2015 Atlanta Falcons season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 Atlanta_Falcons_50th_anniversary_logo.png Atlanta Falcons 2015 8–8 2nd NFC South Dan Quinn Arthur Blank Thomas Dimitroff Georgia Dome Did not qualify RB Devonta FreemanWR Julio JonesCB Desmond TrufantFB Patrick DiMarco Falcons seasons The 2015 season was the Atlanta Falcons' 50th in the National Football League (NFL) and their first under new head coach Dan Quinn. The Falcons started the season 5–0, their best start since 2012. However, they struggled throughout the rest of the season, losing eight of their remaining eleven games to finish at .500 for the first time since 2005. After their Week 15 win at EverBank Field against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Falcons managed to improve their record from the previous season. The highlight of the season was the team's Week 16 victory over their divisional rival Carolina Panthers who were 14–0 coming into the game. The Falcons thus denied the Panthers a perfect regular season, which would have made them the second team since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule to achieve that feat.The 2007 Patriots were the first; however, the Patriots lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. When the NFL regular season was only 14 games long, the 1972 Miami Dolphins achieved a complete perfect season finishing 17—0, while when it was still shorter, the Chicago Bears achieved perfect regular seasons in both 1934 and 1942, but lost the NFL Championship game on both occasions. The Falcons' 2015 coaching staff produced three future head coaches: quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur, offensive assistant Mike McDaniel, and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. 3 Offseason Coaching staff changes thumb|Dan Quinn at his introductory press conference On December 29, 2014 head coach Mike Smith was fired after back-to-back losing seasons. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced the hiring of Dirk Koetter as their new offensive coordinator. On January 15, 2015, the New York Jets announced the hiring of Joe Danna as their new defensive backs coach. On January 16, 2015, the Oakland Raiders announced the hiring of Mike Tice as their new offensive line coach. On January 18, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Kyle Shanahan as their new offensive coordinator. On January 23, 2015, the Chicago Bears announced the hiring of Glenn Pires as their new linebackers coach. On January 24, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Raheem Morris as their defensive backs coach and assistant head coach. On January 26, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Richard Smith as their defensive coordinator. On January 25, 2015, the Falcons promoted Wade Harman Tight Ends Coach, formally the assistant offensive line coach. On January 29, 2015, the San Diego Chargers announced the hiring of Mike Nolan as their linebackers coach. On January 31, 2015, the San Francisco 49ers announced the hiring of Tim Lewis as their defensive backs coach. On February 2, 2015, Dan Quinn was hired as the Falcons' 16th head coach. On February 2, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Chris Morgan as their offensive line coach. On February 3, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Bobby Turner as their running backs coach. On February 3, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Mike LaFleur as their offensive assistant. On February 3, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Marquand Manuel as their defensive backs coach and senior defensive consultant. On February 4, 2015, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced the hiring of Andrew Weidinger as their offensive assistant. On February 4, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Steve Scarnecchia as their assistant to head coach coach. On February 8, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Jeff Ulbrich as their linebackers