Best NFC 2025 NFL Draft picks
USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon breaks down which teams in the NFC drafted the best this year.
Sports Seriously
The Atlanta Falcons hoped to make a playoff run in 2024 after replacing coach Arthur Smith with Raheem Morris and signing Kirk Cousins to a big-money deal to be the team’s next quarterback.
Instead, Atlanta posted an 8-9 record. While that was the Falcons’ best performance since 2017, it also marked the team’s seventh consecutive losing season.
Will the Falcons be able to break that streak in 2025? They are set to turn to a new starting quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., in an effort to achieve that.
Atlanta surprisingly selected Penix with the eighth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to have him develop behind Cousins. However, after Cousins endured a late-season slump, Penix replaced him for the final three games. His insertion into the lineup wasn’t enough to spark the Falcons to a playoff run, but it established him as the favorite to lead Atlanta’s offense in 2025.
Penix will have plenty of weapons at his disposal – namely recent first-round picks Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts – as he tries to establish himself as Atlanta’s long-term starting quarterback.
Here’s a look at Atlanta’s schedule for 2025 as the Falcons look to challenge the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South.
Buy Falcons tickets for the 2025 season
This section will be updated when the NFL schedule is released on Wednesday, May 14.
Week 1:Week 2:Week 3:Week 4:Week 5:Week 6:Week 7:Week 8:Week 9:Week 10:Week 11:Week 12:Week 13:Week 14:Week 15:Week 16:Week 17:Week 18:Falcons record prediction 2025
Record prediction: 9-8
The Falcons haven’t made the playoffs since the 2017 season when Dan Quinn was their coach and Matt Ryan was the starting quarterback. Atlanta may be poised to break that streak in 2025.
The Falcons are playing in the NFC South, which once again profiles as one of the easiest divisions in the NFL. That’s part of the reason Atlanta has the fourth-easiest strength of schedule for the 2025 NFL season, per Sharp Football Analysis.
Atlanta posted a 4-2 record against the division last season, including two wins over the division-winning Buccaneers. If the Falcons can continue to play well against the Buccaneers, their strong divisional performance should continue.
Atlanta’s non-divisional schedule is a bit more difficult. That said, winnable home matchups against the Dolphins and Seahawks and favorable road tilts against the Colts and Jets could provide the Falcons all they need to post a winning record this season.
Much of the Falcons’ success will depend on whether their defense can take a step forward. They ranked second-to-last in sacks last season (31) and 28th in defensive EPA. Atlanta spent two first-round picks on Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. to fix its pass rush, which has been a long-term issue.
Will that be enough to help the Falcons win the NFC South? The Buccaneers are still favored to win the division, but it should once again be a tight race between the division’s two top teams.
Falcons opponents 2025
Below is a full list of Atlanta’s opponents for the upcoming season.
HomeBuffalo BillsCarolina PanthersLos Angeles RamsMiami DolphinsNew Orleans SaintsSeattle SeahawksTampa Bay BuccaneersWashington CommandersRoadArizona CardinalsCarolina PanthersIndianapolis ColtsMinnesota VikingsNew England PatriotsNew Orleans SaintsNew York JetsSan Francisco 49ersTampa Bay Buccaneers