3 Playoff teams the Atlanta Falcons beat in the 2022 season

3. Atlanta Falcons-28  San Francisco 49ers-14

Even with San Francisco dealing with a myriad of injuries this is easily Atlanta’s most impressive win and still confounding as to how they won this game. San Francisco is rolling and looks to be the clear NFC favorite with a great defense and too many offensive weapons to scheme in every game.

Add in rookie quarterback Brock Purdy who is as hot as any quarterback in the bracket and there is a real chance this San Francisco team ends the season with a ring.

This was by far Mariota’s most impressive game with the quarterback accounting for three touchdowns on the day and protecting the football playing point guard and giving Atlanta hope they had a capable quarterback. This was the version of Mariota that Arthur Smith was hoping for the rest of the season and one that made the Falcons capable of beating anyone relying on their run game and protecting the football.

San Francisco might have been a slightly different team when the Falcons played them but they were clearly the better team still and one that should have beaten the Falcons. Arthur Smith coached this game perfectly and this one serves as a reminder that this team continues to head in the right direction.