The Falcons’ 35-14 win over the Packers on Thursday night was the kind of performance that can change the tone of a season in a hurry. Michael Penix Jr. made his successful return to the starting lineup, Bijan Robinson rolled for 194 yards and two touchdowns, and Atlanta finally looked like the team it expected to be after two rough weeks.
But the clearest sign that things had turned came up front.
For a decision that drew plenty of debate this offseason, the Falcons’ choice to move on from offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford and hire Bill Callahan suddenly looked a lot smarter. Atlanta’s line, which had been a problem through the first two games, held up against Green Bay in a way it simply hadn’t before. According to Pro Football Focus, Penix was pressured on just four of his dropbacks.
That was the difference. Penix was able to operate cleanly, and the Falcons’ offense settled in behind him.
He completed 17 of 21 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown from a clean pocket, while also posting an average time to throw of 2.19 seconds. He did throw an early interception, but he bounced back and helped Atlanta get rolling.
The ground game followed the same script. The Falcons piled up 244 rushing yards, with Penix’s comfort level helping loosen the defense and create space for Robinson and Brian Robinson to keep the pressure on Green Bay. The offensive line didn’t get the headlines, but it drove the night.
That matters because the Callahan hire was not an obvious one when the Falcons made the change after parting ways with Ledford. Ledford had earned real respect in Atlanta.
He helped the Falcons finish in the top 10 in rushing yards in four straight seasons from 2022 through 2025 and played a key role in developing players such as Drew Dalman, Matthew Bergeron and Kaleb McGary. The team even kept him after firing Arthur Smith following the 2023 season.
This time, though, Kevin Stefanski went in a different direction. He turned to Callahan, someone he knew from his time with the Cleveland Browns from 2020 until Callahan left in 2024 to join his son Brian’s staff with the Tennessee Titans. Stefanski made no secret of how highly he viewed him, calling him “the best offensive line coach I’ve ever been around.”
The first two weeks did little to back that up. Cooper Rush was pressured on 12 of his 46 dropbacks, and that 26 percent pressure rate stood out even more because Rush got the ball out fast, with an average time to throw of 2.50 seconds.
Against the Packers, though, everything clicked.
Penix’s presence mattered, but the line did its part too. The Falcons were able to protect their quarterback and keep the run game humming, which is exactly the kind of balance Callahan was brought in to deliver. That kind of performance could carry even more weight going forward, especially with Penix coming off his third torn ACL.
There was also a question at right tackle after McGary retired and Storm Norton continued working back from the severe ankle injury he suffered during last year’s training camp. Jawaan Taylor answered with a strong showing, allowing one pressure on his 26 pass-blocking snaps.
For one night, at least, the Falcons had all systems go. And the offensive line - the part of the roster that was supposed to be the gamble - ended up validating the move.
In Other News...
A.J. Terrell Injury Triggered A Falcons Move With Unexpected Fallout
A.J. Terrells groin injury forced the Falcons to make a quick roster adjustment, and the ripple effect reached well beyond Atlanta. With Terrell moved to injured reserve, the Falcons added cornerback Robert Longerbeam from the Eagles practice squad, a straightforward solution for a team trying to keep the secondary stocked while one of its top defenders recovers.
Kenny Moore II ended up being the unexpected beneficiary on the other side of the transaction, landing with Philadelphia on a one-year practice squad deal after Longerbeams departure opened a spot. For Atlanta, the move is about surviving the short term without Terrell, but it also shows how one injury can set off a chain of personnel decisions that affects more than one team and may still shape the Eagles cornerback depth from here. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Road Trip Took An Unusual Turn After Lambeau Game
The Falcons trip to Lambeau Field ended up carrying a strange off-field wrinkle after Green Bays Week 3 win, when Ronika Stone said her camera and a luxury handbag went missing following the game. Stone, the wife of Packers quarterback Jordan Love, said the items had been left in a clear bag that was later found by security, but the two valuables were gone.
Stone has since asked the public to keep an eye out for her Sony camera and said she is hoping the belongings make their way back to her. It is the kind of postgame story nobody in Atlanta expected to follow a road trip, but it has quickly become one more odd note from a weekend that already ended with the Falcons leaving Wisconsin without a win. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Fans Should Start Watching This QB Search Now
The Falcons have already spent plenty of time chasing a long-term answer at quarterback, and the next wave of possibilities is starting to take shape on the college schedule. The 2027 NFL Draft class is being discussed as a deep one at the position, which means Atlanta fans have reason to keep an eye on more than just the usual Sunday headlines. This is the kind of evaluation season where future franchise decisions begin in September, not in April.
Arch Mannings Texas-Tennessee matchup is one of the first stops, while Dante Moore against Jayden Maiava in Oregon-USC gives scouts another chance to compare top arms in a high-profile setting. Trinidad Chambliss and Ole Miss facing Florida adds another name to the mix, and for a team still hunting for stability under center, these games matter because they help shape how the quarterback board looks long before the draft board is final. [Read more 🡒]