This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/nfl by /u/JeffMurdock_ on 2026-03-03 20:54:07+00:00.
Overview
Team: Atlanta Falcons
Division: NFC South (3rd, 3-3).
Record: 8-9. Eighth consecutive losing season and eighth consecutive season missing the playoffs
Points For: 353 (20.8/g) 24th of 32
Points Against: 401 (23.6/g) 19th of 32
Quick History
Since the Atlanta Falcons last won a playoff game:
- Patrick Mahomes took over as starter, won two MVPs and three Super Bowl rings and cemented a dynasty.
- Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen were drafted, developed, won MVPs and endured several playoff heartbreaks.
- Seattle dismantled one legendary defence, shipped out their QB for a haul and fired their legendary coach. His replacement built another monster defence and won their second Super Bowl.
- Denver got into draft and cap hell by hitching their wagon to Mr. Unlimited, and then got out of it to secure the top seed.
- The Falcons have gone through Dan Quinn, Raheem Morris (interim), Arthur Smith, and Raheem Morris (again). They’ve all been fired.
- The QB carousel has violently spun from Matt Ryan to Marcus Mariota to Desmond Ridder to Taylor Heinicke to Kirk Cousins to Michael Penix Jr., and somehow back to Kirk Cousins.
It’s been a while, man.
2024 Offseason and 2025 Preseason
Raheem Morris entered year two trying to justify his hiring over Bill Belichick, while GM Terry Fontenot was officially on the hot seat. The big storyline was the transition of power. After ending 2024 with Michael Penix Jr. under center, the Falcons fully committed to the kid. This meant Kirk Cousins and his $180 million contract became the most expensive clipboard holder in NFL history.
Raheem’s coaching staff had a major shake-up on the defensive side of the ball, with the hire of Jeff Ulbrich as Defensive Coordinator. Fresh off a stint as the New York Jets’ interim head coach - where he had navigated the wreckage of the Robert Saleh firing -Ulbrich was no stranger to Flowery Branch; he had been the Falcons’ linebackers coach from 2015–2019 and even served as the interim DC under Morris during the 2020 season. His 2025 hiring was a clear signal: the Falcons were moving away from the “bend-but-don’t-break” passivity of the Jimmy Lake era and toward a more aggressive, front-four-heavy attack.
Key Free Agency Deals:
Divine Deablo, LB: Signed to a two-year, $14 million deal to add some desperately needed speed to the second level of the defense.
Leonard Floyd, EDGE: Brought in on a one-year, $10 million deal to be the veteran mentor in a very young pass-rush room.
Grady Jarrett, DT: Released. A brutal cap casualty. The franchise legend signed a three-year, $43.5 million deal with the Bears, leaving a massive leadership void in the middle of the defense.
Drew Dalman, C: Departed in free agency for a massive payday with the Bears.
Nate Landman, LB: Everyone’s favourite tackle machine left for the Los Angeles Rams.
2025 DRAFT:
The Falcons went into the draft missing their 3rd (traded for a year of Matthew Judon rental), 5th (because Kirko couldn’t keep his trap shut) and 6th (traded for Van Jefferson). They had an extra 7th rounder (from Chargers for Taylor Heinecke).
Round 1, Pick 15: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia: Fontenot finally tried to fix the anemic pass rush and threw a bone to the very vocal section of the fanbase that have brain damage and support u(sic)GA. Walker was a no-brainer pick; most mocks had him going in the top 10. He brought natural athleticism and versatility, playing both off-ball and on the edge.
Round 1, Pick 26: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee: There’s a theme here. The Falcons front brass saw the QB hole in the roster in 2024 and decided to over-compensate and went all in. In 2025, they did this with the pass rush. Fontenot got aggressive and traded their second rounder, their 2026 first rounder and change to the Rams to move back into the first round. Pearce had elite speed and traits, and it looks like the Falcons might have taken him with their original pick had Walker not dropped. He also came in with several question marks on his character, but the HC and GM assured us that they’d spoken to the player’s mom who totally sold them on her son.
Round 3, Pick 96: Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame: A very instinctual player who had 13 interceptions in college. Subpar athletic testing caused him to slide to day 2 and the Falcons arrested his slide, moving up 5 spots to draft him.