coach. On February 10, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Matt LaFleur as their Quarterback coach. On February 10, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Doug Mallory as their defensive Assistant & Linebackers coach. On February 10, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Mike McDaniel as their offensive assistant. On February 10, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Chad Walker as their defensive assistant & defensive backs coach. On February 10, 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Keith Carter as their assistant offensive line coach. Free agents Number Player Position 28 Javier Arenas Cornerback 71 Kroy Biermann Defensive end 3 Matt Bryant Kicker 68 Gabe Carimi Offensive tackle19 Drew Davis Wide receiver42 Patrick DiMarco Fullback30 Charles Godfrey Free safety79 Mike Johnson Offensive guard20 Dwight Lowery Free safety98 Cliff Matthews Defensive end27 Robert McClain Cornerback86 Bear Pascoe Tight end91 Corey Peters Defensive tackle32 Jacquizz Rodgers Running back64 Jonathan Scott Offensive tackle35 Antone Smith Running back52 Nate Stupar Linebacker50 Osi Umenyiora Defensive end56 Sean Weatherspoon Linebacker 14 Eric Weems Wide receiver 26 Josh Wilson Cornerback 13 T. J. Yates Quarterback Re-signings Date Player Position Contract SourceFebruary 24, 2015Cliff MatthewsDefensive end2 years / $1,505,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Extend-Two-Vets-Sign-WR-Williams/3187e4b5-db15-4196-942f-a69282b278b1 Falcons Extend Two Vets, Sign WR Williams Atlantafalcons.com 2015-02-24 2015-03-27February 24, 2015Patrick DiMarcoFullback2 years / $1,495,000February 25, 2015Matt BryantKicker3 years / $8,500,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Sign-K-Bryant-to-Contract-Extension/ec6328ab-3bef-4ba2-ae8c-6085d6157777 Falcons Sign K Bryant to Contract Extension Atlantafalcons.com 2015-02-25 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150318022526/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Sign-K-Bryant-to-Contract-Extension/ec6328ab-3bef-4ba2-ae8c-6085d6157777 2015-03-18 dead March 3, 2015Nate StuparLinebacker1 years / $585,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Sign-LB-Stupar-to-Extension/536aed1e-ef5b-425c-9015-55777d90fe38 Falcons Sign LB Stupar to Extension Atlantafalcons.com 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402141206/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Sign-LB-Stupar-to-Extension/536aed1e-ef5b-425c-9015-55777d90fe38 2015-04-02 dead March 5, 2015Charles GodfreySafety1 years / $1,500,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Sign-Veteran-S-Godfrey-to-Extension/c73ab87c-46d9-47e4-a130-c33f11c6bed2 Falcons Sign Veteran S Godfrey to Extension Atlantafalcons.com 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402131131/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Sign-Veteran-S-Godfrey-to-Extension/c73ab87c-46d9-47e4-a130-c33f11c6bed2 2015-04-02 dead March 6, 2015Eric WeemsWide receiver2 years / $3,000,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Sign-Weems-to-Contract-Extension/3632ba03-f2bd-4ade-aaf1-8b3ed8c73000 Falcons Sign Weems to Contract Extension Atlantafalcons.com 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402125611/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Sign-Weems-to-Contract-Extension/3632ba03-f2bd-4ade-aaf1-8b3ed8c73000 2015-04-02 dead March 9, 2015T. J. YatesQuarterback1 years / $1,500,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Sign-QB-Yates-to-Extension/ad5333dc-afb9-4f01-949d-85e1c165bb08 Falcons Sign QB Yates to Extension Atlantafalcons.com 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402121046/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Sign-QB-Yates-to-Extension/ad5333dc-afb9-4f01-949d-85e1c165bb08 2015-04-02 dead March 10, 2015Antone SmithRunning back1 years / $1,400,000https://twitter.com/AtlantaFalcons/status/575426417464311808 Atlanta Falcons on Twitter: "The Falcons have agreed to terms with