The Falcons have developed a habit of showing up in prime time. The rest of the time, they often don’t.
Consider this: Atlanta has a 4-1 record in 2025 night games. They upset the Vikings on Sunday night in Week 2, the Bills on Monday night in Week 6, the Buccaneers on Thursday night in Week 15, and the Rams on Monday night in Week 17. (The Falcons’ only prime-time loss happened in Week 7, on a Sunday night in San Francisco.)
In 11 day games, the Falcons are 3-8. The eight losses include Ls dealt by the 3-13 Jets, 4-12 Commanders, and 7-9 Dolphins (who were 1-6 when they beat the Falcons in Atlanta).
What gives? Why are they so good under the lights, and so underwhelming in the light of day?
It requires a full diagnosis of the organization. Top to bottom. Every nook. Every cranny. They’ve got a Ferrari of a roster, headlined by running back Bijan Robinson. However, the car seems to only run right in the dark. What keeps it from firing on all cylinders when the sun is in the sky?
Something is off. Something is keeping the Falcons from showing more consistently the kind of sizzle we’ve all seen in night games.
Before it can be fixed, owner Arthur Blank needs to figure out what it is. And he needs to do it himself, hiring an outside entity if necessary to get to the bottom of it. Indeed, it’s possible that whoever within the organization is whispering to him is part of the problem.
The Falcons have missed the playoffs for eight straight seasons. It’s the longest current postseason drought in the NFC. This year, the NFC South was there for the taking.
They have the talent. They just aren’t getting enough out of it, not nearly often enough.
The fact that they can consistently maximize the players’ skills and abilities in prime time shows it’s possible. It can’t be impossible to get to the bottom of whatever is keeping them from winning more games when they aren’t playing at night.
Currently, Blank is reportedly talking to former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan about a potentially “significant” front-office role. If Ryan takes the job, his first order of business (if he accepts the assignment) should be to diagnose the source of the day/night disconnect that has derailed what could have been a very good season.
