Falcon Report

7 Scorching Takeaways as Atlanta Falcons Survive Near Collapse vs. LA Rams

The Atlanta Falcons avoided an embarrassing loss after dominating the LA Rams for much of the game on Monday Night Football.
Scott Kennedy|
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson put on a show against the LA Rams on Monday Night Football.
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson put on a show against the LA Rams on Monday Night Football. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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Atlanta FalconsLos Angeles Rams

The Atlanta Falcons 2025 season was summed up nicely in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football.

We saw a transcendent talent, young stars shine, a special teams gaffe, and more. We saw the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Atlanta Falcons all in one game.

The Falcons nearly blew a 21-0 lead because of said special teams, but key plays from young defenders, clutch kicking, and Bijan Robinson were enough for the Falcons to pull out the 27-24 win.

Bijan's Response

Christian McCaffrey had a big game (181 scrimmage yards) on Sunday night to briefly take the scrimmage yards lead from Bijan Robinson. Robinson trailed by just 43 yards and it didn't take long for Robinson to retake the lead and then blow right by it.

He had 45 yards from scrimmage as the Falcons were looking to take a 14-0 lead into halftime, but another Atlanta interception of Stafford (more on that later) gave the Falcons the ball on their own seven-yard line.

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It took one play, and Robinson tacked on a 93-yard touchdown run, the longest of his career and the fourth longest on Monday Night Football.

Robinson finished the game with 229 yards and became the Falcons' all-time leader in scrimmage yards in a single season, passing William Andrews' effort that had stood since 1983.

There's Levels to This

It's not a stretch to say with even just competent special teams, the Falcons would be in the playoffs. The Rams fired their special teams coach after their loss to the Seahawks last week, while the Falcons have backed Marquice Williams.

Another huge special teams gaffe turned the momentum in the game as Eli Wilkson didn't react to the snap and Jared Verse blocked a field goal and returned it for a touchdown. The Falcons were looking to go up 27-10, and instead found themselves in a 24-17 game.

There's really no excuse for the Falcons to have not made a change sooner. Special teams have been bad the last two seasons, not just the last few weeks.

Less Risk, More Reward

ESPN analytics writer Seth Walder's bold prediction was that the Rams would score more than 42 points. His reasoning was sound: Matthew Stafford and the Rams had feasted on blitzing teams. The Falcons' blitz-heavy defense seemed like a good matchup for the Rams.

But defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich saw the stats and video too, and dropped more players into coverage and relied on a four-man rush. The result was the Rams getting shut out in the first half for only the third time under Sean McVay and a pick-six from Jessie Bates III as Stafford got happy feet in the pocket.

It happened again two series later as the Rams were hoping to salvage some points before halftime. Stafford got a mismatch with a wide receiver on linebacker Kaden Elliss, but Elliss had spectacular coverage, and rookie sensation Xavier Watts, part of the draft day trade with the Rams, made a spectacular interception.

The most dangerous defenses in football are the ones that can control the line of scrimmage and/or get pressure with just four players. Watch the Eagles last year. Whipping teams at the line of scrimmage with your front four makes any defensive coordinator look like a genius.

Brandon Dorlus got a sack on the first series of the third quarter when the Falcons only rushed three.

Oh Yeah, That Guy

Through either intellectual dishonesty or incompetence, national media has made a sport out of ignoring Xavier Watts as part of the deal the Falcons made with the Rams on draft day. They lambasted the trade as a gross overpay to send a future first to move up from the second round to the first.

Well, they got a third round pick in return who turned into Watts. Watts is going to be on every all-rookie team across the NFL media-verse after the season, and he had a huge game against the Rams with two interceptions in front of a nationally televised audience.

Upside vs. Experience

The two biggest differences between Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. are arm strength and pocket presence. Cousins isn’t in the same class as Penix when it comes to slinging the ball sideline to sideline.

However, velocity alone is an overrated measure of a quarterback. Where Cousins has looked eons better than Penix in 2025 is his ability to stay calm in the pocket and allow routes to develop. This talent was on display on the Falcons’ first touchdown drive on the touchdown pass to Robinson, where Robinson was allowed enough time to cross in front of Cousins and shake free in the end zone.

This isn’t an indictment on Penix. Cousins should have more pocket presence as a veteran with more years in the league (14) than Penix has starts in his career (12). Penix needs to develop a similar comfort level in the pocket as he gains experience.

A.J. Terrell’s Underrated Trait

A.J. Terrell is easily the Falcons’ best cornerback in a room that lacks talent and depth. He’s got his critics among Falcons fans, but that’s mostly in coverage. He’s one of the most physical, best-tackling cornerbacks in the NFL. He made a tackle on third down to stop Konata Mumpfield short of a first on the Rams’ first drive.

He made another on the Rams' second drive that set up a 4th and 1, and the Falcons made the Rams pay when Khalid Kareem knifed underneath the Rams' left tackle for a bone-crunching tackle for loss against Kyren Williams to give the Falcons the ball.

Summing Up a Frustrating Season

Watching the Falcons dismantle the Rams on Monday Night Football in front of a nationally televised audience just underscores another opportunity to win the NFC South with simply a 9-8 record.

It wasn't lost on Falcons fans that Atlanta began playing their best football of the season after they had been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. This is a team and franchise that absolutely cannot handle success and expectations.

Bad losses to the Panthers, Jets, and Dolphins sank the season of what is obviously a talented team. Will the late-season surge be enough to save Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot in the offseason?

Beating the Saints next week would be another point in their favor, but beating the Saints is no given the way they've played as of late. Expectations are higher for Atlanta in the final week of the season, and that's been the kiss of death for Morris' team.

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Scott Kennedy
SCOTT KENNEDY

Scott is an Atlanta-based sports media professional with stints as Director of Scouting of Scout.com, VP of Content Production at Sports Illustrated, and Managing Editor at CBS Interactive / 247 Sports, among others.

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