ATL Standard

The Atlanta Falcons are preparing for Week 13 with the aim of ending a two-game losing streak. The team used their bye week to recover and evaluate their performance as they strive for a postseason spot.

The key focus for Atlanta is converting drives into touchdowns. The Falcons have struggled in recent games, failing to finish drives effectively. They have a record of 6-0 when scoring at least 20 points but are winless when scoring fewer than that. This includes a victory over New Orleans in Week 4 without an offensive touchdown.

In Weeks 10 and 11, missed opportunities, such as three drives ending with missed field goals, significantly impacted game outcomes. The inability to score touchdowns has placed additional pressure on the defense and forced the offense into unfavorable scenarios.

Earlier in the season, Atlanta was effective at turning drives into points, ranking tenth in points per drive and ninth in touchdown percentage per drive. However, their performance has declined recently, dropping to third worst in both categories over the last two games.

Despite having one of the fewest offensive drives this season, Atlanta ranks twelfth in points per drive and touchdown percentage. While not yet cause for alarm, it is evident that improvements are necessary.

The team's success hinges on scoring more than 20 points per game. In victories where this threshold is met, Atlanta averages higher points per drive and converts red zone possessions into touchdowns more efficiently compared to losses.

Offensive penalties have been detrimental to Atlanta's production. "You're moving the ball," Raheem Morris noted regarding self-inflicted errors that halt progress. Penalties have cost the team significant expected points added (EPA), equating to three touchdowns lost due to infractions.

Even with penalties affecting efficiency, the Falcons manage to score on nearly half of their penalized drives but see a drop in touchdown rates and red-zone efficiency due to these setbacks.

Atlanta remains focused on improving all phases of play as they lead NFC South by one game over Tampa Bay Buccaneers with six games left. Their offense ranks eighth in total yards per game despite challenges faced this season.

As they prepare for Sunday's match against Los Angeles Chargers—a team allowing only 15.9 points per game—maintaining early-down success will be crucial for securing victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.