The Atlanta Falcons’ 2024 season kicked off on Sept. 8 with an 18-10 home loss at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers. This underwhelming performance comes after an offseason that was marked by flashy and at times questionable moves as the team attempts to return to the playoffs this season for the first time since 2017.
The Falcons began their offseason shakeup by firing head coach Arthur Smith. Smith led the team to three consecutive 7-10 seasons where they finished in the bottom half of the NFL in point differential. The Falcons hired former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris on Jan. 25 to take Smith’s place. Morris returns to Atlanta after leading the Falcons to a 4-7 record on an interim basis during the 2020 season and has previous head coaching experience with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After experiencing subpar quarterback play since trading franchise staple Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, Atlanta hopes to have found a solution in quarterback Kirk Cousins, who they signed in March to a four-year, $180 million deal. Cousins is coming off an Achilles tear that cut his 2023 season short, but prior to the injury, he had consistently been one of the best, most durable quarterbacks during his time as a starter for the Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings.
Cousins also enters an ideal situation in the Falcons’ offense under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. His weapons include dynamic playmakers such as running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, wide receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts and offseason addition Darnell Mooney, all of whom stand to benefit from improved quarterback play. Additionally, Cousins will get to operate behind one of the most formidable offensive lines in the NFL, which is more important now than ever, considering his recent injury concerns.
While the talent certainly warranted the offseason excitement, the offensive unit fell short in the opening game loss. Cousins completed just 16 passes and was intercepted twice, including once during a crucial fourth-quarter drive. The Falcons’ leading receiver was actually Ray-Ray McCloud III with London, Pitts and Mooney combining for just six catches. The offense’s only bright spot was Robinson, who had over 100 yards from scrimmage but never found the end zone.
Defensively, the Falcons improved considerably in the offseason, adding two big-name Pro Bowlers: linebacker Matthew Judon and safety Justin Simmons. Simmons will join cornerback A.J. Terrell and safety Jessie Bates III to form an elite secondary, while Judon provides the team with a much-needed pass rush threat, although he is coming off of an injury of his own. Rookie defensive linemen Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus add fresh depth to a group that includes older but still impactful players Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata.
The Falcons’ defense fared better than the offense against the Steelers but was still disappointing. Backup quarterback Justin Fields led Pittsburgh’s offense after a late-week injury to starter Russell Wilson. The Falcons held the Steelers to under 300 yards of total offense but still allowed them to get into field goal range six times. The defense also allowed momentum-shifting plays, like a 40-yard heave from Fields to receiver George Pickens in the third quarter.
While the Falcons made significant strides to improve their squad for this season, they shockingly selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall in the draft less than two months after signing Cousins. Penix Jr., who led the Washington Huskies to the College Football Playoff National Championship game in his senior season and finished second in Heisman trophy voting, has been lauded for his arm talent and accuracy. But using a top-10 pick to select a backup who has his own injury history and will likely not get a real shot at being the starter for another two years seems like a missed opportunity to add a playmaker that could help the team compete right now.
Despite the potential draft mishap and the weekend loss, fans should remain optimistic about the Falcons’ chances to end the playoff drought this season after the team finished just two games behind first-place Buccaneers in the NFC South in 2023. While the New Orleans Saints and Buccaneers each earned week one wins by a large margin, neither team made any moves this offseason that would indicate a huge jump in performance, and the Carolina Panthers seem to be headed for another year near the bottom of the standings.
As they attempt to rebound from their loss on Sunday, the Falcons will face the toughest stretch of their schedule, taking on the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 16 and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 22. However, with a revamped roster and the rest of the division remaining relatively unchanged, it seems like the pieces are in place for Atlanta to return to the postseason.
