Two games into the 2026 season, the Atlanta Falcons have given their fans plenty to frown about. New head coach Kevin Stefanski’s group has looked disjointed, and an 0-2 start is never going to feel small when it’s the only sample anyone has.
Still, there’s a difference between a bad beginning and a season that’s already gone off the rails. The Falcons have 15 games left, and the NFC South is there to be taken. That alone keeps this from being a full-blown disaster - at least for now.
The biggest reason to stay patient is the obvious one: the quarterback situation should improve. Things can’t really get worse with Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa in the lineup than they were with Cooper Rush and Jack Strand. Penix Jr. and Tagovailoa may not be stars in the top tier, but they bring a level of competence that gives Atlanta a chance to function on offense.
That matters because a better presence under center can lift everything around it. The run game should have more room to breathe, and players like Drake London and Kyle Pitts may finally have a chance to become more visible pieces in Tommy Rees’ offense. Neither one fixes everything by itself, but both would give this unit a much-needed boost.
Atlanta also has something worth building around in the backfield. Bijan Robinson has again looked like one of the NFL’s best offensive weapons, even with the mess around him. Brian Robinson Jr. added to that in Week 2, showing real value as a complementary back on the ground and as a receiver.
If the Robinsons keep producing, that gives the Falcons a much more stable offensive foundation. It also keeps defenses honest and prevents Atlanta’s quarterbacks from having to carry too much of the load. That balance is crucial, especially with the offense still trying to find its footing.
There’s also some encouragement in the rookie class. Avieon Terrell has lived up to expectations so far, breaking up passes, limiting damage through the air and contributing against the run.
Zachariah Branch hasn’t done much on offense, but he has stood out in the return game. Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins have also looked like useful linebackers.
None of those rookies has exploded onto the scene, but the early signs are positive. For a team with plenty of moving parts and a few holes to fill, that kind of steady progress matters.
The concern that should keep Atlanta uneasy is the road ahead. The schedule does not offer much relief.
The Falcons go to Green Bay for a primetime Week 3 game, then head to New Orleans to face a Saints team that has looked streaky but strong. After that, they come home for three straight against the Bears, Ravens and 49ers.
And the schedule still doesn’t really loosen up after that. So while there’s enough here to avoid total panic, Stefanski’s team has no cushion. If the Falcons are going to dig out of this start, they’ll have to do it the hard way.
In Other News...
Bijan Robinson Suddenly Has A Rare Falcons Milestone In Reach
Bijan Robinsons name has already become central to the Falcons offense, and now it sits next to a piece of team history that would be unusual even by Atlanta standards. Amid a run of recent NFL milestones around the league, Robinson has given the Falcons something more immediate to watch in Week 3: the possibility of a running back reaching a franchise mark that has been on the books for years.
It is the kind of threshold that says as much about how the offense is using him as it does about Robinsons own versatility. For Atlanta, the larger point is not just that he is piling up touches, but that he is being put in position to leave a mark in a category not often associated with backs. The record is there, the opportunity is there, and now the Falcons have one more reason to pay close attention when the ball gets near the goal line. [Read more 🡒]
Drake Londons Frustration Puts Falcons Quarterback Decision Under A Spotlight
Drake Londons body language told the story during a recent Falcons game, when the receiver was seen yelling and pointing on the sideline as Atlanta struggled to find a rhythm on offense. It has not been the start London or the Falcons wanted, with the third-year pass catcher working through two games alongside backup quarterbacks and producing 6 receptions for 80 yards.
Michael Penix Jr. looms over the conversation because the pairing has already shown real promise when given time together. In 14 games with Penix, London has piled up 91 catches for 1,286 yards and 9 touchdowns, a track record that makes the quarterback decision feel even more important as Atlanta tries to stabilize its passing game and keep one of its top weapons engaged. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Face An Ugly Reality Entering Packers Matchup
The Falcons head into their Week 3 trip to Green Bay already carrying the kind of concerns that can make a road game feel even longer. The Packers bring the cleaner roster and the steadier quarterback situation, while Atlanta is still trying to find reliable play under center and across the board, two issues that have already shaped the early part of the 2026 season.
For Atlanta, the matchup is less about matching the Packers punch for punch and more about avoiding another lopsided afternoon that deepens the pressure around the team. Green Bay is being forecast to handle this one comfortably, which leaves the Falcons with an ugly reality in front of them and a chance to show some progress in a spot where the margin for error looks thin. [Read more 🡒]