Round 4, Pick 118: Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma: Another safety to help the secondary. Bowman tested decently and showed off versatility with the ability to play single-high, in the slot or event in the box. He had 11 interceptions in college to boot and three pick-sixes in the 2024 season. Knocks on him include his size and poor tackling technique.
Round 7, Pick 218: Jack Nelson, OT, Wisconsin: A 6-foot-7 swing tackle to provide depth behind Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary.
The Falcons graded towards the middle or below in most grading exercises done post-draft. They got some solid players, but everyone questioned the value they’d used to get them. All of the draft picks made the final roster, and the first three provided immediate value to the team. Pearce and Watts got first place votes for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Notable UDFAs signed by the team included Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas and Nick Nash, WR, San Jose State.
Preseason:
Week 1 Lost to the Detroit Lions 10–17
Week 2 Lost to the Tennessee Titans 20-23
Week 3 Lost at the Dallas Cowboys 13–31
2025 Regular Season
Regular Season:
Week 1: vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Penix threw for 298 yards in his official debut as the unquestioned starter. The defense came out firing, forcing back-to-back three-and-outs. Bijan Robinson took a short pass 50 yards to the house on the opening drive. Down by three late, Younghoe Koo missed a 44-yard field goal to force overtime. This would be his last kick with the team.
Falcons lose 20-23
Week 2: at Minnesota Vikings (Sunday Night Football)
Under the prime-time lights, the defense absolutely smothered JJ McCarthy and the Vikings. Penix got his first win of the year in a surprisingly comfortable game.
Falcons win 22-6
Week 3: at Carolina Panthers
A complete and utter bed-shitting. The offense failed to cross the goal line or even kick a field goal against a division rival. Just disgusting football.
Falcons lose 0-30
Week 4: vs Washington Commanders
A shootout that finally saw the offense click. Penix and company moved the ball at will and held off a late Washington surge led by former Falcon Marcus Mariota.
Falcons win 34-27
Week 6: vs Buffalo Bills (Monday Night Football)
Coming off the bye, the dirty birds pulled off a massive upset against Josh Allen. The defense held firm, and the offense did just enough to secure a statement win. Bijan did Bijan things and broke off an 81 yard TD run.
Falcons win 24-14
Week 7: at San Francisco 49ers (Sunday Night Football)
A brutal reality check. The Niners bullied the Falcons in the trenches, and Christian McCaffrey handily won the battle of the running backs. Bijan and the Falcons offense could only muster 10 points.
Falcons lose 10-20
Week 8: vs Miami Dolphins
Penix sat out with a bone bruise in his knee, forcing the Falcons to dust off Kirk Cousins. Without Drake London available, Cousins managed a measly 111 passing yards while the Dolphins ran up the score in a blowout.
Falcons lose 10-34
Week 9: at New England Patriots
The Falcons fought hard, turned over the MVP runner up twice and tried to mount a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, but fell short by a missed extra point in a game they really should have won. They have now lost eight straight to the Patriots and haven’t won in Foxborough since 1998.
Falcons lose 23-24
Week 10: at Indianapolis Colts (NFL International Game in Berlin, Germany)
The Falcons flew across the pond to play in a chilly Berlin. In another battle of great running backs, Jonathan Taylor stole the show, running all over a crumbling run defense for 244 yards and three scores. The game went into overtime, with Taylor fittingly scoring the decisive touchdown.
Falcons lose 25-31
Week 11: vs Carolina Panthers
The absolute worst-case scenario. Not only did the Falcons drop an overtime game to the Panthers, but Michael Penix Jr. went down with a partially torn left ACL - his fifth season-ending injury dating back to college.
Falcons lose 27-30
Week 12: at New Orleans Saints
With Penix done for the year and the season in tatters, Kirk Cousins reclaimed the starting job. The team rallied around the veteran in the Superdome, leaning on the run game and defense for a rare comfortable win at the home of their bitter rivals.
Falcons win 24-10
Week 13: at New York Jets
Kirko played reasonably, but a very old nemesis killed the Falcons defense yet again: a quarterback that can move even a little bit. Nick Folk atoned for his first miss of the season by kicking a 56 yarder as time expired to win the game for the Jets.
Falcons lose 24-27
Week 14: vs Seattle Seahawks
The Falcons kept the eventua…
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