The Falcons’ challenging start to the season goes far beyond just Week 3. The first two weeks of the NFL season have highlighted how unpredictable the league can be. Before the season, many predicted the Falcons would win the NFC South, thanks to their flashy offseason moves, while the Saints and Buccaneers were seen as making minimal improvements. The NFC South was widely considered the weakest division, but early performances suggest that may have been an oversight.
The Saints, despite not making many personnel changes, made a major upgrade by replacing Pete Carmichael with Klint Kubiak. Through two games, they’ve scored 88 points, averaging 44 per game, with Derek Carr emerging as an early MVP candidate. They face the Falcons in Week 4, after a Sunday Night Football matchup with the Chiefs.
Similarly, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have won the NFC South three years in a row, were largely overlooked before the season. They’ve started 2-0, with dominant wins over the Commanders and an impressive road victory against the Lions, a team favored to win the NFC. The Falcons will face the Bucs in Week 5, wrapping up a brutal five-game stretch.
The Falcons stumbled out of the gate in Week 1, looking flat at home against the Steelers. The road ahead only gets tougher with games against the Eagles and Chiefs up next. Weeks 4 and 5, against the Saints and Buccaneers, could be even more difficult. While a 0-2 start can be overcome in a 17-game season, facing the Chiefs, Saints, and Bucs makes this Week 2 game feel like a must-win. Expectations were high for Raheem Morris, Kirk Cousins, and this revamped Falcons squad, but if they don’t drastically improve after their Week 1 disappointment, things could spiral quickly.
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