Atlanta Falcons – Washington Commanders
USA - NFL
15-10-2023 - 19:00 CET
After two consecutive losses at road, the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Houston Texans at their home field (21:19), improving their record to 3-2. All three wins were achieved at home, with notable games against the Green Bay Packers and the mentioned Texans. Against the Packers in Week 2, they staged a remarkable comeback in the final quarter, while last week they hit a field goal winner in the last second. The Falcons' offense appears better than it was in the initial weeks, but it's still not perfect. The defense had some positive moments, but overall, the Falcons have a much better record than their actual quality.
The Washington Commanders experienced a real shock in Week 5. They lost to the Chicago Bears at home by 20:40, marking the Bears' first victory in 12 months. Everything fell apart for the Commanders that night. They didn't shine even before, despite having good moments. Against the Denver Broncos, they staged a great comeback, while they had a chance to triumph against the Philadelphia Eagles, which would have been one of the biggest surprises of the season so far. Quarterback Sam Howell is one of the weakest links in the team. The Commanders' offense has several weapons. Terry McLaurin stands out, although Brian Robinson and Logan Thomas can also generate big plays. The Commanders' defensive line is on paper one of the best in the league, but even that unit hasn't lived up to its status.
The biggest problem for both teams is their quarterback. Ridder and Howell are among the five worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL, and this game will largely be decided by which of them makes fewer mistakes. The Commanders' defensive line can generate pressure with Chase Young, but the Falcons' defense has shown more so far, although it wasn't realistic to expect that. After the debacle against the Chicago Bears, the Commanders had 10 days to prepare for this. On paper, they have a more quality team. The Falcons have already clinched win twice at their home field that they perhaps didn't deserve. The Commanders cannot afford to fall to 2-4 because with the schedule they have, there's no coming back from that. Given how similar both teams are, it's not impossible for a last-second field goal to decide the winner.