How Atlanta Falcons Stack Up Against Daniel Jeremiah’s 12-Piece Championship Formula

The Atlanta Falcons are a bit of a wildcard team heading into the 2026 season. No, not the playoff wildcard, though making the playoffs for the first time since 2017 would be nice for the franchise. But there's a high variance between the floor and the ceiling for new head coach Kevin Stefanski.

A big reason for the variance is the quarterback position. An optimist might look at the Falcons' room and see a 28-year-old former All-Pro and a former top-10 pick competing to throw to a bevy of weapons, including Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts.

A cynic might look at the room and see two players who not only struggled last season, but have injury concerns as well.

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah posted his 12-piece formula that all championship clubs must have, and obviously, having the quarterback was the No. 1 spot.

I'd like to revisit this concept for every NFL team. To build a championship foundation, you need to fill these 12 spots:
QB-1
Off Playmaker-3
Quality OL- 3
Pass Rusher- 2
Def Playmaker-3

Fun exercise to compare teams with this focus
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) May 26, 2026

Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa will go a long way toward determining the success, or failure, of the 2026 iteration of the Atlanta Falcons, because they stack up pretty well against the rest of Jeremiah's keys. Those keys include three offensive playmakers, three quality offensive linemen, two pass rushers, and three defensive playmakers.

Let's take a look at how the Falcons stack up.

Offensive Playmaker - 3

Robinson and London tick this box. As a third option, Pitts does as well, though he needs to be a more consistent threat week to week, especially when London is on the field. Pitts got a big chunk of his yardage, which was No. 2 among tight ends last season, with London on the sidelines and the Falcons eliminated from playoff contention.

Wide receiver Jahan Dotson was brought in as a second wide receiver capable of stretching the field and getting yards in space after the catch, and rookie Zachariah Branch has turned heads at OTAs this spring.

Quality Offensive Linemen - 3

The term "quality" might be underselling the importance a bit. The Falcons have four quality offensive linemen in Jake Matthews, Matthew Bergeron, Ryan Neuzil, and Chris Lindstrom. However, only two of those can truly be considered plus players right now: Matthews and Lindstrom.

Bergeron regressed a bit in his third year, but he has everything to play for in a contract year this season and an offensive scheme that will play to his strengths. Neuzil was an excellent replacement for Drew Dalman, but he might not have been quite as good as his No. 5 ranking from PFF might suggest.

In addition, the offensive line is only as strong as its weakest link, and right tackle is an area of concern heading into 2026 with Jaawan Taylor, Storm Norton, and Michael Jerrell as candidates.

By Jeremiah's definition, the Falcons are good here, but it doesn't feel like a championship offensive line, unless Taylor significantly improves over last season.

Pass Rushers - 2

The Falcons qualify, even with the uncertain availability of second-year pro James Pearce Jr. Brandon Dorlus and Zach Harrison can get to the quarterback from the defensive line. Jalon Walker was second to Pearce among rookies in sacks last season with 5.5. Samson Ebukam and Azeez Ojulari both have a history of getting the quarterback.

Defensive Playmakers - 3

This one feels like it could be redundant based on the pass rushers. By default, if a player is a quality pass rusher, he's a defensive playmaker. So, let's count Dorlus and Pearce as the pass rushers and find three more defensive playmakers on the Falcons' defense.

They have one on every level. Walker at edge might be a stretch right now, but he showed flashes as a rookie and is expected to take the next step in year two. At linebacker, Divine Deablo was one of the best free agent signings of 2025 and can change the game rushing the passer or in coverage. And Jessie Bates III is one of the best playmaking safeties in football.

Is that all?

Jeremiah's blueprint was simplistic, and there are probably a lot of teams that feel they fit the criteria. That doesn't mean all of those teams are contenders.

We watched the Falcons implode on several occasions last year on special teams. The lack of a consistent kicker, wretched kickoff coverage, and an even worse return game doomed the team last season.

At the very least, a consistent kicker should be on his list. The Falcons think they got him in free agency this year in Nick Folk, who has been the NFL's most accurate kicker two seasons running.

The Verdict

Without positive quarterback play this year, the Falcons aren't going anywhere, even if they stack up well against the rest of Jeremiah's requirements. If Atlanta is successful this season, either Tagovailoa, Penix, or some combination of both will have to play well.

If they don't, it will be another losing season, another season without the playoffs, and the Falcons will be buyers in the quarterback market next offseason.

If they do, there's no reason the Falcons can't make a run similar to the 2024 Sam Darnold-led Minnesota Vikings, who shocked the NFL by going 14-3.

Sign up for our free Atlanta Falcons newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news!

Add us as a preferred source on Google