The Carolina Panthers' defense, under coordinator Ejiro Evero, opened the 2026 season with a crushing 59‑point loss to the Chicago Bears and again struggled against Tampa Bay’s ground game, surrendering 322 rushing yards and 43 points. Despite improved play against Atlanta in Week 2, the unit remains bottom‑ten in third‑down stops and penalties, raising questions about Ever0’s job security. The author argues the defensive collapses are too frequent for a roster that includes stars like Derrick Brown, suggesting it may be time to reassess Evero’s fit, though not yet firing him.
The 49ers fall 29-20 to the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 26, their first loss amid a rash of injuries and costly penalties. Brock Purdy throws for 288 yards, two picks and a season‑low 75.8 rating, yet he remains the NFL’s all‑time career passer‑rating leader at 104.8, ahead of Lamar Jackson, according to Tim Kawakami. Missing stars like Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and an injured Christian McCaffrey limited Purdy’s options. The 49ers regroup for a Nov. 8 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Mike McCarthy’s “run‑first” take on his traditionally ground‑heavy Steelers finally shows results. After a pass‑heavy start to the 2026 season—41 throws to 21 runs vs. Atlanta and 49 passes to 22 carries in the Week 6 win over Tampa Bay—the Steelers embraced a heavier rushing attack against New Orleans. Using offensive lineman Spencer Anderson as a jumbo tight end, Pittsburgh opened with a 29‑yard rush by Jaylen Warren and kept the ball on the ground, amassing 12 carries for 6.4 yards per try on the opening drive. McCarthy credits the front‑seven’s dominance and a revamped line, built by Omar Khan and Andy Weidl, for reviving the team’s core identity while still leveraging big‑play receivers like DK Metcalf.
NFC South power rankings after Week 7. Are the Atlanta Falcons or Tampa Bay Buccaneers the favorites?
49ers PFF grades and snap counts from Week 7 reveal the team's top performers, biggest struggles, Brock Purdy's lowest grade, and a season-low pass rush.
Despite a long postseason drought, the Atlanta Falcons show promising signs under new leadership. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., returning from an ACL injury, is posting a 67% completion rate, 109.2 passer rating, nine TDs to one INT, and a QBR ninth in the league, guiding Atlanta to a 3-2 record in his starts. The rookie class, built without a first‑round pick, contributes immediately: Avieon Terrell anchors the secondary, while Kendal Daniels, Harold Perkins Jr., and Zachariah Branch make impact plays on defense. Offseason moves add depth, with trades for Maason Smith and Gervon Dexter Sr., plus low‑cost free agents Za’Darius Smith (4.5 sacks), Cam Thomas, and Samson Ebukam bolstering the pass rush. These developments suggest the Falcons could finally get their QB and defense right.
Michael Penix Jr. was excellent during Sunday's 29-20 win over the previously unbeaten San Francisco 49ers, throwing for 213 yards and three scores.
The Los Angeles Rams must win both remaining games before the November 10 trade deadline to keep playoff hopes alive. After a 35-21 victory over the Raiders, they face a winless 0-6 Chargers and a struggling 1-4-1 Commanders, teams whose combined 3-15-1 record offers little margin for error. Sitting 3-4, the Rams trail the 4-3 Packers, Seahawks and Falcons for the final NFC spots, and a loss could trigger a fire‑sale of stars like Matthew Stafford and Myles Garrett for future draft assets. Both the Rams and Chargers treat the upcoming clash as a de facto Super Bowl of 2026.
The 49ers lost to the Falcons for several reasons, but Kyle Shanahan can be overly upset at the nature of penalties his team took.
The 49ers drop their first 2026 game, 29-20 to the Atlanta Falcons, but three players still shine. Rookie RB Kaelon Black earns a star despite a costly fumble, rushing 12 times for 63 yards and a 30-yard TD in relief for an injured Christian McCaffrey. TE George Kittle, highlighted on National Tight End Day, posts a game‑high eight catches for 88 yards but also fumbles the fourth turnover. McCaffrey, the top star, tallies 100 rushing yards and a TD on just 13 touches before a thigh injury sidelines him for much of the second half. The piece breaks down each star’s impact as San Francisco heads into a bye week at 6‑1.
