The Falcons got the kind of win that fits Kevin Stefanski’s blueprint almost perfectly.
After two of their roughest losses of the season, Atlanta could have easily let the skid keep rolling in Week 7. Instead, against an unbeaten San Francisco team and Raheem Morris, the Falcons answered with a 29-20 upset that looked built around the identity Stefanski has pushed since taking over: toughness, discipline, and a physical edge at the line of scrimmage.
That showed up everywhere Sunday. Atlanta controlled both trenches, leaned into the run game, and played a cleaner game than it had in weeks. For a team that had been undone by its own mistakes not long ago, this was the opposite: a statement win created by doing the little things right.
The coaching staff deserves plenty of credit too. Tommy Rees and Jeff Ulbrich turned in their sharpest work of the season, and the Falcons out-coached Morris and Kyle Shanahan in a game that demanded execution.
That discipline was obvious in the turnover battle, where Atlanta forced four takeaways from the 49ers, including two interceptions of MVP favorite Brock Purdy, while protecting the football itself. The defense also got after Purdy, pressuring him 16 times, the second-most he faced in 2026, with only the Seahawks generating more.
Ulbrich’s group added two forced fumbles as well, and one of the night’s toughest performances came from fourth-round rookie Kendal Daniels. After being stretchered off and taken to the hospital last week, Daniels returned, wore the green dot in Divine Deablo’s absence, and delivered a team-high 11 tackles along with an interception and a fumble recovery on back-to-back possessions.
That same bounce-back theme carried onto special teams. A week after the Falcons coughed up the ball twice and kept putting themselves in bad field position, Zachariah Branch responded with a 60-yard kick return that immediately flipped the field and set Atlanta up in San Francisco territory on the opening drive.
The offense matched the tone. Atlanta’s tight-end-heavy approach paid off on National Tight Ends Day, with every tight end on the active roster - Kyle Pitts, Nick Muse, Charlie Woerner, and Austin Hooper - catching a pass. Muse and Pitts both found the end zone, and the multiple-tight-end looks delivered exactly what the Falcons wanted.
Michael Penix Jr. got a cleaner pocket than he had all season. He was pressured just three times, was never hit, and turned that protection into a season-high 118.9 passer rating. It also marked his second straight three-touchdown game.
Just as important, Atlanta got back to the ground game that makes this offense hum. The Falcons ran the ball nearly 30 times, and Bijan Robinson carried it 20 times after getting only nine in Week 6. That physical approach wore down San Francisco’s defense and opened the play-action chances that helped Pitts and Drake London make plays.
For a team that had been searching for steadiness, Sunday was as complete and on-brand as it gets. The Falcons responded to adversity, cleaned up the errors that had hurt them, and showed they can go toe-to-toe with anybody when they stay true to the Kevin Stefanski philosophy.
In Other News...
Falcons Rookie Kendal Daniels Made This 49ers Breakout Even More Remarkable
The Falcons Week 7 win over the 49ers had plenty of good moments, but rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels turned it into a coming-out party in a way Atlanta will remember. Daniels made his presence felt late, stepping into a starting role after recently working back from a neck injury and showing the kind of poise and confidence that can change a game in a hurry.
Daniels said he was grateful to his teammates for supporting him through the recovery process and for the trust the Falcons showed by drafting him and giving him a shot to start. For Atlanta, the performance was encouraging on its own, and even more so because it came from a rookie who had already shown he could bounce back from adversity and make a real impact when the pressure was highest. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Penix Just Answered A Huge Question Against San Francisco
Michael Penix walked into a tough matchup against San Francisco with plenty still to prove, and the Falcons left with something more valuable than just a win. Against an undefeated 49ers team, the quarterback showed he could handle the kind of stage and defensive look that usually tests a young passer, helping Atlanta come away with a result that will travel well as the season moves on.
What stood out was how Penix got there. Faced with a zone-heavy defense, he didnt force the issue or try to live exclusively off the deep ball, and that adjustment helped him stay efficient throughout the afternoon. For a Falcons offense still learning what it can be with him at the controls, it was the kind of performance that suggested there may be more than one way for him to beat a defense built to take away his favorite routes. [Read more 🡒]
Kendal Daniels Opened Up About The Toughest Part Of His Return
Kendal Daniels made a swift and important return for the Falcons after the neck injury he suffered in Week 6, and the rookie linebacker wasted little time reminding everyone why Atlanta wanted him on the field. Cleared after medical evaluations showed no structural damage and no concussion, Daniels came back to help the Falcons knock off the previously unbeaten San Francisco 49ers, leading the team with 11 tackles while also making plays that helped swing the game.
The toughest part of the comeback, though, was not just getting back into a uniform and back into the middle of the defense. Daniels had to work through the reality of an injury that naturally lingers in a players mind, even after the doctors clear him, and his return carried the extra weight of doing it in a high-profile win against one of the NFLs hottest teams. For Atlanta, the encouraging part is not only that Daniels was available again, but that he looked like a central piece of the defense the moment he stepped back in. [Read more 🡒]