Falcons head into bye week on 2-game losing streak and reeling from worst defeat since 2021

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons are still in first place.

That's about the only good news heading into their bye.

The Falcons (6-5) have lost two in a row and are reeling from their worst defeat since 2021, a 38-6 shellacking at the hands of the Denver Broncos.

“You can take a grenade and just throw it on the whole game,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said Monday. “You've got to kind of reset and start over from the beginning.”

The main thing working in the Falcons' favor is geography. They are the lone team in the NFC South with a winning record, putting them in prime position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017 even with the two-game skid.

The key is not to let the sting of those defeats have a lingering effect after the week off.

“You always want to go into the bye off a win because it just makes the bye that much sweeter. We didn't get that done," linebacker Kaden Elliss said. “So you learn from it, you grow from it and then you flush it. We'll get away for a little bit and come back rejuvenated and ready to roll.”

What’s working

Younghoo Koo made a pair of field goals, including a 51-yarder, to ease some concerns about his recent struggles. Bradley Pinion averaged 50 yards a punt.

That's about it.

What needs help

Where to begin?

On the offensive side, QB Kirk Cousins has failed to throw a touchdown pass in back-to-back games for the first time in his starting career, while the running game was held to a season-low 50 yards.

The defense allowed 400 yards to the Broncos and had no answer for rookie QB Bo Nix, who completed 28 of 33 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns. The Falcons have yet to figure out a way to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, ranking last in the league with just 10 sacks through 11 games.

Stock up

S Jessie Bates III forced a fumble for the fourth time this season, tying him for the NFL lead.

Stock down

Cousins, the $180 million quarterback, has struggled mightily the past two weeks, with two interceptions, no scoring passes and six sacks. RB Bijan Robinson was held to 35 yards on 12 carries. The Falcons' defense gave up 199 yards after the catch, the most it has allowed this season.

Injuries

The bye week came at an opportune time for the Falcons, who are as banged up as they've been all season.

CB Mike Hughes (neck), nickel back Dee Alford (hamstring), ILB Troy Andersen (knee), DL Ta’Quon Graham (pectoral), DL James Smith-Williams (tibia), TE Charlie Woerner (concussion), ILB JD Bertrand (concussion) and DB Antonio Hamilton Sr. (pectoral) didn't suit up against the Broncos. Graham and Smith-Williams both went on injured reserve.

Then, during the game, four more players went down: WR Darnell Mooney (hamstring), CB Kevin King (concussion), DL Zach Harrison (knee) and WR Casey Washington (concussion).

Key number

2.4 — Average yards per carry against the Broncos, which was a season low for what had been an effective running game.

Next steps

After the week off, the Falcons return to action with two straight challenging games. They host the Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) on Dec. 1, followed by a trip to Minnesota to face the Vikings (8-2) on Dec. 8.

If Atlanta gets through that gauntlet, the schedule looks more favorable the rest of the way. Three of the last four games are against teams (Las Vegas, the New York Giants and Carolina) with a combined record of 7-23.