Thursday night looked a lot more like the start of Atlanta’s real season than the first two weeks did.
With Cooper Rush out of the picture and Michael Penix Jr. finally back under center, the Falcons showed what their offense can look like when it has its best quarterback on the field. Penix had a rocky opening stretch, but he settled in and finished 18 of 25 for 256 yards, with one touchdown, one interception and a 101.4 passer rating.
The supporting cast did plenty of damage too. Bijan Robinson and Drake London each piled up more than 190 yards from scrimmage in a win that turned into a showcase for Atlanta’s full-strength offense.
CBS Sports handed the Falcons an A+ for the upset, noting, "We finally got a chance to see what the Falcons offense would look like at full strength, and it looked unstoppable... With that total, the Falcons became just the third team in NFL history to have a set of teammates top 175 receiving yards and 175 rushing yards.
It's too early to say if the Falcons are for real, but with another performance like this in Week 4, they might suddenly become the favorite in the NFC South."
Atlanta’s defense did its part as well. The Falcons completely bottled up Green Bay’s running game, limiting the Packers to 17 rushing yards, and made life tough on Jordan Love, who finished with a 75.4 passer rating and a 43.2 QBR.
Cameron Thomas was all over the pocket with four QB hits and a sack, while C.J. Henderson added three passes defensed.
The reward is a Monday night meeting with the New Orleans Saints. If the Carolina Panthers can’t beat the Detroit Lions on Sunday night, first place in the NFC South will be on the line.
In Other News...
Falcons Defense Could Seize Control In Division Showdown
Monday night brings a familiar kind of pressure for the Falcons, only with more at stake than usual: a trip to New Orleans with first place in the NFC South on the line. Atlantas defense has built its identity around stopping the run, and that strength now meets a Saints offense that may have to lean even harder on its ground game with Travis Etienne expected to sit because of a hamstring injury.
For the Falcons, that is exactly the sort of matchup that can tilt a division race. New Orleans still has Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller and CJ Donaldson available in the backfield, but Kamara has not been as effective as he once was as a runner, which puts even more weight on a group that already ranks among the leagues toughest against the run. If Atlanta can control that area again, the rest of the night starts to look a lot simpler. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Judon Gets Another Shot To Prove Raheem Morris Right
Matt Judon is getting another crack at the kind of opportunity that can change a veterans season, this time with the San Francisco 49ers. The four-time Pro Bowler is signing to the practice squad and could be elevated to the active roster, giving a thin edge-rush group some much-needed depth while Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams are out.
For Falcons followers, the more familiar part of the story is the connection back to Raheem Morris, who once coached Judon in Atlanta before taking over as the 49ers defensive coordinator. Morris has long valued disruptive pressure off the edge, and Judon now has a chance to show he still fits that mold in a different locker room, under circumstances that could put him back in the rotation quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Rookies Are Already Changing Atlantas Depth Chart
Through the first three weeks, Atlantas rookie class has already started to leave a mark on the depth chart, with Avieon Terrell, Zachariah Branch, Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. all showing why the Falcons were eager to get them on the field. Their roles and playing time have been trending in a way that suggests this group is not just filling out the roster, but pushing for real opportunities as the season develops.
The early returns have been encouraging enough to change the conversation around where these rookies fit, and in some cases, how quickly they can rise. Snap counts and on-field impact are still evolving, which is exactly what makes this such an interesting subplot for Atlanta - the Falcons appear to have found a class that could keep reshaping its pecking order as the season goes on. [Read more 🡒]