The Atlanta Falcons are walking into a three-game primetime run that has people around the league asking the obvious question: why them?
After a 34-3 Week 2 home loss to the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta sits at 0-2 and is set to open its 2026 primetime slate Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers, who are 1-1. From there, the Falcons head to the New Orleans Saints for Monday Night Football on Oct. 5, then come home to face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football on Oct. 11.
It’s not hard to see why the schedule looks a little strange on paper. NFL schedulers probably didn’t plan on Atlanta having to start Cooper Rush at quarterback while Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa were sidelined by injuries early in the season. But the timing also gives the national audience something the networks clearly like: Penix back in the mix and a little more juice around a team that can still draw attention.
There’s another reason the Falcons keep getting the spotlight. Even with a record that has been rough for much of the last decade, they’ve been a better primetime team than their reputation suggests. They also have the kind of names that travel - All-Pro talent like Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts Sr.
Robinson sounded more than ready for the stage.
“I love those kinds of games. That’s primetime,” said Robinson, Atlanta’s star running back. “We get to go out there and have fun playing, regroup, get back to it, and go to the Packers and put on a show.”
The Falcons have actually handled nighttime football well since 2024, going 7-3 in games played on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays. That stretch has included plenty of memorable moments, from Kirk Cousins ‘Swag Surfin’ with Falcons fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, to Pitts delivering a massive performance, to the controversial finish in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Atlanta is also riding a two-game primetime winning streak. Last December, the Falcons edged the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29-28 and then beat the Los Angeles Rams and MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford 27-24, with both games coming within three weeks.
Pitts was the difference in the Tampa Bay win, putting together the best game of his career with 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns at Raymond James Stadium. Now he gets his first shot at Lambeau Field, where the Falcons visit Green Bay on Thursday.
“Primetime games are great,” Pitts said. “Rather than a Sunday where you have multiple games playing, everyone’s watching you. It’s cool to play, and it’s definitely a blessing to be able to go out there on a Thursday night in Lambeau for the first time and perform.”
There’s also a coaching wrinkle that points in Atlanta’s favor. First-year head coach Kevin Stefanski is 5-0 on Thursday Night Football in his six seasons with the Cleveland Browns, according to Daniel Flick of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. That track record suggests his teams have handled the short week better than most.
Now the Falcons get to find out whether that kind of edge travels with them to Green Bay, where they arrive after one of the most embarrassing losses in franchise history and with a little more optimism thanks to Penix, who has been cleared to play after a partially torn ACL and will start Thursday.
Falcons-Packers kicks off at 8:15 p.m. at Lambeau Field and will be televised on Prime Video.
In Other News...
Falcons Suddenly Head Into Packers Game With A Very Different Look
Thursday night brings a different kind of test for Atlanta as it heads to Green Bay with Michael Penix Jr. set to start for the Falcons. Around the league, injuries are already reshaping Week 3, with quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Jaxson Dart among the players expected to miss games, while teams such as the Colts, Panthers and Saints have also been forced to shuffle their rosters with players landing on injured reserve.
For Atlanta, the challenge is more immediate and a little more local, since the games injury reports have already thinned out the available options on both sides of the ball. With several players listed as out or questionable, the Falcons are headed into a short-week prime-time matchup carrying a very different look than the one they might have expected a few days ago, and how that list settles before kickoff could matter just as much as the quarterback change. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons May Finally Have The QB Depth They Need Vs Packers
The Falcons are getting a little healthier behind center at a time when they could use the insurance. Michael Penix Jr. has been named the starter for the upcoming game, and Kevin Stefanski said Tua Tagovailoa is trending in the right direction to be available as the backup in Week 3 after missing the first two games with an oblique injury. It is a notable shift from the opening stretch, when Cooper Rush filled the backup role.
For Atlanta, the timing matters as much as the depth chart. Having a second quarterback available changes the feel of game day for a team that wants more stability at the position, especially with Penix set to take over under center. The final check on Tagovailoa still matters, but the Falcons are at least moving toward a cleaner setup than they had to start the season. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Are Betting Nick Folk Can Stop A Bigger Problem
The Falcons are sticking with Nick Folk for now, even after the veteran kicker missed field goals in each of the first two games of the 2026 season. Special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman said the focus remains on Folks experience and the basics, with the team preferring to work through the issue by tightening up fundamentals and technique rather than making a change this early.
For Atlanta, the decision is as much about stability as it is about faith in a proven kicker. The next step is giving Folk a chance to settle back into his rhythm as the Falcons turn their attention to the Green Bay Packers, where every point could matter if the kicking game remains in the spotlight. [Read more 🡒]