Man, what a ride. If you’ve been following the Dirty Birds this year, you know the "cardiac Falcons" label isn't just a meme—it's a lifestyle. Honestly, watching the Atlanta Falcons game highlights from this 2025-2026 campaign feels like sitting on a pressurized steam vent. One second you're soaring, the next you're wondering how a professional football team can find such creative ways to stress out an entire metropolitan area.
We finished 8-9. Again.
I know, I know. It’s the same record as last year. But if you actually watched the tape, this season felt fundamentally different from the Arthur Smith era. Raheem Morris has this team playing with a weird, gritty kind of swagger, even when things are falling apart. We missed the playoffs—Seattle basically ended those dreams in Week 14—but the way this team closed out the year? That’s where the real story is.
The Finale: Stealing One from New Orleans
The Week 18 win against the Saints was peak Falcons. Mercedes-Benz Stadium was electric on January 4, 2026. You could feel the loathing in the air. "We don't like the Saints," Raheem Morris said earlier that week. He wasn't lying.
The highlights from that 19-17 win are basically a James Pearce Jr. and Bijan Robinson sizzle reel. Pearce, our rookie edge rusher out of Tennessee, looked like a man possessed. He got to Tyler Shough for his 10.5 sack of the season, and honestly, he’s the defensive cornerstone we’ve been begging for since John Abraham left.
Then there’s the offense. Kirk Cousins wasn't perfect—he threw a late pick that almost cost us everything—but he did enough. The highlight everyone is talking about, though, is Drake London’s leaping 37-yard grab. He literally climbed over a defender like he was using a ladder. That set up the Zane Gonzalez field goal that ultimately iced it.
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Beating New Orleans to end the year? It doesn't fix the 8-9 record, but it sure makes the off-season beer taste better.
Bijan Robinson is Officially a Problem
If you aren't convinced Bijan is the best back in the league, you aren't paying attention. He didn't just break the Falcons franchise record for scrimmage yards; he shattered it, finishing with 2,197 yards.
Remember that Week 17 game against the Rams?
Robinson went for 229 yards and two scores. One of those was a 93-yard house call where he hit a jump cut that made a linebacker look like he was wearing skates. He’s 215 pounds but moves like he’s made of liquid. People used to complain about his usage, but under Zac Robinson’s scheme, he’s the sun that the entire offensive solar system revolves around.
Why the highlights don't show everything
- The O-Line Grunt Work: Chris Lindstrom is still a human forklift.
- The "Almost" Plays: Kyle Pitts had a three-TD game against Tampa, but for every highlight, there are three plays where he’s wide open and the timing is just... off.
- Jessie Bates III: The man is a vacuum. He finished with his 27th career interception this year. He's the only reason our secondary didn't spontaneously combust in November.
The Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. Dynamic
It’s the elephant in the room. Always. Kirk finished the season 5-3 as a starter. Penix went 3-6. It’s a weird vibe, right? You have the $180 million veteran who actually wins more games, but every time Penix steps on the field, the highlights are just more "explosive."
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Cousins’ best highlight of the year was that Week 15 walk-off win against the Bucs. He looked like the 2022 version of himself, throwing for three scores and leading a classic two-minute drill. But then you see Penix uncork a 60-yard bomb to Darnell Mooney, and you start wondering about 2026.
Honestly, the "quarterback controversy" is kind of overblown. Cousins is the floor; Penix is the ceiling. The problem is that the Falcons spent most of the season living in the crawlspace between the two.
Defense: From "Bend Don't Break" to Just "Break"
We have to talk about the December collapse. Losing to the Seahawks 37-9 at home was a low point. The highlights from that game are basically just Geno Smith carving us up while our pass rush went invisible.
But then, out of nowhere, the defense found its teeth. James Pearce Jr. and Arnold Ebiketie started meeting at the quarterback. In the final three weeks, Atlanta won three straight. They beat Arizona, they beat the Rams, and they beat the Saints.
That’s the nuance of this team. They're good enough to beat anyone, but inconsistent enough to lose to everyone.
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What the Stats Actually Tell Us
People love to look at the 8-9 record and say nothing changed. That’s lazy.
The red zone efficiency jumped to 62%, which was 9th in the NFL. That’s a huge leap. Last year, watching the Falcons in the red zone was like watching a car stall at a green light. This year, they actually finished drives. Bijan Robinson’s 14 total touchdowns and Drake London’s emergence as a true WR1 (919 yards, 7 TDs) prove the talent is there.
The missing piece? A consistent pass rush that doesn't rely on a rookie. Pearce is great, but he needs help.
How to Watch Falcons Highlights the Right Way
If you're looking for the best way to catch up on the season, don't just watch the 2-minute NFL "Fastest Moments." You need the condensed game replays.
- Look for the "All-22" film if you want to see why Kyle Pitts is actually getting open (even if he isn't getting the ball).
- Focus on the Week 15-18 stretch. That’s the real identity of the Raheem Morris era.
- Watch the "Mic'd Up" segments. This locker room actually likes each other. That matters more than people think during a losing season.
Moving into the 2026 off-season, the Falcons have 28 free agents. The roster is going to look different. But with Bijan in his prime and a defense that finally found its identity in the final month, the highlights for next year might actually include a playoff win.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Track the Draft: Atlanta is likely looking at the No. 15-18 range. Focus on interior defensive line depth or another secondary piece to pair with Jessie Bates.
- Watch the All-Pro Announcements: Bijan Robinson is a lock for 1st or 2nd team. Seeing how the league views our stars will tell you a lot about our trade value.
- Review the Cap: Over the Cap shows a lot of movement coming in March. Keep an eye on the Kirk Cousins contract structure; a trade or restructure is almost certain to happen to give Penix more room.
The season is over, but the work isn't. Keep the highlights on loop—we're going to be dissecting that 93-yard Bijan run for a long time.