The Atlanta Falcons’ 2026 season has seen drastic ups and downs. The highs include two lopsided wins, but the lows have left fans scratching their heads. 

The last two weeks have been particularly frustrating, with inconsistent performances holding this team back. Against the Ravens, the Falcons went flat in the fourth quarter and overtime after controlling the first three quarters. The opposite happened against the Bears, but both games ended in losses. 

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and the secondary struggled through most of the game, but they turned it around late to keep it close. Ultimately, the 31-7 fourth-quarter deficit proved too much to overcome. 

Sunday brings a new challenge as the undefeated San Francisco 49ers head to Atlanta. If the Falcons want to get back on track, they will need a lot of things to get back on track, and quickly. 

Elsewhere in the division, the Panthers topped a beat-up Eagles squad, the Buccaneers lost to the Steelers, and the Saints snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over the Giants.  Falcons OnSI pulled the results from those sites and put them all in one place for fans. See below where the Falcons land compared with their division rivals. 

A common theme in these power rankings is criticism of quarterback play when pressure gets to Michael Penix Jr. Conor Orr joined them in highlighting the Falcons’ inability to handle the Bears’ pressure, saying they'll see a lot of this until they find a way to respond.  

Elsewhere in the South, SI ranks the Panthers No. 13 (up seven spots), the Saints No. 25 (no change), and the Buccaneers No. 30 (down three spots). Orr has the 49ers at No. 1.  

Pete Prisco dropped the Falcons one spot, calling their performance “terrible for most of the game”, a fair assessment of what they produced. He did give them credit for making a game of it, but that is no more than a moral victory. 

Elsewhere in the South, CBS ranks the Panthers No. 14 (up six spots), the Saints No. 26 (no change), and the Buccaneers No. 29 (no change). Prisco has the 49ers at No. 1. 

Nick Shook was high on the Falcons last week despite their late collapse against the Ravens, but he dropped them after Sunday’s result. He sees potential with this team, but says it's “difficult to explain who these Falcons are.” Some big tests loom for them over the next several weeks, and those answers will be clearer after that. 

Elsewhere in the South, NFL.com ranks the Panthers No. 13 (up one spot), the Saints No. 20 (up seven spots), and the Buccaneers No. 27 (down four spots). Shook has the 49ers at No. 1. 

ESPN hasn't been high on the Falcons this season, but they held steady after a second straight loss. Marc Raimondi noted how much this offense has struggled when Michael Penix Jr. faces pressure, citing his seventh-worst EPA/dropback and the second-worst completion percentage in those situations. The Bears sacked Penix five times on Sunday, and this will remain an issue until the quarterback finds his footing with defenses coming after him. 

Elsewhere in the South, ESPN ranks the Panthers No. 15 (up three spots), the Saints No. 24 (up two spots), and the Buccaneers No. 28 (down one spot). ESPN has the 49ers at No. 1. 

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