The Atlanta Falcons may face a massive challenge in the postseason. According to reports, the team is set to win the NFC South, which would lead to a Wild Card game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The problem is that these same projections suggest the San Francisco 49ers will advance to meet them there.
The difficulty of facing San Francisco
Facing a 4-0 team that sits at number one in most power rankings is never easy. The 49ers are a heavyweight. We saw how hard this matchup can be last October when the Falcons lost 20-10 on the road. During that game, the 49ers used backup Mac Jones because Brock Purdy was not in the lineup.
Even without their starter, they managed to win. Christian McCaffrey was the main reason, as he finished with 129 rushing yards and two touchdowns. However, our defense has changed since then. The Falcons currently hold the best run defense in the NFL, which might change the math in a rematch.
Atlanta finds success under the bright lights
While the playoff projection looks grim, our team knows how to handle big moments. The Falcons have struggled to reach the postseason since 2017, but they play much better when the cameras are on. Per Yahoo Sports, the team has won nine of their last 13 prime-time games, excluding London matchups.
This is a huge contrast to their 9-16 record in non-prime-time games since the start of 2024. This ability to rise to the occasion is vital for a deep run. It is not just about the quarterbacks like Kirk Cousins or Michael Penix Jr. It is about the playmakers who thrive when the stakes are high.
Running back Bijan Robinson is the leader of this trend. Prime-time games see Robinson averaging 145.5 scrimmage yards per contest, per reports. That number is the highest for any running back in NFL history with at least five such games. To put that in perspective, Barry Sanders is second on that list with 126.3 yards per game in 20 contests, per reports.
Robinson does not let the stage size change his approach. “For me, whether it’s primetime, whether it’s a 1 o’clock game, they’re all the same in terms of my mentality,” Robinson previously said, per reports. “Everybody watches you on TV, and they watch you in the stands.”
