The Atlanta Falcons have become one of the league’s trickiest teams to pin down, and the national media is clearly running out of patience.
That showed up again in The Athletic’s Week 9 NFL power rankings, where Atlanta slid two spots to No. 23 after following its biggest win of the season with a 16-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The whiplash has become part of the Falcons’ story, and Josh Kendall didn’t soften the blow in his assessment.
Kendall boiled the season down to four words: "The hope was false."
"Twice now, the Falcons have gotten some national attention," Kendall wrote. "First with surprising wins over Green Bay and New Orleans.
Then again with an upset of the previously unbeaten 49ers. Each time they get people’s hopes up, though, things go south."
That’s the problem with Atlanta right now. The Falcons have shown they can knock off good teams, with wins over Green Bay, New Orleans and San Francisco. But they haven’t come close to proving they can bring that same level week after week.
Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay was a brutal example. The Buccaneers became the first NFL team since 1974 to win a game without completing a single pass, and Atlanta still couldn’t find a way to take advantage. Michael Penix Jr. went 8 of 24 for 125 yards and threw a career-high four interceptions.
The weather was a major factor, with heavy rain making life miserable for both passing games. Penix deserves some of that context. But Tampa Bay adapted and got the win anyway, while Atlanta never solved the problem in front of it.
That raised another obvious question: with Bijan Robinson in the backfield, why did the Falcons keep leaning so hard on Penix? Robinson finished with 76 yards on 19 carries, while Penix still attempted 24 passes despite struggling to hit his targets all afternoon.
The larger issue is bigger than one ugly afternoon. Atlanta has already shown enough talent to beat quality opponents, but it has not shown it can keep that level going from one week to the next.
And the schedule isn’t about to make things easier. Cincinnati, Kansas City and Detroit are lined up over the next three weeks, which means the Falcons’ inconsistency could turn into a real problem fast.
Still, the season isn’t lost. Atlanta remains just half a game behind Carolina in the NFC South, and the division is wide open. The Falcons have time to stay in the race, but they need to start putting wins together instead of alternating between statement victories and letdowns.
Otherwise, that No. 23 spot may start to look generous.
In Other News...
Falcons Suddenly Have A Week 9 Depth Chart Problem In Madrid
The Falcons trip to Madrid has already brought a little roster churn, with the team moving edge rushers Drake Jackson and Jared Ivey off the 53-man roster and onto the practice squad ahead of Week 9 against the Bengals. It is the kind of adjustment that usually signals a team trying to keep its depth intact for the long haul, but in this case it also reflects a defense that is suddenly juggling availability at a key spot.
Samson Ebukam has landed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, while James Pearce Jr. is back from suspension but still listed as questionable because of a back issue. On the other side of the ball, the Falcons will be without wide receiver Zachariah Branch and running back Brian Robinson Jr., leaving Olamide Zaccheaus and Khalil Herbert in line for bigger roles as Atlanta tries to sort out a thin depth chart in an unusual setting. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Backfield Takes A Hit Right Before Bengals Matchup
The Falcons backfield depth took a hit just as they turn the page toward a Week 9 meeting with the Bengals in Spain. Brian Robinson Jr. has been placed on injured reserve because of a lower-body injury, leaving Atlanta to navigate at least the next four weeks without one of its running backs as the team prepares for the second regular-season NFL game ever played in Spain.
Atlanta moved quickly to fill the spot, signing Khalil Herbert from the practice squad to give the roster another option behind the remaining backs. It is the kind of adjustment that can matter even more on a trip like this, where the Falcons are already dealing with the usual travel and preparation challenges before facing Cincinnati on an international stage. [Read more 🡒]
Drake London Adds To Falcons Frustration After Costly Tampa Mistake
The Falcons are trying to move past a frustrating shutout against Tampa Bay, but Drake Londons day against the Buccaneers still carried an extra sting. London finished with one catch for 8 yards in the 16-0 loss, a quiet outing in a game Atlanta could ill afford to waste as it continued searching for answers on offense.
Now the focus shifts to Madrid, where the Falcons are set to face the Cincinnati Bengals, and London has already pointed to the teams work to clean things up after the defeat. Even with the next trip on the schedule, the aftermath from Tampa lingers a little longer thanks to the leagues latest discipline, another reminder of how costly that afternoon was for Atlanta. [Read more 🡒]