Falcons’ Final Three Games Will Shape Evaluation of Coaching Staff For 2026

The Atlanta Falcons will use their last three games to assess how the coaches are viewed heading into 2026. The squad aims to build off a 29-28 comeback win over Tampa Bay when it heads to Arizona on Sunday.

Head coach Raheem Morris said the remaining matchups will help mold the team's future. Atlanta has won just two games in its last nine. They want a second straight win for only the second time this season.

The Falcons have played in seven one-score games this season. Three losses came on the last play, two went to overtime, and two more were decided by a missed field goal or extra point.

Arizona sits at 3-10 and at the bottom of the NFC. The Cardinals have played in nine one-score games, winning just two and losing their last seven straight.

"I don't think anybody knows it more than us," Morris said Monday when asked about the Cardinals' record in one-score games, according to SI.com. "These guys, they're playing for each other, and I think that's the most important thing."

Morris said the win over Tampa Bay and what happens next will matter as the squad builds toward next season. He stressed that all remaining tests will help them move forward.

"Going through everything that we're going to start this week and go through it with the guys and set that up for success and be able to go out there and get it done," Morris said. "So all these challenges are going to help you moving forward."

The head coach said selfless football must shine through for a squad with nothing to play for in the standings. Morris pointed to Ryan Neuzil's fumble recovery, Kyle Pitts Sr.'s breakout performance, and the work ethic of Kaden Elliss and Bijan Robinson as examples.

Atlanta has three games to show what 2026 could look like and whether the roster can build off positive results. How they handle the stretch could mold how the coaches are assessed after a disappointing season.

Sunday's game in Phoenix is less about the opponent and more about whether Thursday night's win was an exception or the start of something different.