Flowery Branch, Georgia, is hot this time of year. Really hot. The Atlanta Falcons are feeling that heat and the expectations that come with having a young franchise quarterback leading the way.
Head coach Raheem Morris said the players are starting to believe.
“You can already see it, you can already feel it within the weight room. You can feel it in the meeting room,” Morris said. “The excitement, the enthusiasm, you can feel it from the coaching staff.”
Have the Falcons improved?
Morris knows his team improved during the offseason. Quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is the clear leader of a franchise hoping to make a big leap in 2025. The talented supporting cast on offense includes running back Bijan Robinson, who ranked third in rushing in 2024 with 1,456 yards, as well as receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts.
Pitts is feeling the pressure, too. He’s entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the Falcons need him to live up to the expectations that come with being the 4th overall pick in the 2021 draft. Early signs in training camp show a player in step with his young quarterback, something the head coach loves to see.
“I am really fired up, pumped up to see where we can go,” Morris said, “and what we can do from the standpoint of those guys having gotten some time together this offseason.”
Unbiased. Straight Facts.TM
Michael Penix, Jr. finished his rookie season playing in five games, with three starts. He threw for 775 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 58% of his passes and had three interceptions. He also ran for a touchdown in the season finale.
Why is Michael Penix, Jr. the focal point?
Conventional wisdom says the Falcons will only go as far as Penix takes them. The 25-year-old is beginning to sound like the leader they need. He was asked on Tuesday about a fight that broke out between teammates at the end of practice.
“I like it. The energy, but man, we just got to be smart,” Penix said. “We got to be a disciplined team. Obviously, you love the energy. You love the competitiveness, but we know we can’t do that stuff in the game. So, ain’t no need to come out here and do it in practice and slow practice down.”
The Falcons started 6-3 with Kirk Cousins under center in 2024. Then it all fell apart, and after a tough 1-4 stretch, Penix took over for the final three games. He finished the season by winning his debut against the Giants and losing overtime games against the Commanders and Panthers. He threw three touchdown passes and three interceptions during that stretch. Cousins is now the highest-paid backup quarterback in the league, making $27.5 million.
How have the Falcons improved on defense?
The weak link last year was the Falcons’ 23rd-ranked defense. Coordinator Jimmy Lake was fired after the season, and former New York Jets defensive coordinator and interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich took over. Ulbrich will lean on Jessie Bates III, one of the best safeties in the NFL, but the Falcons know they need more help.
General manager Terry Fontenot drafted Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker at No. 15 overall and then traded back up into the first round to snag James Pearce Jr. at No. 26. The hope is that those moves fix a pass rush that had just 31 sacks last year, the second-fewest in the league. The rookies will be tutored by 10-year veteran Leonard Floyd, who signed as a free agent. Floyd believes they’ll be better with time and practice reps.
“The time we’re putting in to learn each other,” Floyd said. “I believe it’s like a brotherhood, rushing the passer, it’s like playing basketball. You gotta be a team up front. So that’s basically what we’re getting used to doing, playing with each other.”
Can they make a run to the playoffs?
The hope is that those changes are enough to turn an 8-9 team that went through a rollercoaster 2024 into a playoff contender. A positive attitude isn’t enough, according to Morris.
“It’s easy for me to get up here and talk tough and tell you what we’re going to do, right? The reality happens out there.” Morris said. The NFC South title could once again come down to Atlanta and Tampa Bay in 2025. The good news for the Falcons is that, despite finishing second last year, they won both games against the rival Buccaneers.
Click this link for the original source of this article.
Author: Chris Francis
This content is courtesy of, and owned and copyrighted by, https://straightarrownews.com and its author. This content is made available by use of the public RSS feed offered by the host site and is used for educational purposes only. If you are the author or represent the host site and would like this content removed now and in the future, please contact USSANews.com using the email address in the Contact page found in the website menu.