LB Justin Durant, G Mike Person, LB Brooks Reed and RB Antone Smith. #RiseUp" Twitter.com 2015-03-10 2015-03-27March 18, 2015Kroy BiermannLinebacker1 years / $1,925,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Biermann-Returns-to-Falcons-with-New-Contract/19154482-e244-464a-8ac7-37f1c0f53cc6 Biermann Returns to Falcons with New Contract Atlantafalcons.com 2015-03-18 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150323080355/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Biermann-Returns-to-Falcons-with-New-Contract/19154482-e244-464a-8ac7-37f1c0f53cc6 2015-03-23 dead Team additions Date Player Position Previous team Contract SourceFebruary 13, 2015Allen BradfordLinebackerSeattle Seahawks 1 year / $660,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Add-Linebacker-Bradford-to-Roster/d0a01404-0308-491f-a064-58636fa258ee Falcons Add Linebacker Bradford to Roster Atlantafalcons.com 2015-02-13 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150327065742/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Add-Linebacker-Bradford-to-Roster/d0a01404-0308-491f-a064-58636fa258ee 2015-03-27 dead February 24, 2015Nick WilliamsWide receiverWashington Redskins 2-year / $1,100,000March 10, 2015Brooks ReedLinebackerHouston Texans 5-year / $22,000,000March 10, 2015Justin DurantLinebackerDallas Cowboys 3-year / $10,800,000March 10, 2015Mike PersonGuardSt. Louis Rams 3-year / $3,350,000March 10, 2015Leonard HankersonWide receiverWashington Redskins 1 year / $1,000,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Add-Wide-Receiver-Hankerson/27478bb5-e267-4828-b9be-f7ecc3a6ee40 Falcons Add Wide Receiver Hankerson Atlantafalcons.com 2015-03-11 2015-03-27March 12, 2015Adrian ClaybornDefensive endTampa Bay Buccaneers 1 year / $3,000,000http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2015/3/12/8203029/falcons-free-agency-adrian-clayborn-phillip-adams-sign-with-atlanta Falcons free agency: Adrian Clayborn, Phillip Adams sign with Atlanta Thursday The Falcoholic 2015-03-12 2015-03-27March 12, 2015Phillip AdamsCornerbackNew York Jets 1 year / $745,000March 12, 2015O'Brien SchofieldDefensive endSeattle Seahawks 1 year / $1,700,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Agree-to-Terms-With-LB-Schofield/8e5ed1ed-7033-4cdb-9249-7dd52385a208 Falcons Agree to Terms With LB Schofield Atlantafalcons.com 2015-03-12 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150323123413/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Agree-to-Terms-With-LB-Schofield/8e5ed1ed-7033-4cdb-9249-7dd52385a208 2015-03-23 dead March 18, 2015Jared SmithOffensive guardSeattle Seahawks 1 year / $440,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Add-More-Depth-to-OL-With-Smith/a7d28b86-8301-4a30-8ed6-8463fe8ec145 Falcons Add More Depth to OL With Smith Atlantafalcons.com 2015-03-18 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150326024816/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Add-More-Depth-to-OL-With-Smith/a7d28b86-8301-4a30-8ed6-8463fe8ec145 2015-03-26 dead March 19, 2015Jacob TammeTight endDenver Broncos 2-year / $4,000,000http://www.atlantafalcons.com/media-lounge/photo-gallery/Falcons-Sign-TE-Jacob-Tamme/1f51f346-907f-454f-9aaa-5b8cb6767c84 Falcons Sign TE Jacob Tamme Atlantafalcons.com 2015-03-19 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150326061406/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/media-lounge/photo-gallery/Falcons-Sign-TE-Jacob-Tamme/1f51f346-907f-454f-9aaa-5b8cb6767c84 2015-03-26 dead March 19, 2015Tony MoeakiTight endSeattle Seahawks 1 year / $745,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Continue-to-Add-to-TE-Position/af8df7bb-dc78-4455-9afe-3abc35f91f90 Falcons Continue to Add to TE Position Atlantafalcons.com 2015-03-19 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150322104152/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Continue-to-Add-to-TE-Position/af8df7bb-dc78-4455-9afe-3abc35f91f90 2015-03-22 dead May 4, 2015Collin MooneyFullbackTennessee