Falcons lose 24-23 to Patriots despite multiple opportunities to win.
Nov 02, 2025
Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. got 221 passing yards, went 22/37, and got 3 touchdowns against the New England Patriots in Foxboro.
It didn’t matter.
Drake London had his best game this season, with 118 receiving yards from 9 carries. He connected with Penix Jr. for three TDs.
But it didn’t matter.
Bijan Robinson (46 rushing yards), Kyle Pitts (38 receiving yards), and Tyler Allgeier (6 rushing yards) all hustled to give the Falcons a chance to outflank the Pats in their home field. Falcons’ defense even netted six sacks today.
None of those numbers mattered, either.
Why were these stellar efforts nullified in this game today?
Because of one play. One that has become all too familiar for Falcons fans accustomed to watching the team scramble against time and opponent moves to pull winable games out of the fire, only to end in an embarrassing defeat.
A routine point after attempt from 30 yards after a touchdown. It fell to kicker Parker Romo to make it after a 12-play, 85-yard drive that netted the Falcons their second TD of the game and could have tied the score.
The point after failed, leaving the Falcons a point short. It would be the decisive difference that netted the Falcons their 5th loss of the season, and another addition to the growing pile of reasons for Falcon fans to fume and shake their heads at their hard-luck team.
Besides injuries (two more today: LG Matthew Bergeron, ankle, and Edge Leonard Floyd, hamstring), bad coaching, inconsistent offensive and defensive performance, kicking has been an unexpected sore spot with this team all season. Once reliable kicker Younghoe Koo lost his job with the Falcons earlier this season because his kicks were increasingly less reliable. Now the Falcons are watching his replacement, Romo, missing the goalposts.
The Falcons have to rely on their kicker disproportionately for points because they can’t (or won’t) rely on their run game. Penix isn’t Michael Vick or Matt Ryan yet, either. So the Dirty Birds’ drives tend to come to a screeching halt close to the red zone. They can’t convert on third down, so here comes the kicker. A missed FG or point after (ie, today) could result in a lost game. That’s how the Falcons dropped today’s game to the Patriots, 23-24.
Although the Patriots gave the Falcons a lot of grief in the first half, with 21 points over the Falcons’ 14, the Falcons did enough offensively and defensively to keep themselves in the game somehow. They had plenty of chances to win this game, but as usual, the Falcons burned themselves.
The Falcons were 1/10 on third-down conversions. They got 17 1st downs while New England got 23. They did better than last week in penalties, but still racked up five tickets for 40 yards.
On one particular ill-fated play, the Patriots clapped their hands to simulate Penix Jr.’s snap call, which led center Ryan Neuzil to snap the ball to Penix Jr early. Confused, Penix Jr. threw the ball in the wrong direction and was hit with a grounding penalty. That killed a promising drive that could have netted a game-saving touchdown.
Like every other Falcons game, woulda coulda shoulda ruled the day.
“Got to move on to this next week, said Romo, who was the first to head to the locker room after the game. “Can’t let this one kick affect me. Anytime I go out on the field, I need to make the kick, and that’s all it is.”
“It’s never on one person, it’s never on one play, “ added Penix Jr. after the game. “We have to find ways to execute when we need it the most.”
Coach Raheem Morris said the obvious. “Tough loss. Came up short. Obviously wanted to pull that out today, but did not.”
The Falcons just have not found a way to turn what are solid advantages (the presence of Penix Jr., London, Robinson, improved defense, a little-seen miracle for the Falcons called a pass-rush) into victories. They have lost to teams they have no business losing to (Panthers, Dolphins), and teams that they had opportunities to win against but did not take advantage (Buccaneers, 49ers, now Patriots). Playoff-worthy teams do not operate like this, and the Falcons’ playoff hopes (if they thought they had any) are sinking quickly.
The Patriots’ QB, Drake Maye said in a post-game CBS interview, “Find a way to win. It’s not gonna be pretty every time.” Instead of the ever-used and increasingly stale “Rise Up” slogan, maybe the Falcons need Mayes’ statement written on the walls of the Falcons locker rooms in Flowery Branch and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Yes, it came from the QB of the team that seven years later continues to lionize 28-3, but the message still matters. The Falcons need to start winning again.
They don’t need a pretty win or a decisive win.
They just need to win. Now.
NOTES
Once again, the Falcons’ defense spent too much time on the field. The Patriots held the ball 34:05 minutes to the Falcons’ 25:55. Too many 3-and-outs will do that to you.
A.J. Terrell Jr. got six solo tackles today. LaCalle London got two sacks. Two examples of the Falcons’ defense doing their jobs.
Drake London is this week’s Baller Of The Game: 118 receiving yards on nine receptions for 3 touchdowns. He’s up to 587 total yards this year, 21st in the NFL.
There are a TON of hot takes on social media about the Falcons’ seemingly never—ending problems, but here’s one from 929 The Game’s Mike Conti that points to the Falcons’ erratic performance as of late.
And here’s another one, from Falcons reporter Tori McElhaney. Notice the 3rd down conversion trend.
The Falcons won’t have much time to agonize over the current state of their affairs. They have to hop on a plane and fly to Berlin to take on the 7-2 Indianapolis Colts next Sunday, with a defense that could similarly give them as many fits as their previous opponents.
Will incumbent kicker Parker Romo be joining them on this flight? Some observers say it’s time for the Dirty Birds to audition another kicker.
