The Atlanta Falcons enjoyed a brief moment of rest and recuperation this weekend with their early Week 5 bye. The rest of the NFL was busy playing their fifth games of the young season, with several results that implicated the Falcons.
After five weeks, Atlanta has seen a surge in defensive consistency, while the offense has been on a somewhat erratic ride. They sit at 2-2, with a pair of strong wins over the Vikings and Commanders, but also a pair of frustrating losses to divisional opponents.
The offense sits in seventh for total offense (362.8 yards per game), 12th in passing offense (226.3), sixth in rushing offense (136.5), and 26th in points per game (19.0). The lull against the Carolina Panthers still looms over this unit, but last week’s revitalizing 34-point barrage was a good sign before the bye week.
This group’s biggest point of development will come in building consistency throughout the rest of the season.
The defense is currently in first place for total defense (244.0 yards allowed per game), first place in passing defense (135.0), 16th in rushing defense (109.0), and 15th in points allowed per game (21.5). This unit entered the bye week focused on finishing in the pass rush, says Falcons head coach Raheem Morris.
Elsewhere around the NFC South, all three of the Falcons’ division rivals won their games this weekend. They dropped two spots in the NFC playoff race to No. 10 and currently have a 40% chance to reach the postseason, according to the NFL’s NextGenStats.
The Falcons’ next opponent, the Bills, dropped an exciting 23-20 matchup with the Patriots. Before this loss, they were the last remaining undefeated team. They will come to Atlanta for a Week 6 showdown on Monday Night Football.
