The Atlanta Falcons have let one loss turn into two and are on the verge of letting that turn into four if they can’t get it right quick.
There were still a few positives to take away, but not many in the
second blowout of the year. Here’s the week 8 3 up and 3 down.
3 up
Michael Penix Jr
Loss can bring clarity. Penix was out with an injury, and many were certain this was a “soft benching,” and that Kirk Cousins would prove a bad young quarterback was holding back the passing attack. I love it when a narrative blows up in people’s faces like this.
Penix might be the biggest winner from yesterday. That was the worst defense the Falcons have played by a long shot, and the offense couldn’t get anything going. Moving forward, fans need to understand that grading Penix in this offense requires a curve. He definitely has bad plays where blame can’t be shifted, but he’s not anchoring this group. Based on what we saw yesterday, he’s been keeping them afloat more times than not.
Kyle Pitts
It was National Tight Ends Day, and Pitts celebrated by leading the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards (he even rushed the passer!). The hands remained reliable during the quarterback switch, but the bland route concepts also followed him. Whenever he’s been allowed to stretch his legs, good things happen for the Falcons offense.
Pitts has been the most consistent receiving option this year and is meeting the standard the team set for him. There’s not much else he can do on his end. Unfortunately, the structural issues of the offense have taken their toll.
Mike Ford
The special teams ace had another impressive stop on punt return. Ford looked rusty in Week 1 but has been a reliable tackler on the unit since. Special teams have been all over the place this season, but at least one signing is paying off.
3 down
Kirk Cousins
If you still had hope someone was trading for Cousins, it’s time to retire that dream. No one is paying for what they just saw. “Well, the OC doesn’t help.” Sure, that’s true, to a point. However, that doesn’t change the fact that Cousins looks like an old, worn-out version of himself.
He still can’t move. The one time he tried to get out of the pocket, he immediately regretted the decision. Balls were still late and lacking zip. Did this look like a $30M player, his price tag for 2025? The answer is unequivocally no. No one wanted to trade for Cousins, and they weren’t buying the shoulder injury story that came to light during last year’s Super Bowl media week. This was ultimately a bad investment, and it’s okay to admit it.
JD Bertrand
Per PFF, over the past two weeks, JD Bertrand has allowed 9/10 completions when targeted, surrendering 87 yards and two touchdowns in the process—not good. Bertrand reminds me of the Falcons linebackers of my youth, legends like Paul Worrilow and Nate Stupar—the type of linebacker who always makes a secure tackle 8 yards downfield.
Bertrand is well on his way to being remembered alongside these figurative gods of football, that is, unless Jeff Ulbrich finally realizes that Bertrand’s unique way of seeing the game is catastrophic for everyone else involved.
Zac Robinson
Players are still running wrong routes, the middle of the field is still an afterthought, and the volatility has been consistent regardless of who’s under center. The biggest issue with ZRob is that his scheme is tailored to his liking rather than to either of his quarterbacks’ or the offense’s strengths. Nothing has changed from Kirk → Penix → Kirk. He believes his scheme is bulletproof, and what’s frustrating is that this scheme could actually be good if Robinson were willing to be less rigid with his offense.
That stiffness has allowed him to be found out by opponents, and is hampering the development of Michael Penix Jr., which matters more than anything at this point. To make matters worse, there is no experienced play caller on this staff behind him.
The Falcons are 3-4 and on a two-game losing streak. Atlanta has back-to-back road games against two of the best teams in the AFC on deck. As our fearless leader (Dave) at The Falcoholic loves to say, gird your loins.
