The Atlanta Falcons’ season has taken a sharp downturn after a promising 3-2 start. With only four wins heading into Week 14, Atlanta has failed to find consistency on either side of the ball, and its postseason hopes have faded as other NFC contenders surge ahead.
Can The Falcons Make the Playoffs?
The Falcons have endured a frustrating season marked by missed opportunities, late-game collapses, and recurring execution issues that have kept them from reaching their potential.
At 4-8 entering Week 14, the record alone doesn’t tell the full story. Atlanta has repeatedly been on the wrong side of close games, most notably the heartbreaking 24-23 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 9, a matchup many felt they should have closed out.
Costly mistakes have defined their season. Poor clock management, inconsistent third-down execution, and special teams miscues, particularly in the kicking game, have turned winnable moments into losses.
Their recent 24-10 victory over the division rival New Orleans Saints offered a brief spark, but with both the Buccaneers and Panthers winning in Week 13 and the Falcons losing, Atlanta remains stuck in third place in the NFC South and sliding further from contention.
Even with one of the more manageable remaining schedules in the league, Atlanta faces an uphill battle to make the playoffs. With four NFC teams already sitting at nine wins, a perfect finish might still fail to push Atlanta into the postseason picture.
PFSN’s Playoff Predictor, which gives an estimate on how the season is going to play out for the entire league while keeping the strength of schedule in mind, paints a grim outlook as well.
Entering Week 14, the Falcons have just a 0.30% chance to reach the playoffs. Even beating Seattle would barely move the needle, raising the probability to only 0.60%, while a loss would effectively shut the door, dropping their odds to 0.10%.
Atlanta has now turned back to veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins following Michael Penix Jr.’s injury. Penix, ranked 26th in PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, struggled to establish himself before going down. Cousins had a tough outing in a loss against the Seahawks in Week 14, completing 15 of 30 passes for 162 yards and two interceptions. If the veteran wants to show that he should remain with the team next season, he’s got to have a better day.
Final from Atlanta pic.twitter.com/MiOBRKapXZ
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 7, 2025
The 37-9 loss eliminates Atlanta from playoff contention as Atlanta turns to the offseason. While there are still four games remaining, the Falcons are 4-9 and without their first overall draft pick after trading it to the Los Angeles Rams in the 2025 NFL Draft to move up for linebacker James Pearce Jr.
Atlanta Falcons Remaining Schedule
- Week 15: Falcons at Buccaneers
- Week 16: Falcons at Cardinals
- Week 17: Falcons vs. Rams
- Week 18: Falcons vs. Saints
Given their struggles in 2025, these final four games will still be important for Atlanta’s roster. With two divisional games, there’s still bragging rights to play for. Additionally, with a matchup against the Rams, they could always play spoiler. However, the final four weeks will be about this coaching staff evaluating who they will retain and what needs Atlanta needs to address in the 2026 offseason.
