The Atlanta Falcons announced their official schedule tonight, featuring several primetime matchups and a trip to Berlin to face the Colts.
- Week 1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 2: @ Minnesota Vikings (SNF)
- Week 3: @ Carolina Panthers
- Week 4: Washington Commanders
- Week 5: Bye
- Week 6: Buffalo Bills (MNF)
- Week 7: @ San Francisco 49ers (SNF)
- Week 8: Miami Dolphins
- Week 9: @ New England Patriots
- Week 10: @ Indianapolis Colts (Berlin, Germany)
- Week 11: Carolina Panthers
- Week 12: @ New Orleans Saints
- Week 13: @ New York Jets
- Week 14: Seattle Seahawks
- Week 15: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TNF)
- Week 16: @ Arizona Cardinals
- Week 17: Los Angeles Rams (MNF)
- Week 18: New Orleans Saints
That’s essentially six primetime games for a team that won just eight games last season, which is a testament solely to Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons quarterback has the entire city of Atlanta hopeful for the future, and the NFL seems to be buying into the hype.
A few thoughts, a Monday Night Football game against the Bills coming out of the bye followed by a cross country trip to take on the 49ers is a brutal stretch. The Dolphins and Patriots are no slouches right after them, and then Atlanta travels to Germany to play the Colts. Those five games could determine the Falcons season rather early.
The four-game stretch at the end of the season is also no walk in the park. The Buccaneers have won the NFC South four straight years, so winning that late season matchup on Thursday Night Football will be pivotal to the Falcons breaking their seven-year postseason drought. The Cardinals could surprise people this year. The Rams were arguably the NFC’s second-best team from a year ago, and the Saints — no matter how bad — is always a tough matchup, especially if New Orleans ha
