Despite at times looking like a real contender, the Falcons somehow find themselves 3-7, thanks to a 1-4 record in one-possession games. Atlanta has lost two straight in overtime, and a couple of other defeats can be directly attributed to missed kicks.
The playoffs are no longer a realistic possibility. The Falcons will miss the postseason for the eighth straight year, but if there’s one positive storyline worth highlighting each week, it’s that Atlanta has finally found a pass rush, something that has eluded them for two decades.
With five more sacks on Sunday against the Panthers, Atlanta now has 34 sacks on the season, the second-most in the league. Even better: most of that production is coming from players on rookie contracts. James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker are getting the bulk of the headlines as first-round picks, and both have exceeded expectations through 10 games, but the impact from second- and third-year players like Zach Harrison, Brandon Dorlus, and Ruke Orhorhoro shouldn’t be overlooked. Dorlus and Harrison currently lead the team with 4.5 sacks apiece.
Even more encouraging, the Falcons pass rush seems to grow more menacing by the week, piling up 18 sacks over the last three games. The flip side, however, is that they just became the first team in NFL history to record 18 sacks over a three-week span and lose all three games.
Grab bag time?
As @saivionmixson noted, the Falcons are the only team in NFL history to have 18 sacks in a three game span and lose all three games.
They're on pace to break the franchise record for sacks and have a losing season. I don't even know what to say about that.
— The Falcoholic (@TheFalcoholic) November 17, 2025
It really is remarkable. If there’s a piece of negative history to be made, you can bet your bottom dollar the Falcons will find a way to wear it. Over that stretch, they blew two fourth-quarter leads to lose in overtime, then lost on a missed extra point on the road against a Patriots team that is 9-2.
It’s unfathomable the Falcons are in the position they’re in, completely out of the playoff race well before Thanksgiving. But if there’s any positive spin to what has become yet another miserable embarrassment of a season, it’s that the pass rush is now a legitimate strength and should continue to be one for a long time.
—
Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
Share The Love