The Falcons left Week 7 at 3-4, and that win over the San Francisco 49ers may end up mattering most if they can turn it into something bigger over the next month.
Atlanta’s path gets real fast. The first test is Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 1 at Raymond James Stadium, and the timing makes it a pivotal NFC South game. Tampa Bay is coming off a 43-13 rout of Carolina, while the Falcons are trying to build on a confidence-boosting victory without letting the momentum fade.
The division picture is still wide open, but Atlanta has work to do. Carolina sits in first at 3-3, while Tampa Bay and New Orleans are both 2-5. That leaves the Falcons with room to climb, but also no margin for wasted chances.
Beating the Buccaneers would do more than even Atlanta’s record at 4-4. It would also hand Tampa Bay another divisional loss and help the Falcons chip away in the standings where it matters most. The Buccaneers have already shown they can play inside the division, so Atlanta will need another sharp outing on both sides of the ball to leave with a road win.
The stretch after that is busy and unconventional. Atlanta heads to Madrid, Spain, to play the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 8, then returns home to face the Chiefs on Nov.
- After the bye week, the Falcons go to Minnesota to meet the Vikings on Nov.
- Those games won’t affect the NFC South directly, but they loom large for Atlanta’s overall record and playoff positioning.
Still, the division games are where the story can swing. Carolina’s lead is narrow enough to disappear quickly, especially with the Panthers set to play the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. Green Bay has won three of four since being blown out by the Falcons, which only adds another layer to the standings watch.
Tampa Bay’s win over Carolina mattered for one obvious reason: it improved the Buccaneers’ division record. New Orleans remains in the mix at 2-5 as well, and the Saints still have a say with another meeting against Atlanta in Week 17. They are on a bye this week.
There’s also a second Buccaneers-Falcons game to keep in mind. Atlanta will host Tampa Bay in Week 16, then close the regular season on the road against Carolina in Week 18. If this race stays tight, those matchups could carry real weight.
For Atlanta, the message is clear. The San Francisco win was a step forward, but the next four games will show whether it becomes the start of a push or just a good Sunday in a crowded NFC South race.
In Other News...
Jessie Bates Is Closing In On Rare Falcons History
Jessie Bates III keeps finding ways to tilt games in Atlantas favor, and his latest showing against the 49ers was another reminder of how valuable he has become to the Falcons defense. He came away with an interception and then helped finish off the game with a forced fumble, the kind of all-around impact that has made him one of the steadiest playmakers on the roster this season.
The performance also pushed Bates closer to rare NFL history, adding to a career pattern of game-changing outings that has become more common than his Pro Bowl rsum might suggest. He remains one of the leagues better safeties by the numbers as well, sitting near the top of the position group in PFF grading, which only adds to the case that his impact in Atlanta has been bigger than the accolades have shown. [Read more 🡒]
Arthur Blank Just Entered A Debate Falcons Fans Didn't Expect
Arthur Blank has never been shy about putting his money into political causes, but his latest campaign-cycle giving has drawn attention for a reason that goes beyond the usual owner-fan divide. The Falcons owner donated to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs reelection campaign and also wrote a larger check to Democratic efforts in the Senate races, a move that stands out in a league where most owners have traditionally leaned the other way.
Blanks donations are especially notable because they span both sides of the aisle, including a contribution to former Falcons kicker Jay Feely, who is now running as a Republican in Arizona. For Atlanta fans, it is another reminder that Blank tends to follow his own lane, even when it puts him into conversations NFL ownership usually tries to avoid. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Rookies Just Made Divine Deablos Future A Real Question
Divine Deablos season has already taken a turn the Falcons did not want to see, with injuries and uneven play sending the linebacker to injured reserve. For a defense that has tried to sort out its identity all year, the bigger issue now is what his absence has revealed: Atlanta has found younger options who are not just filling snaps, but making a real case to stay in the mix.
Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. have both flashed enough in Deablos place to make the roster conversation more complicated for the front office. With those rookies giving the Falcons production and flexibility, Deablos future in Atlanta looks increasingly uncertain, especially if the team decides its money is better spent elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]