The Atlanta Falcons are 3-4 and very much in the thick of things in the NFC South race in the first year of the Kevin Stefanski era following their win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Numerous great performances mark a win against one of the best teams in football, and just naturally, most are going to focus on the offense, With that being said, it's the defense for the Falcons which has really been leading the way in the games that they have found a way to win.

This past weekend, Atlanta got the massive boost of not just one, but two of their most important defenders returning to the field, and the results paid dividends. A.J. Terrell was already a star, but with the way C.J. Henderson has emerged this season, this team might really have the best duo of corners in football.

Terrell has been one of the better corners in football for some time, but the former top-10 pick Henderson has not had such a linear trajectory in his career. After being traded from his first team in the Jacksonville Jaguars, Henderson spent years bouncing around the league before arriving to Atlanta in 2025.

This year, he has taken another step and finally looks like the player he was drafted to be under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. After missing the game against the Chicago Bears last week along with Terrell, it was no coincidence that Caleb Williams had a huge game against this secondary.

With both Henderson and Terrell back on the field against the 49ers, Brock Purdy -- who had been having an MVP type season -- struggled and San Francisco wound up turning the ball over four times.

The Falcons have the benefit of having a consummate pro bowler in Terrell and an emerging superstar in Henderson, and they form to help give Atlanta a chance at putting an elite defense on the field. And if they can do that, they are going to have a great shot at winning every week no matter who the opponent is.

Henderson's emergence and Terrell's continued dependability is a story fans should be monitoring closely over the coming weeks, because as things start to come together for this team, it's a very exciting development. Atlanta can be a contender in the NFC is everything goes right, and having Henderson and Terrell is one way towards ensuring that is the case.