Titans 2-year / $1,100,000http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Add-Former-Army-FB-Mooney/ade66915-45b4-4b50-aa86-fd5fd872e440 Falcons add former army Fullback Atlantafalcons.com 2015-05-04 2015-05-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20161024152732/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Add-Former-Army-FB-Mooney/ade66915-45b4-4b50-aa86-fd5fd872e440 2016-10-24 dead May 14, 2015Tyler PolumbusOffensive tackleWashington Redskins UndisclosedJay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Sign-Veteran-Tackle-Polumbus/389bbfcd-a59e-46f5-918b-f403578dc297 Falcons Sign Veteran Tackle Polumbus Atlantafalcons.com 2015-05-14 2015-09-04May 14, 2015Chris ChesterOffensive guardWashington Redskins 1 year / $2,800,000Jay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Sign-Veteran-Guard-Chester/11d1090e-7a54-47e7-99f8-c600bff70d9a Falcons Sign Veteran Guard Chester Atlantafalcons.com 2015-09-04July 29, 2015DeMarcus LoveOffensive tackleDenver Broncos Unknownhttp://www.ajc.com/news/sports/football/falcons-sign-offensvie-tackle-demarcus-love/nm8k9/ Falcons sign offensive tackle DeMarcus Love www.ajc.com 2015-07-29 2015-09-04August 7, 2015Michael FordRunning backChicago Bears Unknownhttps://www.espn.com/blog/atlanta-falcons/post/_/id/14734/with-devonta-freeman-tevin-coleman-ailing-falcons-sign-a-running-back With Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman ailing, Atlanta Falcons sign RB - Atlanta Falcons Blog - ESPN Espn.go.com 2015-09-04August 16, 2015Terrell ManningLinebackerNew York Giants UnknownConway, Kelsey http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/blog/article-1/Falcons-Make-Roster-Moves/b2481e97-7389-46e2-be18-edf538a4dda1 Falcons Make Roster Moves Atlantafalcons.com 2015-09-04August 16, 2015Evan RoysterRunning backWashington Redskins UnknownAugust 24, 2015John HarrisWide receiverPhiladelphia Eagles UnknownConway, Kelsey http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/blog/article-1/Falcons-Sign-WR-Harris-Waive-LB-Spruill/e982b4c0-ec7b-4727-9163-8ebf1bd66b6f Falcons Sign WR Harris, Waive LB Spruill Atlantafalcons.com 2015-09-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20150826224255/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/blog/article-1/Falcons-Sign-WR-Harris-Waive-LB-Spruill/e982b4c0-ec7b-4727-9163-8ebf1bd66b6f 2015-08-26 dead August 26, 2015Rex GrossmanQuarterbackCleveland Browns UnknownConway, Kelsey http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/blog/article-1/Falcons-Sign-QB-Grossman-Waive-RB-Royster/da5f0188-d00a-454e-b1ee-dea7cbee1a61 Falcons Sign QB Grossman, Waive RB Royster Atlantafalcons.com 2015-09-04 Departures Date Player Position Note New Team SourceFebruary 26, 2015Steven JacksonRunning backReleasedNew England PatriotsJay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Part-Ways-with-Veteran-RB-Jackson/b6a578dd-3cbc-4f6d-8c57-a21ae4588c44 Falcons Part Ways with Veteran RB Jackson Atlantafalcons.com 2015-03-27February 27, 2015Harry DouglasWide receiverReleasedTennessee TitansJay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Release-Veteran-WR-Douglas/f000cd03-7871-4517-880c-03b408e8d254 Falcons Release Veteran WR Douglas Atlantafalcons.com 2015-02-27 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150316143655/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Release-Veteran-WR-Douglas/f000cd03-7871-4517-880c-03b408e8d254 2015-03-16 dead Wyatt Jim http://www.titansonline.com/news/article-4/Titans-Agree-to-Terms-with-Former-Falcons-WR-Harry-Douglas/369c4658-b34f-45c2-9be4-6064b252d7ab Titans Agree to Terms with Former Falcons WR Harry Douglas Titansonline.com 2015-03-11 2015-09-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20150906031528/http://www.titansonline.com/news/article-4/Titans-Agree-to-Terms-with-Former-Falcons-WR-Harry-Douglas/369c4658-b34f-45c2-9be4-6064b252d7ab 2015-09-06 dead February 27, 2015Justin BlalockOffensive