After their first four games, several fans saw the Atlanta Falcons' defensive success as fools gold. Games a Baker Mayfield, Bryce Young, J.J. McCarthy, and Marcus Mariota didn't do much to move the needle, and most expected Josh Allen to have a field day—just like he has all season.
But in a shocking twist of fate, the reigning MVP had perhaps his worst start of the season in Week 6, and the Falcons upset the Bills 24-14. Allen threw two interceptions and completed jus 15 of his 26 pass attempts for 180 passing yards, as he was out-shined by a younger quarterback on primetime for the second straight week.
Jeff Ulbrich has plenty of familiarity with Allen from his time coaching with the Jets, and that experience paid off. Not a lot of teams are able to blitz Allen heavily and get away with it, but the Dirty Birds' young defensive line were the unsung heroes of the victory.
After years of having a dormant pass rush, Atlanta's defensive front got home, pressuring the 29-year-old 44% of the time for the highest rate against Buffalo this season.
According to @NextGenStats tracking numbers, the Falcons blitzed Josh Allen on 56% of his dropbacks tonight -- the highest blitz rate he's seen in a game since the 2021 season
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) October 14, 2025
Jeff Ulbrich's defense is no longer a flash in the pan
Fans saw the offensive trifecta of Michael Penix Jr., Bijan Robinson, and Drake London as the catalysts behind the performance, but the defensive line proved just as crucial.
Allen was sacked four times and hit six times, so it's safe to the say the willingness to rush the passer provided the rest of the NFL a blueprint to disrupt a player with his skillset—be okay sacrificing an occasional big play to keep extra players in the box.
The #Falcons are sixth in the league in quarterback pressure rate (39.9%) and third in sack percentage (8.9%).
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) October 14, 2025
After two games on the shelf, Atlanta saw star cornerback A.J. Terrell return to the lineup in Week 6, and it paid immediate dividends. The Pro Bowler put the clamps on Keon Coleman while Dee Alford enjoyed the best game of his NFL career, tallying a 90.4 PFF grade in Week 6.
Entering Week 6, the Falcons were first in the NFL in both total defense and pass defense, and are still averaging the least total yards per game after a date with Buffalo's high-octane offense. The three-time Pro Bowler still had some big plays, but the Bills only scored on their opening drives of each half.
Additionally, Allen and the Bills were held to under 20 points and below 300 yards for the first time this season, which is a testament to the success Ulbrich has had in instilling his vision to a young and hungry Atlanta defense.
What once looked like an early-season mirage has morphed into a legitimate identity. Both Jimmy Lake and Ryan Nielsen failed to turn this defense around, yet it took Ulbrich just five games to cement himself as a legitimate head coaching candidate this cycle.
People may have saw it as a mirage at first, but if this dominance is sustained throughout the rest of the season, the next step could be a return to the playoffs.