5 final thoughts from Falcons’ loss to Bucs; Penix has uncharacteristic day
FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons have reviewed film from Sunday’s 16-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium, where a heavy downpour and strong winds created challenging offensive conditions.
Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski acknowledged the team didn’t do a good enough job in the conditions. The Buccaneers dominated the line of scrimmage and outrushed the Falcons by 225 yards.
“Disappointed in the result, like you can imagine,” Stefanski said Monday.
Before the Falcons board their plane Tuesday afternoon and fly to Madrid for a Week 9 bout with the Cincinnati Bengals, here are five fast thoughts on Atlanta’s third loss in its last four games.
1. Penix’s four interceptions an uncharacteristic day
Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. went 144 consecutive passes without throwing an interception. Then, he threw four in the span of 13 attempts.
Stefanski declined to specify how many of Penix’s interceptions were weather-related versus poor decisions, but the Falcons’ first-year coach didn’t appear worried about the issue recurring.
“We’re however many games in with Mike this season, and he’s done a very nice job taking care of the football,” Stefanski said Monday. “So, obviously, there are factors to all of this. Can Mike play better? Of course, and he knows that, and he will play better. But he’ll learn from it. That’s, again, tough conditions. We all can be better from that outing.”
2. Folk’s struggles wage on
Nick Folk was the NFL’s most accurate kicker in 2023. And in 2024. And in 2025. He missed one field goal each year. What does that mean? Eight games into his Falcons tenure, Folk has missed more field goals (four) than he did the previous three years combined.
The 41-year-old missed another kick Sunday, though it came from 53 yards and missed wide left. He had plenty of leg, but his accuracy faltered in the rainy, windy conditions.
Folk is 12-for-16 on field goals this year, and his 75% make rate ties the Falcons for the eighth-worst field goal percentage in the league. Stefanski has no interest in making a move to replace Folk any time soon.
“Very confident in Nick’s abilities,” Stefanski said. “Won’t think twice about putting him out there.”
3. Daniels takes blame for run defense but Stefanski shifts it to the team
The Buccaneers rushed for a franchise-record 324 yards Sunday. They ran it 56 times, which made a lofty number likely. But Tampa Bay averaged 5.8 yards per carry, its second-most this season, which is particularly impressive given the volume of runs.
Falcons rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels wanted the blame on his shoulders after the game. He said he jumped out of gaps too often. And it’s certainly possible Atlanta’s youth at linebacker — Daniels started next to fellow rookie Harold Perkins Jr. — played a central role in the team’s struggles slowing the Buccaneers’ run game.
But Stefanski wants nobody taking sole responsibility, and it’s worth noting multiple Falcons defensive linemen said after the game their group didn’t do enough, either.
“First things first, give them credit,” Stefanski said. “And then secondly, we all share in it anytime we don’t get what we set out to do. We win as a team, we lose as a team. And as a unit, if it wasn’t going our way, that’s all of us. So, we all have to look at ways that we can be better.”
4. The NFC South is still wide open
With a win Sunday, the Falcons would’ve taken the lead in the NFC South by a half-game over the Panthers, who have already had their bye week. Instead, Atlanta is tied with Tampa Bay and is a half-game behind Carolina.
Falcons safety Jessie Bates III acknowledged it “really hurts” to lose to a divisional opponent. But the positive for the Falcons? The NFC South is wide open, and losing in Week 8 is hardly punished.
“It’s too early — it’s still up for anybody (to claim),” Penix said. “We’ve just got to keep playing our brand of football.”
5. Falcons need to get their run game rolling again. Fast.
The Falcons still have the NFL’s fourth-best rushing offense, averaging 134.8 yards per game on the ground. You’re forgiven if it doesn’t feel that way, especially after the Buccaneers’ performance Sunday.
Through four games, the Falcons averaged 181 rushing yards per game. Over the past four weeks, they’re averaging only 88.5 rushing yards per game. Their success has been halved. It’s quite an unbelievable shift.
The Falcons insist the run game is their offensive identity, and it’s hard to argue. Their two best showings — in Weeks 3 and 4 against the Packers and Saints, respectively — featured 200-yard rushing performances.
But with ground game success escaping them, their offense has struggled.
“We do pride ourselves in running the football,” running back Bijan Robinson said postgame. “They did a good job on their side, but now it’s just on us to go back to the drawing board. Like we always say, ‘Our identity,’ and it takes all 11 of us.
“When you run the ball successfully, it takes a pain on the defense, it helps your whole team. So, for us, it’s our job to figure out how we can get back on track with it and make sure we’re doing all the right things to help this team win in the run game.”