Road matchups, primetime games and more takeaways from the Falcons’ schedule

With the NFL schedule released Thursday night, the Falcons know when and where their games will be during the season.

Here are some quick takeaways from the Falcons’ schedule:

Falcons’ streak of home openers comes to a close

The last time the Falcons started the season away from Mercedes-Benz Stadium was in 2019. For six consecutive years — the tenures of the last two coaching staffs — they’ve opened at home. That streak ends this year, as they begin Stefanski’s first campaign on the road against the Steelers.

Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium is notorious for its difficult environment. The Falcons haven’t played in the Steel City since 2018, and they haven’t beaten the Steelers since 2006.

Three straight primetime games in early-season stretch

The Falcons played five primetime games in both 2024 and ’25. Barring late-season flexes, they won’t reach that mark in 2026, but they have three consecutive primetime contests from Weeks 3-5.

They face the Packers on Thursday Night Football, the Saints on Monday Night Football and the Ravens on Sunday Night Football. The first two are on the road before Mercedes-Benz Stadium plays host to a Week 5 primetime matchup.

Bye week not immediately after Madrid, but it’s close

Though the benefit of a bye week upon returning from Madrid eluded the Falcons, they’re still well-positioned with a Week 11 bye. That said, the Falcons didn’t land a favorable Week 10 draw — the Chiefs will enter Atlanta with Patrick Mahomes expected at full strength.

No matter, one year after a difficult Week 5 bye led to 13 consecutive games to close the season, the Falcons have a more balanced schedule this fall. They’ll play 10 games, get a week off and finish with a seven-game sprint to close the season.

Division games settled

The Falcons opened with NFC South teams in three of the last four seasons, but they won’t see their first divisional foe this year until Week 2, when they host the Panthers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They finish their first run through the division before the season’s halfway point but won’t see another until the final three weeks of the season.

It’s a fascinating end-of-year stretch for the Falcons, who play the Buccaneers, Saints and Panthers in three games that could have significant postseason implications. Barring a runaway NFC South champion, the division will likely be up for grabs — and the Falcons may end up controlling their own destiny.

Strength of schedule, road travel favorable for Falcons

Besides Madrid and the NFC South, the Falcons’ road trips will be spent up north. A few of their tougher climates — Pittsburgh and Green Bay — come in September, which is a benefit, but they still have December games against Cleveland and Washington in what could be frigid or difficult conditions.

Cold temperatures and a rough stretch aside, the Falcons have a relatively advantageous travel schedule. Even with their trans-Atlantic flight to Spain, they have the 13th-shortest mileage in the NFL with 17,431 miles covered, according to Bookies.com. The team will amass approximately 8,660 round-trip miles to Madrid, which is nearly half its total mileage.

Thus, the Falcons will average just over 1,000 miles per continental road game this season. They don’t have any West Coast trips, either — the farthest west they’ll travel is Louisiana. All told, it’s a favorable schedule in the travel department.

It’s favorable on the field, too. The Falcons have the fifth-easiest schedule in the NFL, based on their opponents’ winning percentage last season. That is, however, marginally misleading, given seasons from the Chiefs, Ravens and others anticipating a bounceback.

Difficult stretch exists, but Falcons can make a run

The primetime run will be difficult, but the stretch thereafter is unrelenting, too. The Falcons play the Bears, fresh off an NFC North title, then host the 49ers before hitting the road for a division game against the Buccaneers. Madrid follows, then a home game against the Chiefs before the bye week.

Bodies will be tired. Competition will be tough. But the Falcons will have a chance in the heart of their schedule to separate themselves.