FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons had the earliest possible bye in the NFL with a Week 5 break. Now that they're back in action, it's time for a temperature check. The season is officially a third of the way over after Week 6 anyway.
The highlight by far in 2025 has been the Falcons' defense.
Atlanta has the No. 1 overall defense in yards allowed with an average of 244 yards per game. The Cleveland Browns are second on the list with a 247.8 average. The Falcons are one of nine teams in the NFL allowing less than 300 yards per game.
For comparison, the Falcons were 18th overall and allowing 335.8 yards per game at this point last season.
The improvement is a product of an offseason defensive revamp. The Falcons brought in a new defensive coordinator with Jeff Ulbrich, who guided the New York Jets to a top five placement in total defense from 2022-24. The Falcons also hired Mike Rutenberg as the defensive pass game coordinator and Nate Ollie as the defensive line coach. Then, Atlanta welcomed even more new faces in the form of players. During the heat of free agency, six of the Falcons' 10 out-of-house signings were defensive, highlighted by edge rusher Leonard Floyd and inside linebacker Divine Deablo. And by way of the draft, four of the Falcons' five picks were defensive, including first-round edge rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr.
A return on investment is already evident.
In addition to their overall top spot, the Falcons also rank first in passing yards allowed per game (135). They're 16th in rushing yards allowed per game (109). Opponents have scored an average of 21.5 points against the Falcons, which ranks 15th.
Below is an overall look at where the Falcons stand compared to the rest of the league.
| Category | Falcons | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Yards Allowed Per Game | 244 | 1 |
| Pass Yards Allowed Per Game | 135 | 1 |
| Rush Yards Allowed Per Game | 109 | 16 |
| Sacks Per Pass Attempt | 9.62% | T-6 |
| Interception Rate | 2.88% | 8 |
| Turnovers | 6 | T-11 |
| Points Allowed Per Game | 21.5 | 15 |
| First Downs Allowed Per Game | 14.5 | 1 |
| Yard Differential Per Game | +118.8 | 1 |
The offense has had some hiccups to start the season but showed real promise in the Falcons' Week 4 win against the Washington Commanders.
Atlanta has the No. 7 overall offense, totaling 362.8 yards per game. The Dallas Cowboys lead in that statistic with a 406.6 average. The Falcons are one of eight teams tallying at least 360 yards per game.
Again, for comparison, the Falcons were 10th overall and averaging 357.4 yards per game at this point last season.
The improvement isn't as drastic as the defense, but it's there nonetheless. The Falcons' offense was operating with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins until Week 16 last year when Atlanta switched to then-rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The unit went into the offseason knowing Penix would be its starter moving forward, meaning it had all of training camp to prepare for him behind center. Penix is going into just his eighth career start in Week 6, and there have been growing pains, such as the Week 3 loss to the Carolina Panthers. But he rebounded well and Week 4 was his – and the Falcons' – best performance of 2025.
The key for Atlanta's offense moving forward is finding consistency.
The Falcons rank sixth in rushing yards per game (136.5) and 13th in passing yards per game. They have scored an average of 19 points against opponents this season, which ranks 26th.
Below is an overall look at where the Falcons' offense stands compared to the rest of the league.
| Category | Falcons | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Yards Per Game | 362.8 | 7 |
| Rush Yards Per Game | 136.5 | 6 |
| Pass Yards Per Game | 226.3 | 13 |
| Sacks Per Pass Attempt | 3.79% | 6 |
| Interception Rate | 2.27% | T-21 |
| Turnovers | 5 | T-12 |
| Points Per Game | 19 | 26 |
The Falcons are 2-2 coming out of the bye and preparing to face the 4-1 Buffalo Bills in a "Monday Night Football" game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET. ESPN will carry live coverage.
