The Atlanta Falcons are headed into the regular season looking to hit the reset button as the franchise and give themselves a real chance to compete for a spot in the playoffs.

Given that the NFC South is still likely the weakest division in all of football, Kevin Stefanski has a realistic chance at competing right out of the gate and being able to take this team where it has not been in almost a decade. The Falcons will attempt to navigate a schedule that is not easy by any means but does not look like one of the toughest in football either.

If certain things -- namely the quarterback position -- come together, this team can absolutely win out of the gate in 2026. Following a relatively late and much-needed bye week in Week 11 coming out of the toughest portion of the schedule, Atlanta begins its final stretch with a game that should be very winnable.

It's tough to evaluate exactly what Minnesota is going to be this year given they are just one year removed from being one of the best teams in the NFC. Quarterback trouble after letting Sam Darnold go was their downfall last season, and while Kyler Murray arrives to potentially bring some stability there, it remains to be seen if he's capable of a strong year.

Stopping the Vikings offense of course starts with Justin Jefferson, but Kevin O'Connell is one of the brightest offensive minds in the game and will scheme guys open even if A.J. Terrell has the game of his life shutting Jefferson down. Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings present real threats as well, and O'Connell will get them open one way or another.

Defensively, things don't get any easier as Brian Flores has found a way to give opposing quarterbacks fits over the years. Ultimately, this is a team that is a whole lot more dangerous than they showed in 2025, and if Minnesota is still in the playoff hunt, the fans will be noisy.

Coming out of the bye, Stefanski had better have this team ready to go because the Vikings are absolutely a group capable of inflicting a whole lot of pain. This is a week which could set the tone for the rest of the year, which could be both a good thing as well as a bad thing.