The Atlanta Falcons could end up owning one of the most explosive offenses in football this coming season.

They have Matt Ryan under center. They have a receiving corps featuring Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Mohamed Sanu. They have a really good tight end in Austin Hooper. They have a solid offensive line.

The biggest question for the Falcons' offense, however, is their running game.

Devonta Freeman played in just two games this past season as a result of knee and groin injuries, the latter of which required surgery. Tevin Coleman stepped in for Freeman and was impressive, but he signed with the San Francisco 49ers via free agency.

That puts a whole lot of pressure for Freeman to remain healthy and produce in 2019, as Ito Smith is Atlanta's No. 2 back and is very unproven.

Obviously, Freeman is an integral piece of the Falcons' offense when he is right, so Atlanta needs to ensure that he is full speed ahead and good to go without the risk of re-injury.

The good news is that Freeman has been a part of Atlanta's offense for so long that he has a ton of familiarity with the system and shouldn't need much time to get back on track as far as understanding the playbook. That's not the issue.

The question is whether or not Freeman can still do this physically, as he was even showing signs of declining in 2017, one year before the injuries really started to hit.

Make no mistake: the running game will open up the Falcons' passing game, and if Atlanta is unable to establish a consistent ground attack, its aerial attack will suffer as a result.

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So, not only is it important for the Falcons to make sure Freeman is right, but it's also imperative for them to help Smith build some confidence.

Smith was a monster at Southern Mississippi, but in his rookie campaign with Atlanta in 2018, he struggled, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. He is incredibly talented, so it might just be a matter of getting that emotional boost from the coaching staff and his teammates.

If Freeman and Smith can comprise even just a solid duo in the backfield, the Falcons might end up being a similar version of the 2018 Los Angeles Rams.

This offense is absolutely loaded with talent, and guys like Ryan, Jones, Sanu, and Freeman all have Super Bowl experience, as the Falcons famously made it all the way to the Super Bowl in February 2017 before blowing a 28-3 lead against the New England Patriots.

But, if Freeman is not able to re-establish himself or if Smith continues to labor, Atlanta's offense is not going to reach its full potential.

There is a reason why I like the Falcons to make the playoffs this coming season and even think they are legitimate threats in the NFC. This is a football team with a very high ceiling, but it's going to require everything hitting on all cylinders for Atlanta to reach it.

A big part of that is making sure Freeman is good to go.