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The offense can control early downs through Bijan Robinson and the run game and create defined play-action throws. The defense has a back-end eraser in Jessie Bates III. Atlanta sits in the lower half because quarterback health is unsettled and the pass rush still does not finish enough plays without help.
See how the PFM category ratings shape Atlanta.
Both units still need work for Atlanta. The offense wants to use an outside-zone and play-action plan, with Bijan Robinson as the focal point. The defense wants to use a split-safety scheme.
Kevin Stefanski is the swing factor. The staff has to solve quarterback health and a pass rush that still has to prove it can finish plays. Kevin Stefanski took over and Atlanta added Tagovailoa while Michael Penix Jr. continued his recovery.
Stefanski owns the 20th-ranked coaching grade while Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. give Atlanta two very different paths. The offense needs a clear answer before the competition starts shaping every week.
Tua Tagovailoa can make the offense work off Bijan Robinson, but the 22nd-ranked setup remains fragile when protection or durability becomes the story.
The Falcons win by controlling early downs with Robinson, creating defined play-action throws and keeping the quarterback out of long-yardage situations. Atlanta's run game has to stay involved.
The Falcons are most exposed in obvious passing downs or physical games where protection and quarterback durability become the story. Those games put a spotlight on quarterback health and a pass rush that still has to prove it can finish plays.
Atlanta ranks No. 25 in schedule difficulty, with an average opponent PFM Score of 78.7 and 3 games against current top-10 teams. The toughest three-game run comes in Weeks 10, 12, 13 against Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions; the next 5 opponents average 77.4.
Toughest remaining opponent: 
San Francisco 49ers at 87.2 PFM.
These are the two closest on-field builds in the PFM ratings. The similarities matter, but so do the differences.
The Buccaneers are the closest match because both teams expect the offense to drive the result. The Falcons lean on an outside-zone and play-action offense, while the Buccaneers lean on an aggressive play-action passing offense. The Buccaneers have the better answer at quarterback.
The Vikings are another close match because neither build depends on only one position group. The Falcons get there through an outside-zone and play-action offense; the Vikings are built around a disguised-pressure defense. Coaching is where the Vikings create the separation.
Atlanta and Pitts have agreed to a three-year $54 million extension that keeps him locked up for the foreseeable future. This contract sets the mark for the largest TE deal in league history. Now Pitts has to back this up on the field and become more consistent.
Tampa Bay remains the most proven obstacle in the NFC South. An outside-zone and play-action plan gives Atlanta enough to stay in the race. The remaining problem is quarterback health and a pass rush that still has to prove it can finish plays.
Atlanta has reached 2 Super Bowls and is still chasing its first win.