Two very obvious signs the Falcons are no fluke

The vision Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris had for the Atlanta Falcons is finally starting to come together.

The offense is led by a budding quarterback with an explosive arm, surrounded by a trio of stars, all selected inside the top ten picks. Bijan Robinson, as Raheem Morris likes to say (and few would argue right now), is the best all-around player in football. Drake London has entered the elite wide receiver conversation, and even Kyle Pitts is enjoying his best season since his rookie campaign.

The Falcons rank second in the league in yards per game (378.8), trailing only the Dallas Cowboys (387.5), and their dominant rushing attack leads the NFL with 151.2 yards per game.

But the biggest difference in Atlanta right now is the defense. For most of the last two decades, this unit has been rightfully mocked as one of the league’s worst, plagued by a non-existent pass rush and holes throughout the secondary. New defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has completely changed that narrative, molding this group into one of the NFL’s most physical and disciplined defenses.

On Monday night, the Falcons became the first team to hold Josh Allen and the Bills to under 300 yards of offense. The reigning NFL MVP was sacked four times and limited to just 180 passing yards with two interceptions. It was the ultimate test for a Falcons defense that relished the opportunity to show what it can do on a national stage.

Through five games, Atlanta ranks first — yes, first — in total defense, thanks largely to a pass defense that has been nothing short of elite. The Falcons are allowing just 139.4 passing yards per game, easily the best mark in the league, with the next closest being the Vikings at 157.6.

Atlanta also ranks eighth in takeaways and, perhaps most impressively, 11th in sacks with 14 — despite playing one fewer game than every team ahead of them.

The Falcons’ success over the past two weeks is no fluke. They’re playing true complementary football, running the ball better than anyone while pairing it with a stingy defense. That’s the recipe for sustained success in the NFL, and it takes a ton of pressure off a first-year starting quarterback still learning the nuances of the position at the highest level.

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