Predicting the Falcons' 2026 Schedule: A Week-by-Week Breakdown

The Atlanta Falcons have finalized their 2026 NFL schedule, and the opinions on what they could accomplish in year one of Kevin Stefanski have already started to roll in.

BetMGM has its predicted win total set at 7.5 wins, which would be more of the same for the Falcons. This franchise has hovered around that number for the last eight years, finishing below .500 and outside of the playoffs every year over that span.

Now that we have the official slate in hand, will that change this season? Falcons OnSI put together the initial reactions to the schedule and predicted what could unfold this season.

WEEK 1 (Sept. 13, 1:00 PM) - at the Pittsburgh Steelers — L

The Falcons starting on the road in Pittsburgh is tough, especially given their bleak history against the Steelers (2-16-1 all-time). However, the Steelers have plenty of questions of their own to answer.

Will Aaron Rodgers play again? How will the Steelers adjust to the change from Mike Tomlin to Mike McCarthy? Is this aging defense set to decline?

This is still a Steelers team that is dominant at home. If Drew Allar or Will Howard starts for them, we can readjust expectations, but until then, this can be chalked up as a loss.

WEEK 2 (Sept. 20, 1:00 PM) - vs. the Carolina Panthers — W

Until proven otherwise, the Bryce Young effect will carry weight in this division rivalry. He has tormented this Falcons defense en route to three-straight wins in the series, but Atlanta feels destined for a rebound. The Panthers are a notoriously slow-starting team, and the Falcons could be the ones to take advantage of it.

WEEK 3 (Sept. 24, 8:00 PM) - at the Green Bay Packers (TNF) — L

The Packers will be hosting the Falcons for their home opener under the lights at Lambeau Field, and this will be a tough game for Atlanta. Fortunately, they will avoid a bitterly cold matchup later in the season, but a prime-time crowd seeing their team for the first time in 2026 will present its own unique challenge.

WEEK 4 (Oct. 4, 1:00) - at the New Orleans Saints (MNF) — W

For whatever reason, the Falcons are notoriously successful on Monday Night Football (9-1 since 2015), and they will hope that continues against the Saints. This matchup is always heated, but it will have some extra juice with the 20th anniversary of the ‘Domecoming’ game. They will get this one, though, and they will silence the New Orleans crowd, just like they did on the 10th anniversary.

WEEK 5 (Oct. 11, 8:20) - vs. Baltimore Ravens (SNF) — L

The Ravens are another team with some question marks coming into the season, but their new head coach, Jesse Minter, should be nice and adjusted to the position by this point. They have been a bit shaky in recent seasons, but the Falcons will have a hard time slowing down Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in that backfield.

WEEK 6 (Oct. 18, 1:00) - vs. Chicago Bears — W

The Bears had a fantastic season last year, the first for head coach Ben Johnson. They were effective in one-score games last season (8-5), but that could also indicate they are in line for some regression in 2026. Week 6 will mark the second leg of back-to-back road games for the Bears, and could be a good opportunity for the Falcons to get up off the mat.

WEEK 7 (Oct. 25, 1:00) - vs. San Francisco 49ers — L

The Falcons could see the return of James Pearce Jr. this week, and that could serve as a jumping-off point for them defensively. However, they will be hosting one of the NFC’s most complete teams.

San Francisco has been notorious for their bad injury luck, but that cannot be something Atlanta can count on. The 49ers are a complete team, and slowing down Christian McCaffrey proved to be impossible for the Falcons last season. Unless they can find an answer for him (maybe a healthy Divine Deablo?), then this will be a tough game for them again this season.

WEEK 8 (Nov. 1, 1:00 PM) - at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — L

The road trip to Tampa proved to be a very fun one for the Falcons last season. Kyle Pitts and Kirk Cousins feasted in the second half, overcoming an exorbitant amount of penalties to steal a game on Thursday Night Football. Atlanta had a lot of success against the Buccaneers under Raheem Morris, and the offense in Tampa looks like a bit of a question mark under Zac Robinson, but that defense will be a problem for the Falcons.

