The Falcons get the Sunday off since they already had their Week 15 game (which they won, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29-28), but their regular season is now down to three games.
The Falcons are out of the playoffs, and the best they can do is 8-9, another losing season. But the team will be looking to get as many wins as they can with the limited number of games ahead. So how do the upcoming opponents stack up?
Arizona Cardinals (Sun 21, 4:05 PM State Farm Stadium, Glendale AZ)
2025 Win-loss record: 3-10
| Cardinals | Opponents | Falcons | |
| Third down conversions | 74/175 | 57/151 | 53/166 |
| Offense (plays-avg. yards) | 873.-5 | 840-5.4 | 891-5.4 |
| Rushing (plays-avg. yards | 294-4.3 | 353-4.5 | 382-4.5 |
| Passing (comp-att-int-avg) | 340-509-8-6.7 | 280-432-9-7.1 | 280-458-6-7 |
| Sacks | 45 | 24 | 21 |
| Turnover ratio | 1 | 0 | 2 |
This might be the best chance the Falcons have to pick up a win over the next three remaining games. The Cardinals are obviously struggling with a record worse than the Falcons’, but as this season has told us, an opponent’s losing record is no guarantee of an Atlanta win, especially with these underperforming Falcons. The Falcons do have somewhat better numbers than the Cardinals, especially on offense and defense. The Cards’ third-down conversion record isn’t all that great, 74 of 175, but better than the Falcons ‘ 53/166. The L.A. Rams smashed the Cards 45-17 in Week 14. The team as a whole had 51 rushing yards and 271 receving yards in that game. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett has an 80.78 rating, but Kirk Cousins’ QB rating is higher, at 86.3. The Falcons have a good chance to win this game, but they can’t afford to take this team (or any team in the NFL) lightly.
L.A. Rams (Monday, Dec. 29 8:15 PM at Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
2025 Win-loss record: 10-3
| Rams | Opponents | Falcons | |
| Third down conversions | 52/134 | 64/177 | 53/166 |
| Offense (plays-avg. yards) | 813-6 | 865-4.7 | 891-5.4 |
| Rushing (plays-avg. yards | 346-4.7 | 343-3.9 | 382-4.5 |
| Passing (comp-att-int-avg) | 288-433-4-7.8 | 294-462-13.6.5 | 280-458-6-7 |
| Sacks | 17 | 36 | 21 |
| Turnover ratio | 9 | – | 2 |
The Rams represent the toughest of the three opponents they will face as this season grinds to a close. The two teams on paper seem close in the fundamentals, but the Rams find ways to win, which the Falcons haven’t been proficient in this year. ATL has better offensive and defensive averages, but that works out in the real world as long as you give Bijan Robinson chances to run. It also doesn’t help that one of the other reasons for the Falcons season long offensive production, Drake London, is on the injured list. The Dirty Birds look better in sacks and turnovers, so they may be able to notch a win here if they can bully Rams QB Matthew Stafford.
New Orleans Saints (Monday, Jan 1 TIME TBA, Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
2025 Win-loss record: 3-10
| Saints | Opponents | Falcons | |
| Third down conversions | 64/168 | 55/155 | 53/166 |
| Offense (plays-avg. yards) | 846-4.5 | 829-4.9 | 891-5.4 |
| Rushing (plays-avg. yards | 336-3.6 | 413-4.1 | 382-4.5 |
| Passing (comp-att-int-avg) | 295-446-11-6.3 | 236-360-8-7.1 | 280-458-6-7 |
| Sacks | 35 | 28 | 21 |
| Turnover ratio | -5 | – | 2 |
The Falcons would love to ring in the new year by ringing the Saints’ bell one more time this season at home, but their record in final games isn’t great. They are 1 of 5 in final regular season games. Moreover, the Saints want to go out with a win too, and would also love to do it against their biggest division rivals. The Falcons do have an edge, however. The Saints clearly aren’t the team they once were, and the Falcons could go out with a win if they can affect the passer and force turnovers. The defense will have to contain the still dangerous Alvin Kamara. And the Falcons’ run game needs to be maximized against a not-as-strident Saints defense.
Data provided by NFL.com
