For the sixth time in as many seasons, the Washington Commanders will meet the Atlanta Falcons, this time at Northwest Stadium
After taking a look at matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans, we dive into the Washington Commanders' week 15 opponent when they look to secure their third consecutive home win against the Atlanta Falcons.
2025 Record: 8-9, Lost tiebreaker for Division
Key Players: Michael Penix, Tua Tagovailoa, Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Jake Matthews, Jessie Bates, AJ Terrell
Key Losses: Kirk Cousins, Leonard Floyd, Kaden Elliss, Dee Alford, Tyler Allgeier, Elijah Wilkinson
Key Additions: Tua Tagovailoa, Nick Folk, Jake Bailey, Jahan Dotson, Austin Hooper, Brian Robinson, Christian Harris
How They Fared:
Atlanta finished with an 8-9 record for the second year in a row, and while they were tied for the division lead at season’s end, they lost the tiebreaker and missed the postseason for the eighth straight year. Head coach Raheem Morris and General Manager Terry Fontenot were let go in the offseason, replaced by Kevin Stefanski and Ian Cunningham, respectively. Quarterback Michael Penix struggled in his first year as a starter, completing just over 60% of his passes, and passing for nine touchdowns in nine games before a torn ACL ended his season. Kurt Cousins finished out the year, leading the team in a four-game winning streak to end the season. Running back Bijan Robinson was named a First-Team All-Pro, combining for over 2200 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns, leading to a major contract extension. The Falcons finished top ten in rushing yards, but 19th in passing and 26th in touchdowns. Tight end Kyle Pitts led the team in receptions and yards, his best year since 2021, earning him the franchise tag during the offseason. Drake London was right behind him in yards and finished third on the team in catches. On defense, rookie safety Xavier Watts led the team with five interceptions, teaming with Jessie Bates to form one of the best tandems at the position in 2025. Atlanta’s first round picks also made an impact in their first year in the league. Jalon Walker finished with 5.5 sacks, while James Pace was the team leader with 10.5, earning him third place in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. The play of those three rookies helped the Falcons up from 23rd in total defense in 2025 to 15th in 2026, while finishing top ten in takeaways. However, things will not be as great in year two as Walker is out for the season with a torn ACL, while Pace will face an eight-game suspension for an off the field incident.
2026 Expectations:
Atlanta has the lowest odds to win the NFC South, sitting at +400 on DraftKings. They are tied with the Titans at +13000 odds to win the Super Bowl. With questions at both quarterback and edge rush, the Falcons go into 2026 as one of the most uncertain teams in the league.
Key Matchup: Bijan Robinson vs. Washington Defensive Line
Robinson is arguably the best back in the NFL right now and just earned a big contract extension that made him the highest paid back in the league at the time (was broken by Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs). Last year, he rushing for over 1400 yards for the second straight year, while finishing second on the team in catches and third in receiving yards. His play earned him First-Team All-Pro as a running back and Second-Team All-Pro as an All Purpose player. He has a solid offensive line around him led by left tackle Jake Matthews and right guard Chris Lindstrom. While there is a big unknown of the play at right tackle following the retirement of Kaleb McGray and signing of Jawaan Taylor, Robinson should still be the focal point of the offense and a challenge for the Commander defensive line. The line took a big hit this week with the announcement of Jer’Zhan Newton overgoing surgery for a torn pectoral with his return uncertain right now. This means others will have to step up around Daron Payne, who is Washington’s best player on defense. Veteran Tim Settle will be needed more than ever following Newton’s injury, while Javon Kinlaw’s second year has to be more impactful than his first. Other players on the defensive line like Shy Tuttle and Charles Omenihu need to be ready anytime they are placed in the game or else Robinson will find holes to break through. If the defensive line holds up, gets into the backfield early and often, and force Atlanta to throw the ball more than they want, they will have an opportunity to control the flow of the game.