WEEK 9 (Nov. 8, 9:30 AM) - vs. the Cincinnati Bengals (Madrid) — W

The Falcons are limping to Spain for an international showcase against one of the most exciting offenses in the NFL (at least when they have a healthy Joe Burrow), but this team also has some significant roster deficiencies that may not have been covered up. The trip to Madrid will provide some fireworks, but the Bengals will have no answer for the Falcons’ skill players in this game, and Bijan Robinson will run wild.

WEEK 10 (Nov. 15, 1:00) - vs. Kansas City Chiefs — L

No team will struggle getting up for a perennial Super Bowl contender like the Chiefs, even if they are coming off their worst season in a decade. A healthy Patrick Mahomes will sell tickets and garner a lot of attention, but the timing of this game is tough for the Falcons.

The NFL wedged this matchup between a bye week and their international trip. This was already going to be a tough game for Atlanta, but those additional factors make it feel like a loss.

WEEK 11 (Nov. 22) - BYE WEEK

WEEK 12 (Nov. 29, 1:00) - at the Minnesota Vikings — L

The Vikings managed to secure a winning record last season despite dreadful quarterback play from J.J. McCarthy. They should get much better production from a healthy Kyler Murray, and they could be one of the biggest turnaround teams in the NFL. Minnesota’s weapons are still a scary threat, that defense is still ferocious, and Kevin O’Connell is still one of the NFL’s best coaches. Even coming out of a bye week, this one will be tough for the Falcons.

WEEK 13 (Dec. 6, 1:00) - vs. the Detroit Lions — L

Detroit is a scary team, with an offense that features a wide array of talent and a defense with some talent. If they can get some more consistency from their play-calling, they could be a threat to go deep into the playoffs.

But the games between the Falcons and Lions always seem to be a little intoxicated (the Matt Prater delay of game field goal, the clock run-off game after Golden Tate came up short of the goal line, and the accidental Todd Gurley touchdown), and Atlanta could use some of that madness at this point in the season – they just can’t count on it.

WEEK 14 (Dec. 13, 1:00) - at the Cleveland Browns — W

The reunion of Kevin Stefanski and the Cleveland Browns will be good internet fodder, but the game could prove to be a bit of a scrap-fest. By this point in the season, both the Falcons and Browns will be looking for some answers. Atlanta, though, is just a more talented team than Cleveland is. Aside from Myles Garrett, the Browns do not have much to make us think they will be a successful team in 2026.

WEEK 15 (Dec. 20, 1:00) - at the Washington Commanders — W

The Commanders feel like a team that could rebound in 2026. Jayden Daniels will be healthy again, and they should have enough talent to return to the playoffs. These two teams have played each other every year since 2021, but those have largely gone Washington’s way (4-1). Even in the back-to-back cold-weather road games, Atlanta will find a way to take this one.

WEEK 16 (Dec. 27, TBD) - vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — W

The Falcons will be coming back home with rejuvenated confidence, and now they get a team they have fared very well against over the last few years. The Buccaneers got the first one, but the Falcons will take the second. Tampa Bay will likely also have a coaching staff under a lot of heat at this point, and Atlanta will put them on the broiler.

WEEK 17 (Jan. 3, TBD) - vs. New Orleans Saints — L

The Saints are a much-improved team, and they may have found a groove late in the season with a young Tyler Shough, an improving receiving corps, and a strong running game. Atlanta swept this series last year, but it’s unlikely they will do that again.

WEEK 18 (Jan. 10, TBD) - at the Carolina Panthers — L

The Falcons have made a nasty habit of going belly up at the end of the season in recent years. Last year was a nice change, but road trips to Carolina have been particularly ugly for them. A sweep of the series against the Panthers is unlikely, especially given their investment in free agency. After the strong string of wins, the Falcons close the season with a pair of losses.

Falcons' final record – 7-10

Based on this scenario, the Falcons would finish the season at 7-10. No doubt, this would be a frustrating season for Atlanta, since it would mean they extend their dreadful stretch of losing one more year. Still, there will be reason for optimism, given that this is Kevin Stefanski's first year, but lingering doubts will persist until a consistent quarterback emerges for them.

Even with a losing record, that question could be answered. If it isn’t, then they will enter the 2027 offseason with the same thing hanging over their head.

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