Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, is a spectacular sports venue with a stunning exterior that will be one of the architectural highlights for visitors in the United States for World Cup 2026. It was officially opened in 2017, has a retractable roof inspired by the Roman Pantheon, according to the man behind the design, and boasts seating for 75,000 fans.
This has been one of the most frustrating Atlanta Falcons seasons in recent memory. Not because the lows were shocking, but because the highs kept pulling you back in. It feels like a long road to get here, full of false starts, brief surges of hope, and the familiar realization that this team was never quite ready to take control of its own story.
What do I do with this? What do I do with this, Atlanta Falcons? Bijan Robinson is one more big game against the New Orleans Saints from potentially challenging Chris Johnson's scrimmage yard record. Kirk Cousins has led this team to a three-game winning streak, the longest since they took control of the NFC South in the earlier parts of last season. Atlanta has a chance to end the season on a 4-game winning streak for the first time since 2019.
The Falcons sprinted out to a 21-0 halftime lead over the Rams only to blow it in the second half, before ultimately winning on a late field goal 27-24. Despite the win, the same old errors and sloppy play continued to appear throughout the night, making the game an excellent microcosm of Atlanta's 2025 issues. Kevin Knight and Allen Strk break it all down. Fellow Falcoholics, welcome to another episode of The Falcoholic Live!
Right before the deeply embarrassing season finale in 2023, where the Falcons were blown out by the New Orleans Saints to seal up a third consecutive 7-10 season, I wrote that Arthur Blank should have already known Arthur Smith's fate. To me, that meant that if Blank was going to keep Smith based on a body of work that spanned 50 games at that point,
In a battle between two of the most tortured fanbases the NFC has ever produced, the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals have historically just about shared the spoils in their respective histories head to head, with the Cards edging out a narrow 18-16 lead. The former St. Louis, turned Phoenix, turned Arizona Cardinals do not have a great history of success in the NFL, but they sure were good at beating the Falcons, after Atlanta's inception into the NFL world in the 1960s.
After another week of amazing football, led off by a crazy TNF divisional win by the Falcons, week 16 is already shaping up to be another all-timer. A primetime TNF game between two of the better teams in the league, A Green Bay-Chicago matchup that may decide the fate of the NFC North, and a chance for the Jaguars to legitimize their spot as a contender in the AFC.
While last week's win over Tampa Bay was not Bryant's first action of the season, it was his most extensive action to date. He was forced to fill in for injured starting cornerback Mike Hughes, who has already been ruled out against the Cardinals. Stepping into the role as a starter, Bryant was repeatedly targeted by Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Their first bold strike came when they signed veteran Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180MM pact with $100MM in guarantees in March 2024. With Cousins in the fold on a mega-deal, there was no expectation the Falcons would immediately use a high pick on a passer in that spring's draft. They stunningly did just that in selecting former Indiana Hoosier and Washington Husky Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall.
The Falcons have been eliminated from the playoffs and have nothing left to play for in 2025, but the final three games are still important. Kevin Knight and Tre'Shon Diaz discuss what's worth saving from the 2025 Falcons, including Kyle Pitts, Zane Gonzalez, the young players all over the defense, and the defensive coaching staff. Fellow Falcoholics, welcome to another episode of the Dirty Birds and Brews podcast!
Outside of the Falcons, the rest of the league is in a heated battle throughout, with 23 teams vying for all 14 playoff spots, which are still up for grabs. But even better, we have a few teams that can clinch their spots in the playoffs: The Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, and Los Angeles Rams can all clinch a spot in the dance this week with wins against their opponents.
The Falcons trailed 28-14, committed a franchise record 19 penalties, and...defeated the Buccaneers 29-28 as time expired. Kevin Knight and Tre'Shon Diaz break down one of the strangest and most unlikely victories in Falcons history, discuss why this result doesn't change anything for Raheem Morris and Co., and enjoy some phenomenal performances from Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson, Kirk Cousins, and James Pearce Jr. Fellow Falcoholics, welcome to another episode of The Falcoholic Live!