The season is over and it’s time for those pesky final grades. While the Atlanta Falcons did not return to the playoffs, they did manage to finish with a 9-7 record, post back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history and break that 44-year curse.

Just like we have all season, we are going to give a final grade to all of Atlanta’s offensive and defensive units. However, because there is a tangible difference in how the wideouts and tight ends fared, in the interest of fairness, we will separate those two groups and grade them separately.

Without further adieu, let’s see who finishes at the top of the class, who the average students are and if there are any folks being left back this year.

Quarterbacks: The Falcons quarterbacks finished right around the middle of the pack with an average of 223.2 passing yards per game, 22.7 points per game and a 58.2% completion percentage. The reigns were taken off a bit from Matt Ryan and Matty Ice made some of those typical “rookie” mistakes that he largely avoided last season. Some fans questioned the QB’s makeup, calling him “Matty Choke” and honestly, the criticism may be somewhat justified, as Ryan’s numbers were slightly below average. The second-year star completed 263 of 451 passes for 2,916 yards, 22 TD and 14 INTs. His passing rating of 80.9 was 20th amongst the league’s 32 QBs. The final grade is obvious. Grade: C-

Running Backs: Decimated by injuries and faced with a tougher schedule, the high-powered Atlanta running attack suffered in the 2009 campaign, finishing 15th in the league with 1,876 yards. Despite missing five (and most of a sixth game) with a recurring high right ankle sprain, Michael Turner lead all Atlanta running backs and finished 19th in the NFL with 871 rushing yards. His average of 72.9 rushing yards per game was 10th in the NFL. Jason Snelling was a nice surprise, filling in for Turner and Jerious Norwood, finishing with 613 yards. Norwood was a non-factor for most of the year, a true disappointment for Falcons fans. Grade: C+

Tight Ends: Atlanta got exactly what it expected from Tony Gonzalez: an elite perennial Pro Bowl tight end who has a knack for catching the football and getting to the end zone. And Gonzalez didn’t disappoint Falcons fans. The future Hall of Fame lock caught 83 passes in 2009 for 867 yards and hauled down six touchdowns. You have to go pretty far down the list to find another Falcons tight end who did much of anything this season; however, when you have one of the best ever to play the game at his position, you ride him as much as you can. Grade: A-

In his first year in Atlanta, Tony Gonzalez came as advertised: a reliable receiver who gets in the end zone.

Wide Receivers: These guys were terrible. Granted, Roddy White showed flashes of brilliance, but you’d think he’d finish better than 12th in the league with 1,153 passing yards. And in his defense, he did post a team-best 11 TD. However, it is White alone who helps the unit avoid the dreaded “F” grade. Michael Jenkins was a non-factor, coming down with the ball just 50 times for 635 yards and finding the end zone just once this season. You have to dig down so deep to find the next Atlanta receiver on the list that you’d more likely unearth Jimmy Hoffa’s body underneath Giants Stadium when the football yard meets the wrecking ball in a few months before finding an Atlanta wideout with receiving numbers that barely make it into the triple digits. Grade: D

Offensive Line: The O-line did a very good job of protecting both Ryan and backup Chris Redman, as the duo was sacked just 27 times this season, eighth fewest in the league. They did what they could to open up holes for a rushing attack that was missing its two most potent weapons for a good balance of the season. What was looked at as one of Atlanta’s most glaring weaknesses one year ago has turned into one of its biggest assets going into 2010. Grade: B+

-- PHIL FOLEY