guardReleasedRetiredJay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Release-Veteran-G-Blalock/2042e274-e262-4bb8-a090-dd523b0cf3bd Falcons Release Veteran G Blalock Atlantafalcons.com 2015-02-27 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150326014000/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Release-Veteran-G-Blalock/2042e274-e262-4bb8-a090-dd523b0cf3bd 2015-03-26 dead February 27, 2015Jonathan MassaquoiDefensive endWaivedTennessee TitansJay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Trim-Roster-Further-Waive-DE-Massaquoi-/caae3311-74d6-4eab-9ba3-083fcd6b680a Falcons Trim Roster Further, Waive DE Massaquoi Atlantafalcons.com 2015-02-27 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150326030242/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Trim-Roster-Further-Waive-DE-Massaquoi-/caae3311-74d6-4eab-9ba3-083fcd6b680a 2015-03-26 dead Fann Joe http://www.titansonline.com/news/article-4/Titans-Release-S-Bernard-Pollard-Claim-OLB-Jonathan-Massaquoi/2d426574-aeb4-481d-85d7-167eb12d4838 Titans Release S Bernard Pollard; Claim OLB Jonathan Massaquoi Titansonline.com 2015-03-03 2015-03-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402185656/http://www.titansonline.com/news/article-4/Titans-Release-S-Bernard-Pollard-Claim-OLB-Jonathan-Massaquoi/2d426574-aeb4-481d-85d7-167eb12d4838 2015-04-02 dead March 10, 2015Sean WeatherspoonLinebackerSignedArizona CardinalsGetlin Rand https://sports.yahoo.com/news/source--lb-sean-weatherspoon--cardinals-agree-on-one-year-deal-060613416.html Source: LB Sean Weatherspoon, Cardinals agree on one-year deal - Yahoo Sports Sports.yahoo.com 2015-03-06 2015-03-27March 10, 2015Corey PetersDefensive endSignedArizona Cardinalshttp://www.nationalfootballpost.com/source-corey-peters-to-cardinals-on-three-year-10-5-million-deal/ Source: Corey Peters to Cardinals on three-year, $10.5 million deal Nationalfootballpost.com 2015-03-09 2015-03-27March 10, 2015Drew DavisWide receiverDeclined optionHartstein Larry http://fantasynews.cbssports.com/fantasyfootball/update/25101581/falcons-decline-to-tender-wr-drew-davis Falcons decline to tender WR Drew Davis : Fantasy News Fantasynews.cbssports.com 2015-09-04March 18, 2015Robert McClainCornerbackSignedNew England Patriotshttps://twitter.com/bobbymac36/status/578235117660979200/ Robert McClain on Twitter: "Thankful to have the opportunity to continue my career with the @Patriots" Twitter.com 2015-03-18 2015-03-27March 31, 2015Jacquizz RodgersRunning backSignedChicago Bearshttp://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-ink-Rodgers-to-one-year-contract/8633a2ee-e9fc-41b3-9d1f-b1f41b81a51b Bears ink Rodgers to one year deal Chicago Bears 2015-03-31 2015-04-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20150406034742/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-ink-Rodgers-to-one-year-contract/8633a2ee-e9fc-41b3-9d1f-b1f41b81a51b 2015-04-06 dead April 2, 2015Zeke MottaSafetyWaivedhttp://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Waive-Former-Seventh-Round-Pick/9316848c-5db6-4961-bf1f-cd0f1976e695 Falcons waive former seventh round pick Atlanta Falcons 2015-04-02 2015-04-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20150409113840/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Waive-Former-Seventh-Round-Pick/9316848c-5db6-4961-bf1f-cd0f1976e695 2015-04-09 dead April 3, 2015Dwight LowerySafetySignedIndianapolis Coltshttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/04/03/colts-reach-deal-with-s-dwight-lowery/ Colts reach deal with S Dwight Lowery Pro Football Talk 2015-04-03 2015-04-09April 3, 2015Josh WilsonCornerbackSignedDetroit Lionshttp://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/Lions-sign-cornerback-Josh-Wilson/e3b95c27-5d38-4a49-b82d-813a95ae7bfc Lions sign cornerback Josh Wilson detroitlions.com 2015-04-03 2015-04-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20150408164423/http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/Lions-sign-cornerback-Josh-Wilson/e3b95c27-5d38-4a49-b82d-813a95ae7bfc 2015-04-08 dead April 