The Atlanta Falcons couldn’t bring home the win in the season opener, but it wasn’t due to the defensive performances we saw. Unfortunately, the offense and special teams unit let the team down, a story many fans are tired of hearing.
Here’s the Week 1, 3 up and 3 down:
3 up
Sydney Brown
Acquiring Brown was one of Ian Cunningham’s first moves as GM, and it’s already shaping up to be one of his best. When Brown signed, the initial thought was that he’d be a good special teams contributor and competent depth, but Jeff Ulbrich had bigger plans.
Brown was more than depth in the season opener; he was essentially a starter, logging 30 snaps and making every one count. Brown was a force in the box, blowing up runs without fear and getting ball carriers on the ground almost immediately. He also blew up the screen play that led to a fumble recovery. It’s going to be fun to see how his role evolves on this defense, because he’s making it tough to keep him off the field.
Za’Darius Smith
Expectations were low for Smith entering Week 1; he was ready to call it a career and joined the team late. Smith blew those expectations out of the water. On just 16 snaps, he logged 2 sacks, providing the defense with the finisher they desperately needed after losing both Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr.
Smith’s role is expected to grow as the season progresses, but getting production out of him this early on a limited snap count is hopefully a sign of even better things to come for the veteran.
Maason Smith
Smith was acquired in a player-for-player trade involving Ruke Orhorhoro. The initial take was that this was a lemon swap between two franchises disappointed with their 2nd-round investments. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Smith was a force early, splitting double teams and pushing the pocket. If not for a questionable penalty, he would’ve finished the afternoon with a sack. Atlanta has needed a physical presence in the middle of their front, and while it’s too early to say the problem is officially solved, this performance brings the team one step closer to checking that box.
3 down
Matthew Bergeron
It was a middling effort for the Falcons offensive line overall, but when you’re the highest-paid member, the spotlight will always be on you. Many questioned the price tag attached to Bergeron’s extension, and those questions still linger after this week’s performance.
The left guard committed two holding penalties after getting beat clean off the snap. He also blew an assignment when pulling to the backside of the run, resulting in a negative play. There were flashes of good play but not enough to justify the new deal. Jake Matthews and Chris Lindstrom also had off days, so the hope is this was just the group still adjusting to the new scheme.
Nick Folk
The most accurate kicker from 2025 doubled his miss count in the 2026 opener. The 54-yard miss is somewhat understandable; at his age, that could be just outside of his range. However, the 45-yard miss was inexcusable. Yes, Pittsburgh is a notoriously difficult place to kick, but when the team signed Folk, it was with the expectation that he would be able to overcome those difficult environments.
We aren’t hitting the panic button yet; Folk finished 2/4 on the day, but fans will be feeling a little less confident when he steps on the field for the next few games.
Cooper Rush
Rush was thrust into the starting role after Tua Tagovailoa was downgraded with an oblique strain. Rush then started experiencing back spasms the day before the game, and looked uncomfortable from the first snap. It was clear that the ball wasn’t getting aired out in this matchup, and even completing simple screens became a monumental task.
It was interesting to see he had success on the few play-action concepts run Sunday, and if he’s starting again in Week 2, Rees needs to lean into those concepts more if he wants to salvage the passing game.
While the Falcons didn’t get the win, all hope isn’t lost. This defense has legitimate pieces that will keep the Falcons in games all season. If the offense and special teams can pull their weight, this team can win games this year. The team will host the Carolina Panthers in Week 2, who’ve had the Falcons number lately.
