Usually, you don't see a team in a seven-year playoff drought get the third most primetime games, but that is the case for the Atlanta Falcons.
The NFL handed the Dirty Birds five primetime games in 2025, which tells the country just how much they believe in second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
NFL believes in Michael Penix Jr. and the Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback play is often the difference between making the playoffs and not making the playoffs in the National Football League.
We saw that last year with the Falcons; Kirk Cousins played well early and put the team in position to win the division. But then he fell off a cliff, and so did the season.
The late move to Michael Penix Jr. provided a spark, but it was too late by then.
Nevertheless, his late-season play gave us all hope for the future and gave the league reason to put the team in a handful of primetime games.
Raheem Morris' squad will play in five standalone games—only the Chiefs (7) and Cowboys (6) play in more.
- Week 2: at Vikings (SNF)
- Week 6: vs. Bills (MNF)
- Week 7: at 49ers (SNF)
- Week 15: at Buccaneers (TNF)
- Week 17: vs. Rams (MNF)
This is no coincidence; the NFL believes in the Falcons. This is far from what we have seen in previously.
In previous years, we would've chalked each of those games up to likely blowouts. The Vikings, Bills, 49ers, Buccaneers, and Rams have each been consistent playoff contenders the past few years.
The difference with this year's team is Michael Penix Jr. His arm talent and overall potential make the Dirty Birds a surprise contender.
It says everything that the league would match him up against Josh Allen, Brock Purdy, Baker Mayfield, and Matt Stafford in primetime.
In addition, we will see an early game against the Indianapolis Colts in Germany, so that is about a third of the season where all eyes will be on the Falcons.