor Gabriel, Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman and an excellent offensive line powered Atlanta to the seventh highest-scoring offense of all time last season. And with nearly all the principals returning, they should once again be one of the best scoring outfits in the league in 2017.

The defense took a step forward in the playoffs, too, before collapsing at the end of the Super Bowl. Vic Beasley is a rising star and one of the best pass-rushers in the league. Grady Jarrett, Deion Jones, De'Vondre Campbell, Robert Alford, Brian Poole and more showed up in big spots as well. And the Falcons will get No. 1 corner Desmond Trufant back from injury, and incorporate Takkarist McKinley into the mix.

They certainly have a chance to be a sustainable winner, they just have to put everything together on the field and not let last year's loss affect them going forward.