The Atlanta Falcons are sitting in that weird NFL space where nobody can quite agree on what they are. Some people see a team that could sink to the bottom of the NFC South. Others see a sneaky playoff threat hiding in plain sight.
A big part of that uncertainty comes down to two things: how new head coach Kevin Stefanski handles the job, and what kind of quarterback play Atlanta gets from either Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay put the Falcons on a list of five potential surprise playoff teams, and he leaned heavily on Stefanski’s history with the Cleveland Browns to make the case. Kay wrote:
"After years of being mired in mediocrity, the Atlanta Falcons are poised to break out in 2026... Stefanski has a history of hitting the ground running.
In his first season with the Cleveland Browns, he guided a side that had made just one playoff appearance in two-plus decades to its first postseason victory since 1994... Although it remains to be seen how this team will gel following a major roster overhaul under a new coaching staff, it wouldn't be wise to bet against Stefanski rapidly transforming this underperforming program into a powerhouse."
If Stefanski gets more out of the Falcons than Raheem Morris did, Atlanta should have a real shot at winning a division that looks like one of the weakest in football.
And if the quarterback play is even solid from Tagovailoa or Penix, the Falcons could become the kind of Wild Card opponent nobody wants to draw.
There’s also the broader view of where this roster stands. ESPN recently ranked Atlanta’s starting lineup 29th in the NFL, which only adds to the sense that the Falcons are being overlooked.
Kay’s list also included the Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints. The Saints may be the toughest hurdle for Atlanta, especially with Tyler Shough now in place as their franchise quarterback while the rest of that roster is described as old and lagging behind.
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