The Atlanta Falcons ’ 2022 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Thursday.

The season will kick off Thursday, Sept. 8, with the Los Angeles Rams hosting the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium. ESPN opens its schedule with Monday Night Football on Sept. 12 featuring the Denver Broncos at the Seattle Seahawks.

The NFL expanded to 17 regular-season games last season, and the final regular-season games will be played Jan. 8, 2023. The playoffs begin Jan. 14 and continue through Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona.

Here's what's in store for the Falcons:

Schedule

Sept. 11: vs. New Orleans

Sept. 18: at Los Angeles Rams

Sept. 25: at Seattle

Oct. 2: vs. Cleveland

Oct. 9: at Tampa Bay

Oct. 16: vs. San Francisco

Oct. 23: at Cincinnati

Oct. 30: vs. Carolina

Nov. 6: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Nov. 10 at Carolina (TNF)

Nov. 20: vs. Chicago

Nov. 27: vs. Washington

Dec. 4: vs. Pittsburgh

Dec. 11: Bye

Dec. 17/18: at New Orleans

Dec. 24: at Baltimore

Jan. 1: vs. Arizona

Jan. 7/8: vs. Tampa Bay

Strength of schedule: 9th, .524

Biggest takeaway

This schedule was always going to be challenging with both of last year’s Super Bowl participants – the Rams and Bengals. Once Tom Brady returned to Tampa Bay, it meant the Buccaneers were going to still be good too. Falcons coach Arthur Smith showed he can beat teams at or below his team’s level last season, but not many of those games exist on paper this season (two against Carolina, at Seattle, Chicago). Having to face the NFC West is going to be difficult, plus having to face the Chargers in the 17th game crossover. Be ready for a long year.

Revenge game

The Falcons host the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 2. It could mean quarterback Deshaun Watson, who spurned the Falcons’ trade offer, playing in Atlanta. The Texans tried to trade Watson, who is facing 22 civil lawsuits in Houston alleging sexual misconduct and sexual assault, since 2021. He met with the Falcons in March before he chose to play with Cleveland. Going after Watson also gave quarterback Matt Ryan the chance to explore his options, which led to his trade to the Colts. To replace Ryan, Atlanta signed Marcus Mariota and drafted Desmond Ridder. But the Watson pursuit and ensuing trade pushed the Falcons into a transitory period with more than $62 million in dead cap.

Is it revenge? No. But a game with deep storylines for how the Falcons reached this point, as well as the present and future of the franchise? Absolutely.

What Vegas thinks

Oddsmakers aren’t high on the Falcons – the over/under on win total is 5.5 – and that’s with good reason, based on the roster as currently constructed. Atlanta could surprise a bit, particularly in the front seven on defense, but inevitably falls just under the over/under mark at five wins this season.

Bold prediction

Smith will once again show he can get the most out of a roster – but the Falcons will struggle against this schedule. Ridder starts multiple games this season and Atlanta ends up with a top-5 pick in the 2023 NFL draft.