In just two games, the Atlanta Falcons have managed to reverse all of the negative offseason takes that surrounded this team. Michael Penix Jr., Bijan Robinson and the rest of the Falcons have played so well that even their atrocious two-game start to the season seems like a distant memory.
Things have changed so much and so fast that Atlanta has gone from being a punchline to a dominant favorite according to most analysts.
Going Into their Week 5 prime-time game against the Baltimore Ravens, all five of NFL.com's expert picks are in the Falcons' favor. Brooke Cersosimo makes the case based on the mismatch at quarterback with Lamar Jackson out.
"Tyler Huntley would make his first start of the season. He's proven to be a capable backup (winning
both of his starts for the Ravens in 2025), but will he do enough in the pass game to keep Atlanta's defense from solely keying on Henry? Stepping in for Jackson in the second half last week, Huntley attempted only one pass of 10 or more air yards, while three were short throws (0-9 yards) and five occurred behind the line of scrimmage. Not sure that'll get the job done against a Falcons' offense that's scored with ease with Michael Penix Jr. under center."
Huntley is underrated for a backup quarterback, but he's also nowhere near the challenge that Jackson represents for opposing defensive playcallers. WIth the two-time league MVP on the sidelines defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich can focus most of his attention on stopping Derrick Henry whiled armed withthe best rushing defense in the NFL.
Penix comes into the game red hot, having performed at an exceptional level after his first drive against Green Bay resulted in an interception. In fact, if he had enough drop backs to qualify Penix would be leading the league in The Atheltic's new metric QB Index.
All that being said, the biggest strength this team has is superstar running back Bijan Robinson, who's played so well in prime-time games that he's getting compared to Barry Sanders. If the Ravens don't find an answer for No. 7, it won't much matter how the rest of it goes.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: NFL.com experts all in on Falcons against Ravens
