What the Falcons Do Now Could Shape How This Coaching Staff Is Viewed

FLOWERY BRANCH – These final three games won’t change the Atlanta Falcons’ standing, but they could shape how this franchise is viewed heading into 2026.

The Falcons are looking to avoid another letdown on Sunday after picking up just their second win in nine games with a stunning 29-28 comeback win over Tampa Bay. With their road trip to Arizona to face the Cardinals, they will look to win a second straight game for just the second time this season.

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In Phoenix, waiting for them is a team that has had a similarly disappointing 2025. The Cardinals sit at 3-10 and at the bottom of the NFC, but this is not as simple a game as the record may indicate.

While they have certainly slowed down over their last two games, Arizona has played in nine one-score games this season. Unfortunately for them, they have won just two of those games and have lost each of their last seven.

This is something the Falcons can certainly relate to. Atlanta has played in seven one-score games, having won just two of them. They have lost three contests on the last play of the game, with two of those going into overtime, and two more that came down to a missed field goal or extra point.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris appreciates how frustrating that can be for a squad.

“I don't think anybody knows it more than us,” Morris said Monday when asked about the Cardinals’ record in one-score games. “These guys, they're playing for each other, and I think that's the most important thing. I think that showed on Thursday, and I think that'll show again this weekend with the way these guys are going out there and playing.”

After such an emotional high on Thursday night and the mini-bye that came after it, the Falcons will need to be mindful not to allow themselves to drop off. Morris said the win, and what comes next, will be important for this team as they build to 2026.

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“Going through everything that we're going to start this week and go through it with the guys and set that up for success and be able to go out there and get it done. So all these challenges are going to help you moving forward,” Morris said. “I think they provide a huge challenge for us. We don't get into the things that everybody else can get into. That's just not the nature of the beast for us because you've got to go play. You're at risk for the same stuff no matter what you're playing for, and these guys know it.”

For a team with nothing to play for, the Falcons’ head coach says that ‘selfless football’ is what must shine through. Morris highlighted the performances of Ryan Neuzil as he pushed himself to gather an unlikely fumble recovery, Kyle Pitts Sr.’s breakout performance, or the steady work ethic of Kaden Elliss and Bijan Robinson.

They have three games to show what their 2026 could look like, and if this team is capable of building off of positive results. How they handle it could shape how this coaching staff is evaluated after an otherwise disastrous season.

Sunday in Arizona is less about the opponent and more about whether Atlanta can prove Thursday night was not just an exception.