ATL Standard

Winning the time-of-possession battle does not necessarily lead to success in the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers currently have the best average time of possession (35:38) in the league but hold a 1-2 record entering Week 4. Similarly, the Indianapolis Colts rank last in time of possession (21:26) and also have a 1-2 record.

Other examples illustrate this point as well. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings are both undefeated at 3-0. However, while the Steelers rank second in average time of possession (33:55), the Vikings are near the bottom at No. 29 (27:21).

The focus should be on points scored rather than how long a team holds onto the ball. The Atlanta Falcons, who are also 1-2 and rank 31st in average time of possession (24:36), understand this principle. In their game against the Kansas City Chiefs, they demonstrated multiple ways to achieve an ideal outcome.

In that game, the Falcons' offense quickly scored on a seven-play, 70-yard drive that took just three minutes and 53 seconds, ending with a touchdown pass from quarterback Kirk Cousins to wide receiver Drake London. Meanwhile, the Chiefs had a lengthy opening drive of 17 plays for 75 yards over eight minutes and 21 seconds but ended with an interception by Falcons safety Justin Simmons.

Despite Kansas City's longer possession time, Atlanta led with a more important score advantage of 7-0.

This example highlights complementary football where offense scores points and defense prevents them. While an evenly split time of possession would be ideal to avoid overworking either unit, it is often unrealistic due to inherent gaps within games.

Currently, Atlanta's defense has played significantly more than its offense—106 minutes and 12 seconds compared to 73 minutes and 48 seconds—a gap they aim to reduce as the season progresses. The defense ranks nationally tied for 13th in points allowed per game and is positioned at No.18 for yards allowed per game. They have conceded only four touchdowns while their offense has managed five touchdowns.

Offensively, Atlanta struggles statistically, being tied for No.26 in points scored per game and ranked No.20 in total yards per game. One critical area impacting their performance is third-down conversions; they succeed only 22.22% of the time, ranking them at No.29.

Defensively on third downs, opposing teams convert at a rate of 45.45%, placing Atlanta at No.26 in this category as well.

The imbalance between offensive drives sustained and defensive stops created has led to disparities in time of possession without resulting in a significant scoring margin difference—the Falcons have been outscored by only twelve points despite opponents holding onto the ball much longer.

Looking ahead to their upcoming match against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, there is optimism if Atlanta's offense can improve its efficiency and effectiveness on drives which may help balance their overall gameplay better.

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