The Atlanta Falcons were featured in prime time just twice from 2021 to 2023, but have now been scheduled for five prime-time games in back-to-back seasons. ESPN’s Marc Raimondi notes that Atlanta does have more intriguing storylines than they have in recent years, including Kirk Cousins‘ status on the team, Michael Penix Jr.‘s first season as the full-time starter, and the ascendance of star wide receiver Drake London and star running back Bijan Robinson. The combination of Penix, London and Robinson “should make for an explosive offense,” according to Raimondi.
Will the Lights Be Too Bright for a Young Atlanta Team?
Raimondi identifies the Falcons’ easiest stretch of the schedule as Weeks 9 to 13 against the Patriots, Colts, Panthers, Saints and Jets. If the Falcons are going to be a playoff team, they will likely need to go 4-1 or even 5-0 during that stretch to build momentum heading into the final month of the season. A strong finish could mean the difference between snapping and extending their 7-year playoff drought.
Speaking of the final month, Raimondi notes that Atlanta has limped to the finish line in each of the last two seasons, losing four of its last five games in 2023 and six of its last eight games in 2024.
“The team’s best hope in 2025 is that Penix has leveled up by the home stretch,” writes Raimondi. “Things won’t be easy. The final five games are all against NFC or divisional opponents, some of whom could be in the thick of the playoff race.”
Will an Early Bye Week Be Beneficial or Will the Travel Schedule Catch up to Them?
They opted not to have their bye week following the trip to Germany for their November 9 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, and will instead have one of the earliest bye weeks in Week 5.
With a young quarterback, it could be beneficial to have an early bye week, but they will also be one of the teams that will travel the most this season. Bill Speros of Bookies.com calculated the distance that each team will travel this season and the Falcons ranked sixth on the list with nearly 26,000 miles on their travel itinerary.
The Falcons will play as many home games in the month of November as they will games outside of the United States, as their toughest stretch of the season may end up coming after their trip to Germany.
Atlanta will return for back-to-back divisional showdowns against the Panthers at home and the Saints on the road, followed by a trip to New York to face the Jets, a home game against the Seahawks and then a Thursday Night Football matchup against the division rival Buccaneers.
Falcons’ Schedule Ranked as 4th-Easiest Based on Projected Win Totals
Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis projects the Falcons to have the 4th-easiest schedule this season, following only the San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, and division rival New Orleans Saints.
Sharp utilizes projected win totals from Las Vegas oddsmakers, as he says it “provides a better indication of what teams could look like in the upcoming season than relying on the previous year’s wins.”
“Projected win totals incorporate current information about team strength, including offseason acquisitions, injuries, and coaching changes,” which makes them “more reflective of a team’s current capabilities.”
Despite the projections showing the Falcons with the 4th-easiest schedule, they are only projected for 7.5 wins, according to the Las Vegas oddsmakers. So, you can interpret that however you’d like, but that seems to show that they expect the Falcons to play down to their competition quite often this season.
Falcons’ ‘ATL Kart’ Schedule Release Video Receives High Praise
Each year, there are a few NFL teams whose schedule release videos go viral and catch the eye of the sporting world. This year is no exception, with the Los Angeles Chargers and Atlanta Falcons leading the way.
After Falcons wide receiver Drake London teased the video release on his Instagram story, fans were excited to see what the final product would look like, and it certainly didn’t disappoint, with Shane Shoemaker of Sporting News calling it “one of the wildest videos of the year” and For The Win’s Cory Woodruff calling the Falcons the “early winners of the 2025 NFL schedule release.”
The Falcons’ posted the full version of their ‘ATL Kart’ video via X right as ESPN’s schedule release show began on Wednesday night, featuring cameos from Ludacris, Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson, Rich Eisen, Bills Mafia, Deflategate, and more.
Falcons’ ‘Explosive Offense’ Has Them Prepared for Prime Time