23, 2015Bear PascoeTight endSignedChicago BearsLarry Mayer http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-sign-veteran-tight-end-Pascoe/44223d08-1683-4677-9654-0fd21200061f Bears sign veteran tight end Pascoe Chicagobears.com 2015-04-23 2015-09-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20150923225615/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-sign-veteran-tight-end-Pascoe/44223d08-1683-4677-9654-0fd21200061f 2015-09-23 dead May 1, 2015Brandan BishopSafetyWaivedJay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Make-Roster-Moves-During-Draft/ddcb793b-c71d-4310-8da7-cb87350e355a Falcons Make Roster Moves During Draft Atlantafalcons.com 2015-05-01 2015-09-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20150923175925/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Make-Roster-Moves-During-Draft/ddcb793b-c71d-4310-8da7-cb87350e355a 2015-09-23 dead May 1, 2015Reid FragelTackleWaivedTampa Bay BuccaneersMay 1, 2015Jordan MabinCornerbackWaivedSan Diego ChargersMay 1, 2015Jacques SmithLinebackerWaivedMay 1, 2015Ronnie WingoRunning backWaivedMay 3, 2015Kyle MillerTight endWaivedSan Diego Chargershttp://www.thefalcoholic.com/2015/5/3/8539899/falcons-waive-te-kyle-miller Falcons waive TE Kyle Miller The Falcoholic 2015-09-04May 29, 2015Prince ShemboLinebackerWaivedhttp://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Falcons-Waive-Linebacker-Prince-Shembo/2b515727-3311-46ea-9c74-d7bbc4b37250 Falcons Waive Linebacker Prince Shembo Atlantafalcons.com 2015-05-29 2015-09-04June 15, 2015Sam BakerOffensive tackleReleasedJay Adams http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/blog/article-1/Falcons-Release-Veteran-OT-Baker/8542b557-1f45-4e2b-8d20-f2a44931996e Falcons Release Veteran OT Baker Atlantafalcons.com 2015-06-15 2015-09-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20150910050624/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/blog/article-1/Falcons-Release-Veteran-OT-Baker/8542b557-1f45-4e2b-8d20-f2a44931996e 2015-09-10 dead August 1, 2015Harland GunnOffensive guardReleasedNew England Patriotshttp://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/blog/article-1/Falcons-Sign-OL-Burton-Release-G-Gunn/848fcd29-3e65-41c5-93d7-64dc636c31f7 Falcons Sign OL Burton, Release G Gunn Atlantafalcons.com 2015-08-01 2015-09-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20150923185732/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/blog/article-1/Falcons-Sign-OL-Burton-Release-G-Gunn/848fcd29-3e65-41c5-93d7-64dc636c31f7 2015-09-23 dead August 10, 2015Freddie MartinoWide receiverWaivedPhiladelphia Eagleshttp://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2015/08/eagles_sign_wide_receiver_freddie_martino_release.html Eagles sign wide receiver Freddie Martino; release two others NJ.com 2015-08-10 2015-09-04August 11, 2015Javier ArenasCornerbackSignedNew York Jetshttp://www.ganggreennation.com/2015/8/12/9136423/jets-sign-javier-arenas Jets Sign Javier Arenas Gang Green Nation 2015-09-04August 12, 2015Ricky Havili-HeimuliDefensive tackleWaivedKelsey Conway http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/blog/article-1/Falcons-Sign-CB-Lee-Waive-NT-Heimuli/df76a4b4-bc23-4594-9fea-3310b5ddc36a Falcons Sign CB Lee, Waive NT Heimuli Atlantafalcons.com 2015-09-04August 16, 2015DeMarcus LoveOffensive tackleReleasedAugust 24, 2015Marquis SpruillLinebackerWaived 2015 draft class thumb|Vic Beasley, the Falcons' first-round pick 2015 NFL draft 2015 Atlanta Falcons Draft Round Selection Player Position College 1 8 Vic Beasley Linebacker Clemson 2 42 Jalen Collins Cornerback LSU 3 73 Tevin Coleman Running back Indiana 4 107 Justin Hardy Wide receiver East Carolina 5 137 Grady Jarrett Defensive tackle Clemson 6 185 None – see below 7 225 Jake Rodgers Offensive tackle Eastern Washington 249 Akeem King Safety San Jose State Notes The Falcons acquired an additional seventh-round selection (No. 249 overall) as part of a trade that sent the team's 2013 first-, third- and sixth-round