The Falcons’ Most Unexpected Strength Could Make Franchise History

FLOWERY BRANCH – The Atlanta Falcons are chasing some franchise history on Sunday afternoon when they take on the New Orleans Saints. The team has already crossed the 50-sack threshold for the first time since 1997, and just the second time in team history, but they could also surpass that mark in Week 18.

The franchise record is 55 sacks, and the 2025 Falcons are just three away from surpassing that total – ironically, that 1997 team also had a 7-9 record through 17 weeks. This Sunday, the Falcons are taking on a rookie quarterback whom they sacked five times in their first meeting, and only seven teams have allowed more sacks this season (45).

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Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich appreciates the value of potentially reaching the record on Sunday, but he is not planning on doing anything apart from the game plan to reach it.

“I think it's pretty cool,” he said. “Obviously, we want to win the game. We want to play really good defense. We want to do whatever's necessary to win this game. But at the same time, it’ll be something for the guys that were part of that record to really put something into the record books. I think that's always cool. Outside of winning, that's something that they could be proud of.”

After many years of floundering in the pass rush, the Falcons finally feel like they have figured this position out. Atlanta had reached the 40-sack threshold, as a team, just once in the last 20 years, and fewer than 20 sacks twice in that same timeframe.

Their 52 sacks this season rank second in the NFL, and rookie James Pearce Jr. has led the charge for the Falcons. His 8.5 sacks are the most for any Falcons rookie since 1982, and the most for any player in this franchise since 2017. If he finds 1.5 sacks in Week 18, he would become just the eleventh player since 2000 to reach double-digits.

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But the pass rush has hit opposing offenses like arrows in the night.

Brandon Dorlus and his 8.5 sacks will be unavailable on Sunday, but the Falcons will have several prominent contributors ready to get after Tyler Shough and the Saints on Sunday. Atlanta has 16 players who have added to their overall total, and eight have 3.5 sacks or more.

No matter if they reach the record or not, the 2025 season has been an outstanding step forward for the future of the Falcons’ pass rush.