The Atlanta Falcons entered the 2025 season with the expectation that they would compete for the NFC South title, and be viewed as a contender because of a talented young core. Instead, the season has been a nightmare that almost feels never-ending.
Through 15 weeks, the Falcons are 5-9 and already eliminated from the postseason. Additionally, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has been sidelined with a season-ending knee injury and Kirk Cousins hasn't given fans any hope in his absence. But at least the defense has turned things around practically overnight under new DC Jeff Ulbrich.
Entering Week 16, the Falcons are second in the NFL with 48 sacks, and aren't far behind the Broncos. While the sacks haven’t equated to wins, Atlanta should be excited because of the offseason investment it made to the defensive front. The team was intentional about improving its pass rush, and its efforts have paid off.
Falcons have successfully improved pass rush after aggressive offseason
In the 2025 Draft, Atlanta used the 15th overall pick on defensive end Jalon Walker. Later in the first round, the Falcons gave up their 2026 first-round pick in a package to move up to pick No. 26, where they selected James Pearce, another EDGE rusher, and both are among the frontrunners in a tight Defensive Rookie of the Year race
The reason Atlanta decided to double up on edge defenders is because that was a massive hole for them, and they also signed veteran Leonard Floyd in free agency.
In 2024, the Falcons had just 31 sacks on the season, which ranked 31st in the NFL. With the help of Walker and Pearce, Atlanta has already blew past that number and are on the opposite side of the rankings for the first time in what feels like forever.
Pearce leads the way with eight sacks, and is one ahead of second-year defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus. Walker is next with 5.5 sacks, and eight other Atlanta defenders have multiple sacks on the season.
While the quick turnaround is exciting, the fact that the leaders of the turnaround are so young is even more exciting. The 2025 season should just be the foundation of a really promising pass rush in Atlanta for years to come.
Now, the Falcons just have to continue building the rest of the roster. Hopefully, the instant payoff from the defensive line will encourage Atlanta to aggressively address other issues this coming offseason, starting with the coaching staff.