And just like that, we’re back and preparing for Week 1. That wait wasn’t so long, now was it? (Just kidding, yes it was). With the return of Falcons football, I’m happy to re-start this article series for yet another season.
If this is your first time reading a “what if” article of mine, then welcome, I’m thrilled you’re here! The concept is simple, and is basically what the name suggests. Every week, we will look at the theoretical scenarios the Atlanta Falcons face if they were to win their next
matchup as well as if they lose it. We will essentially be doing nothing but stepping into the world of hypotheticals.
What this series becomes will ultimately be decided by the Falcons themselves. If they win enough, we will sit here in November and December taking a look at playoff scenarios. If they don’t win, then we will languish in our own misery contemplating and tracking how good of a pick they will be sending to the Los Angeles Rams.
Let’s begin for the inaugural time in 2025. Here is the scenario the Falcons face if they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1, as well as if they lose.
If the Falcons win
This will be just their second victory in the season opener since 2017, going 1-6 in that span with the only triumph coming in 2023 against the Carolina Panthers.
Beyond just the feel good factor here, the Falcons will have achieved success in objectively one of their two most important games of the season in a vacuum (the other being the return matchup at Tampa Bay in Week 15). This figures to be another two horse race for the NFC South title between these teams, and these direct clashes could decide everything.
On paper, Atlanta has a very difficult schedule to open up the season, with Minnesota, Washington and Buffalo all on the horizon within the first five games as playoff teams from last season, and winning the two NFC South matchups early on (this one and the Panthers Week 3) would go a long way in giving some breathing room in case of any difficulties or slip ups.
The Michael Penix era technically started in Week 16 of last season, but this game feels like a true beginning to it and beating Tampa Bay would be a perfect start, as a tone setter for what could be the season this fanbase has been waiting for for a long time.
If the Falcons lose
All of the good vibes from training camp will go up in smoke, as it seems to for the majority of teams which suffer defeat in Week 1. To make matters worse, defeat to Tampa Bay would put the Falcons behind the eight ball immediately when it comes to the NFC South.
This would also break a successful string the Falcons have had in recent years of four wins in five games against their rivals from the Sunshine State, although the Bucs seem to always get the last laugh with four consecutive division titles to their name coming into this season.
The pressure will immediately be put on the Falcons with the barrel of that incredibly tough start to the season schedule staring down at them with an 0-1 record. All of a sudden that game in Minnesota will be put even more under the microscope, as things could get ugly in the early going quickly with a few defeats stacked on top of each other.