The Atlanta Falcons upset the 6-1 San Francisco 49ers 29-20 on Oct. 26 at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium. Michael Penix Jr. threw three TDs, completing 25 of 34 passes for 213 yards and a 118.9 rating, while the Falcons defense forced four turnovers (two picks, two fumbles) that proved decisive despite being outgained 400‑295. Brock Purdy threw for 288 yards and a score but was intercepted twice. Key scores came from Penix to Kyle Pitts and Drake London, with Nick Folk’s late field goal sealing the win. The victory moves Atlanta to 3‑4, second in the NFC South, and drops the 49ers to 6‑1.
E.J. Jenkins, the former Eagles tight end, is headed to the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad after being waived last week, according to Andrew DiCecco. Philadelphia did not retain him, despite previously using him as their third tight end and the option to elevate him three times. Jenkins joins a growing list of ex‑Eagles—Andy Dalton, Za’Darius Smith, Olamide Zaccheaus, Jahan Dotson, Sydney Brown, Nick Muse, Robert Longerbeam, Trey Sermon, and Cameron Williams—now in Atlanta, where former Eagles exec Ian Cunningham serves as GM. The Eagles, left with tight ends Dallas Goedert and Johnny Mundt on the active roster and Zach Ertz on the practice squad, are expected to make additional moves before the Week 7 deadline ahead of their Dallas Cowboys matchup.
The Falcons pull off a statement 24-15 win over the previously unbeaten 49ers in Week 7. After trailing 14-3, Michael Penix Jr. sparks a comeback with three touchdown passes—two to Nick Muse and Kyle Pitts—while the defense forces crucial turnovers, including a game‑changing interception by rookie Kendal Daniels. A late field goal by Nick Folk seals the victory, giving Atlanta a 3-2 record since Penix returned and reviving hopes of ending the playoff drought that began in 2017. The win comes amid a tough schedule that still includes the Packers, Ravens, Bucs, Chiefs, Bengals, Vikings and Lions.
The Atlanta Falcons add 27‑year‑old tight end E.J. Jenkins to their practice squad, NFLTradeRumors reports. Jenkins, a South Carolina and Georgia Tech alum, went undrafted in 2023 and has bounced between the Jets, Eagles, and Raiders, most recently appearing in six games for Philadelphia in 2026 without recording a statistic before being cut before Week 7. He now joins Atlanta hoping to earn a roster spot after multiple futures deals and practice‑squad stints.
Cincinnati scored 35 straight after halftime in Baltimore, Tampa Bay put 26 on Carolina in one quarter, Atlanta handed San Francisco its first loss, the Giants won in overtime in Houston, and Seattle held Kansas City to a field goal. Here is every Sunday final with its box score.
George Kittle bluntly says the San Francisco 49ers’ 29-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons was their own fault, citing four turnovers as the decisive factor. After building a 14-3 lead, the 49ers saw Brock Purdy throw two picks, rookie Kaelon Black lose a fumble, and Kittle himself fumble late, allowing Atlanta to turn the mistakes into 13 points. Safety Jessie Bates III forced Kittle’s fumble and added an interception. The defeat ends the 49ers’ 6-0 start, leaving them 6-1 heading into a Week 8 bye, with Kittle stressing that eliminating turnovers is essential for a return to winning form.
The 49ers started strong enough but ultimately fell apart to the Falcons in Week 7, and there's plenty of blame to go around.
