NFL analyst predicts humiliating finish for Falcons in 2026

In all the places that matter most, the Atlanta Falcons' roster looks much the same as it was at the end of last season. Improvement then will have to come from two places: quarterback and head coach.

>Kevin Stefanski won two Coach of the Year awards during his time in Cleveland, which should be enough on its own to earn him consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. If Stefanski can work his magic and get better results than Raheem Morris, the future for the Falcons will look very bright, indeed.

>However, Stefanski also needs one of his oft-injured southpaw quarterbacks to come through and deliver. If that doesn't happen it won't much matter where else the Falcons improve.

>According to a projection by Bleacher Report, Atlanta will finish the 2026 NFL season in last place in the NFC South.

"In the NFC South, the Falcons have less momentum than the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints heading into the 2026 season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have enough talent on both sides of the ball to bounce back from an 8-9 record in the previous year. Atlanta drops to the bottom of the division with five or six wins."

This would be a pretty humiliating finish for the team with the most-talented roster in the league's weakest division. By rights, they should win the NFC South comfortably considering how much better they are on paper compared to New Orleans, Carolina and Tampa.

>That being said, they're still missing that last piece of the puzzle. If neither Tua Tagovailoa nor Michael Penix step up then it's entirely possible they will end the year in fourth place. If it looks to be going in that direction around mid season, then the Falcons shouldn't hesitate to explore potential trade options. Anthony Richardson and Mac Jones are both worth considering for different reasons.

>This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: NFL analyst predicts humiliating finish for Falcons in 2026