The Falcons didn’t just stumble through the preseason - they came out of it looking like a team still searching for answers.
Atlanta handled the Indianapolis Colts’ defense, survived the Miami Dolphins’ backups and then ran into the one real test on the schedule. That ended in a 27-7 loss to the Denver Broncos, a team that may be the favorite in the AFC. For a roster trying to build momentum, that was a pretty blunt reminder of where things stand.
The biggest issue hasn’t changed much. The quarterback picture still looks unsettled, and the Falcons also took a hit on defense with 1.5 of their best pass rushers now gone for the season.
That’s part of why CBS Sports put Atlanta on its list of the NFL’s biggest losers from the 2026 preseason.
"After an awful preseason debut with the Falcons, Tua Tagovailoa was much better in Week 3 ... - The Falcons haven't had much of an opportunity to remove him from QB1 status, though. Michael Penix Jr. only recently returned to full team drills, and he didn't play in the preseason finale... Add in Jalon Walker's torn ACL and James Pearce Jr.'s eight-game suspension, and it was a rough preseason ahead of what could be a rough regular season."
There is at least one thing working in Atlanta’s favor: the bar in the NFC South is low. Very low.
The division remains the weakest in the league on paper. Carolina won it last season despite a -69 scoring differential, and the Panthers now face a tougher schedule because of that finish. They’ve also been battered by injuries this month, including season-ending knee injuries for wide receiver Chris Brazzell II and edge rusher Nic Scourton, along with the loss of their starting offensive tackles.
New Orleans is getting plenty of buzz as a team that could go from worst to first, but there isn’t much excitement around an aging roster beyond second-year quarterback Tyler Shough and rookie wideout Jordyn Tyson, who will start the season on injured reserve.
Tampa Bay has owned the division in recent years, but the Buccaneers are dealing with their own aging roster concerns and no longer have Mike Evans to lean on against NFC South opponents.
So even after a preseason that raised more questions than it answered, Atlanta still has a path. If the Falcons can stay upright long enough to get to Week 9, they could still have a real shot at their first division title since 2017.
In Other News...
Falcons Just Got Dragged Into A Quarterback Trade Debate
The Falcons found themselves pulled into a quarterback conversation they had nothing to do with directly, thanks to a speculative idea from Bleacher Reports Kristopher Knox. His proposed three-team structure would send Tua Tagovailoa to Cleveland, while Atlanta would be attached to the deal through Dillon Gabriel and a conditional 2027 first-round pick, a wrinkle that immediately puts the Falcons in the middle of a much broader debate about how teams sort out their quarterback futures.
It is still just an idea, not a move or even a confirmed negotiation, but it does speak to how the league tends to view Atlanta whenever quarterback speculation starts heating up. The article weighs the pros and cons for all sides, and for the Falcons, the real intrigue is less about what has happened and more about whether their name keeps surfacing in these kinds of discussions as front offices look for creative ways to reshape the position. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Let A Familiar Receiver Slip To A Division Rival
Cedric Tillman was available after his release from Cleveland, and the Falcons had a familiar connection to weigh in their favor. He had previously been coached by Kevin Stefanski, and Atlanta had a chance to bring in another receiver after the cut deadline, but instead chose to keep moving with the wideouts already in the building.
Now Tillman lands with the Saints, who had a clear need at receiver and can offer him a path to elevation from the practice squad. For Atlanta, it is a small but notable miss in the division, the kind that barely registers in August and can look different later if a rival turns a waiver pickup into something useful. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Defense Gets A Needed Boost At The Perfect Time
Da'Shawn Hand was back on the practice field with the Falcons after missing most of training camp because of a leg injury, a welcome development for a defense that has been sorting through injuries and suspensions. Hand had been listed as questionable for Week 1, and his return at least gives Atlanta a better chance of having a veteran defensive lineman available when it opens the season.
For a group trying to hold up in the trenches, even one healthy body can matter, especially a player with Hands experience helping with depth and run defense. The Falcons still have work to do before game day, but getting him back in the mix gives the defensive front a little more stability at exactly the right time. [Read more 🡒]