Tommy Rees spent the first two weeks of the season hearing plenty of doubt from Falcons fans, and for good reason. Atlanta was buried near the bottom of the league in just about every offensive category, averaging only eight points per game with Cooper Rush starting. That kind of start makes any play-caller look lost.
It also made Rees’ hire feel like a strange one at the time, especially with Kevin Stefanski reportedly going buddy-to-buddy with his OC choice and Rees calling plays over Stefanski. But once Michael Penix Jr. came back, the whole thing started to look a lot different. Rees has leaned into a Joe Brady-style approach, and the Falcons offense has taken off.
Over the last two games, Atlanta is averaging 40 points per game and leads the NFL in total yards, riding back-to-back 21-point wins in Weeks 3 and 4. Rees has more freedom now that he isn’t working around the same limitations, but the bigger change is how he’s tailoring the offense to Penix.
Against the Saints in a 45-24 win, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell noted that Atlanta used play-action nine times. Penix made them pay, going 7-for-9 for 164 passing yards and a touchdown on those snaps. That score was the gorgeous throw to Jahan Dotson, and Penix also averaged 18 yards per attempt on play-action.
JAHAN DOTSON EXTENDS THE FALCONS' LEAD @ATLvsNO on ESPN⁰Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/wezr26OKVK
- NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2026
That’s the payoff for finally opening things up. Rees began by getting the run game and short passing game going, letting his quarterback settle in. Once Penix found his rhythm, Rees shifted gears and attacked downfield, right where Penix is most dangerous.
The Saints game was also a huge jump in how often Atlanta used play-action. The Falcons had barely leaned on it at all early in the season, and even through three weeks they were using play-action just 10% of the time. Against New Orleans, though, Rees called 20 passes and nine of them came off play-action, pushing that rate to 45% for the game - by far their highest mark of the season.
That kind of change lines up with what Joe Brady has built in Buffalo. According to Sharp Analytics, Brady’s Bills run play-action at the highest rate in the league at 22.8%, and that constant stress on defenses forces them to account for too much at once.
Atlanta can borrow from that blueprint, and maybe even make it more dangerous. The Falcons have better weapons to work with than people may have realized - Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson give them plenty to threaten defenses, with London, Pitts, and Jahan Dotson as the primary deep options. They also have the lowest three-and-out rate this year, and only the Bills rank second.
For the first couple of weeks, the Falcons weren’t producing explosive plays, so Rees adjusted. Atlanta wants to be physical, run the ball, and win at the line of scrimmage. The run-heavy approach in the Superdome showed what that can look like, but the real goal is to use that style to set up the passing game.
That’s where Rees has started to look like one of the better young offensive minds in the sport. It’s one thing to be aggressive with Josh Allen.
It’s another to do it with Michael Penix Jr., a quarterback with obvious upside who is still proving he can be the franchise guy. The formula in Atlanta has turned out to be pretty simple: play to Penix’s strengths as a play-action and intermediate passer, and the offense starts humming.
In Other News...
Falcons Just Added Backfield Depth Fans May Want To Track
The Falcons added another name to the backfield mix this week, signing running back Jam Miller to the practice squad while moving on from Cash Jones to clear the roster spot. It is the kind of small transaction that can matter later, especially for a team that keeps an eye on depth at running back throughout the season.
Miller arrives with an unusual backstory for a midseason addition. He was originally drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but an injury led to his release before the season began. After working his way back, he reportedly stood out in a workout for Atlanta and now gets a chance to show whether that look can turn into something more. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Domecoming Disaster Got Even More Disturbing In The Stands
The Falcons left the Caesars Superdome with a lopsided win, but the day carried a heavier emotional backdrop than a normal rivalry game. The matchup marked 20 years since the first Saints game back after Hurricane Katrina, and instead of a celebratory homecoming, the building turned tense as New Orleans absorbed a 45-24 loss and slid to 1-3 on the season.
The unease in the stands only added to the mood. During the game, a Saints fan fell on the steep steps in the 600 level, though he appeared conscious and was helped by nearby fans, a jarring scene inside a stadium that was already hearing plenty of frustration from the home crowd. The Saints are still winless at home, and after another rough afternoon, the pressure around the team is starting to feel as loud as the disappointment in the seats. [Read more 🡒]
Drake London Said Exactly What Falcons Fans Love About Beating The Saints
The Falcons had the Saints in a familiar spot by halftime, up 24-7 and well in control, but the lead only kept growing from there. By the end of the game, Atlanta had pushed the margin to 31 points, a reminder that this rivalry still carries plenty of edge when the Falcons get rolling.
Drake London was right in the middle of it, finishing with five catches for 96 yards and again looking like one of Michael Penix Jr.'s most reliable targets. He also spoke to the extra motivation behind Atlanta's continued push to score, tying it back to a previous Saints moment involving Jameis Winston, which only added another layer to a win Falcons fans will happily savor. [Read more 🡒]