Before the schedule release, the list of opponents seemed manageable. Yeah, there were teams like the Bills, Vikings, and Commanders, but there were also teams like the Patriots, Colts, and Cardinals.
The only thing you could ask for is those tough games to be spread out, preferably late in the season—along with a mid-season bye week.
Well, that didn't happen, and the Dirty Birds have been left with a brutal schedule that could ruin another season.
NFL did the Atlanta Falcons no favors in the 2025 season
The fact that the Falcons were given five primetime games says the NFL believes in them. However, they did them no favors by scheduling most of the tough games early, along with the earliest-possible bye week.
- vs. Buccaneers
- at Vikings (SNF)
- at Panthers
- vs. Commanders
- BYE
- vs. Bills (MNF)
- at 49ers (SNF)
- vs. Dolphins
- at Patriots
- at Colts (in Germany)
- vs. Panthers
- at Saints
- at Jets
- vs. Seahawks
- at Buccaneers (TNF)
- at Cardinals
- vs. Rams
- vs. Saints
The first half of the season is brutal.
They start with a game against the reigning NFC South champs. If you lose, you are already behind the eight ball in the division.
Then they go on the road in primetime against a 14-win team that put on a fourth-quarter onslaught on you last year.
The Falcons stay on the road against a team that beat you the last time they played, and figures to be improved.
Fortunately, they then have back-to-back home games, but they come against two teams that were one game from the Super Bowl early this year. The bye week splits the two games and is expended early.
Weeks 7 and 8 bring games against two disappointing teams from last year that could be back in the playoffs in 2025.
The schedule then dies down; four of the next five games come against teams who drafted in the top ten. Games against the Buccaneers and Rams are the only ones that will keep them up at night.
The issue with the schedule comes from the layout. The Falcons have an inexperienced quarterback who could take a few weeks to get his footing.
The Dirty Birds were not given any leeway to have a sub-par quarterback performance and still win. Everything must be nearly perfect to avoid a disastrous start.
A late-season tough stretch would've been easier to digest as it would've allowed Michael Penix Jr. to get his feet wet.
To put it plainly, Penix has to play at a Pro Bowl level from Week 1 if the Atlanta Falcons want to break their playoff drought, and hopefully win the NFC South.