The Atlanta Falcons pull off a stunning upset over unbeaten San Francisco, rallying from a 14‑3 deficit to win 39‑12 on Oct. 25, 2026. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. throws two TD passes with a clean 25‑34, 213‑yard performance, while the defense forces four turnovers and shuts the 49ers to just six points after halftime. Key contributions come from rookie returner Zachariah Branch’s 61‑yard kickoff return and solid kicking by Nick Folk despite a missed extra point. The victory revives the Falcons’ NFC South hopes and showcases a whole‑team effort that could signal a shift from their recent mediocrity. Fans will want to see how this win fits into Atlanta’s inconsistent 2026 campaign.
Williams posted a +0.32 EPA per dropback when the Patriots blitzed him. For context, it was the second-best EPA/DB performance by an NFL QB this season in a game where the opponent blitzed at least 50% of dropbacks. Michael Penix, in the Falcons' Monday Night Massacre of the Saints, was the only one better (9 of 12, 147 yards, 1 TD, 1 sack, 143.4 rating).
Fred Warner and San Francisco 49ers are undefeated no more. They suffered their first loss in the 2026 NFL regular season on Sunday, as Michael Penix Jr. and the Atlanta Falcons thumped them, 29-20, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Among the chief reasons behind San Francisco’s Week 7 fall was its letdown ball security. The […]
The post 49ers’ Fred Warner’s Postgame Honesty Hits home After Falling Prey to The Falcons appeared first on Gridiron Heroics .
Baker Mayfield played through a dislocated thumb in Week 3 thanks to a makeshift glove engineered by a Tampa Bay Rays clubhouse attendant after Nike couldn’t supply a protector. The custom glove, described as a "Frankenstein" hybrid, sparked a wave of NFL fan memes—including O.J. Simpson references—when insider Ian Rapoport posted photos on X. Mayfield returned to action, leading the Buccaneers to a 43-13 win over the Carolina Panthers, throwing a TD to Tez Johnson after a 1‑5 start. Coach Todd Bowles praised his practice performance and the team now faces the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 1.
Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels made a memorable comeback from a frightening neck injury, helping his team hand the previously unbeaten San Francisco 49ers their first loss of the season with a 29-20 win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday. A mere week after suffering the injury, Daniels spearheaded Atlanta’s defensive effort with a team-high […]
The post Falcons LB Kendal Daniels makes fearless admission after sealing 49ers game in return appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Baltimore Beatdown surveyed fans after the Ravens' first six games under new head coach Jesse Minter, handing the staff a B‑overall grade. The team sits 4‑2, with recent wins over the Colts, Titans, Cowboys and Falcons, but also a costly loss to the Browns that erased a double‑digit lead. Fans cite improving defense and penalty reductions, yet note lingering second‑half woes and an injury‑hit offensive line. Confidence dipped from 79% to 48% after the Browns defeat and may fall further unless Lamar Jackson returns. Despite the slump, the Ravens still sit at +1100 odds to win the Super Bowl, though division hopes now require a sweep of their final four games.
The 49ers suffer their first loss of the season, 28-24 to the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium, dropping to 3‑4 and heading into a bye week. QB Brock Purdy struggled with timing and mis‑communications, while the secondary—particularly Ji’Ayir Brown and Jack Jones—was called out for poor coverage. Despite outgaining Atlanta 400‑295, four turnovers proved costly. Coach Shanahan’s trimmed receiving corps and lingering injuries to Mike Evans and Nick Bosa limited the offense. Analysts note the loss may spark roster tweaks at kicker, cornerback, wide receiver and possibly the defensive line, with names like Josh Sweat and Khalil Mack mentioned.
After a Week 7 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, the Seattle Seahawks improve to 4‑3 and climb to second place in the NFC West behind the 49ers (6‑1). The 49ers’ 29‑20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons ends their unbeaten run, while the Rams (3‑4) and Cardinals (2‑5) also slip. Despite the win, Seattle remains outside the playoff picture, sitting eighth in the NFC and trailing the deep NFC North for a wild‑card spot. The article breaks down the updated West and conference standings and what the Seahawks must do to stay alive.