selections to the St. Louis Rams. The Falcons were not rewarded with any compensatory picks this year. The Falcons traded their fifth- (No. 146 overall) and sixth-round (No. 185 overall) picks to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the Vikings' fifth-round selection (No. 137 overall). Staff 2015 Atlanta Falcons Owner/chairman – Arthur Blank President/CEO – Rich McKay general manager – Thomas Dimitroff Assistant general manager – Scott Pioli Director of player personnel – Lionel Vital Director of football administration – Nick Polk Director of pro scouting – DeJuan Polk Director of college scouting – Steve Sabo Consultant – Joe Banner Head coach – Dan Quinn Assistant head coach/pass game coordinator – Raheem Morris Assistant to the head coach – Steve Scarnecchia Offensive coordinator – Kyle Shanahan Quarterbacks – Matt LaFleur Running backs – Bobby Turner Wide receivers – Terry Robiskie Tight ends – Wade Harman Offensive line – Chris Morgan Assistant offensive line – Keith Carter Offensive assistant – Mike LaFleur Offensive assistant – Mike McDaniel Offensive quality control – Rich Scangarello Defensive coordinator – Richard Smith Defensive line – Bryan Cox Linebackers – Jeff Ulbrich Senior defensive assistant/secondary – Marquand Manuel Defensive assistant/linebackers – Doug Mallory Defensive assistant/defensive backs – Chad Walker Special teams coordinator – Keith Armstrong Assistant special teams – Eric Sutulovich Head strength and conditioning – A.J. Neibel Strength and conditioning assistant – Jonas Beauchemin Final roster 2015 Atlanta Falcons 53 8 10 12 Sean Renfree  2 Matt Ryan American football 26 Tevin Coleman y 42 Patrick DiMarco FB 24 Devonta Freeman 33 Terron Ward y 16 Justin Hardy y 17 Devin Hester 11 Julio Jones 14 Eric Weems 84 Roddy White 15 Nick Williams wide receiver 81 Tony Moeaki 86 D. J. Tialavea 83 Jacob Tamme 80 Levine Toilolo 65 Chris Chester American football G 63 Ben Garland G 66 Gino Gradkowski C 72 Bryce Harris T 67 Andy Levitre G 75 Jake Long T 70 Jake Matthews American football T 68 Mike Person C 73 Ryan Schraeder T 44 Vic Beasley DE y 95 Jonathan Babineaux DT 71 Kroy Biermann DE 99 Adrian Clayborn DE 93 Malliciah Goodman DE 77 Ra'Shede Hageman DT 94 Tyson Jackson DE 97 Grady Jarrett DT y 74 Joey Mbu y DT 52 Justin Durant OLB 56 Brooks Reed OLB 50 O'Brien Schofield OLB 41 Tyler Starr OLB 54 Nate Stupar MLB/OLB 55 Paul Worrilow MLB 51 Philip Wheeler OLB 20 Phillip Adams American football CB 23 Robert Alford American football CB 37 Ricardo Allen FS 32 Jalen Collins CB y 30 Charles Godfrey American football SS 36 Kemal Ishmael SS 28 Akeem King y CB 27 Robenson Therezie FS y 21 Desmond Trufant CB  5 Matt Bosher P  6 Shayne Graham K 47 Josh Harris long snapper LS  3 Matt Bryant K IR 25 William Moore American football SS IR -- Beau Gardner tight end y TE IR -- Travis Howard CB IR 39 Collin Mooney FB IR 67 Adam Replogle G IR 96 Paul Soliai DT IR 62 James Stone G American football IR 91 Xzavier Dickson y OLB 89 C. J. Goodwin WR 90 Curtis Grant y MLB 19 R.J. Harris y WR 35 Gus Johnson American football y RB 18 Jordan Leslie y WR 90 Dontay Moch OLB 22 Terrance Parks SS 64 Collin Rahrig y G  8 Matt Simms American football QB Preseason Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 14, 2015 Tennessee Titans W 31–24 1–0 Georgia Dome Recap 2 August 21, 2015 at New York Jets L 22–30 1–1 MetLife Stadium Recap 3 August 29, 2012 at Miami Dolphins L 9–13 1–2 Sun Life Stadium Recap 4 September 3, 2012 Baltimore Ravens W 20–19 2–2 Georgia Dome Recap Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 14, 2015 Philadelphia Eagles W 26–24 1–0 Georgia Dome Recap 2 September 20 at New York Giants W 24–20 2–0 MetLife Stadium Recap 3 September 27 at Dallas Cowboys W 39–28 3–0 AT&T Stadium Recap 4 October 4 Houston Texans W 48–21 4–0 Georgia Dome Recap 5 October 11 Washington Redskins W 25–19 (OT) 5–0 Georgia Dome Recap 6 October 15, 2015 at New Orleans Saints L 21–31 5–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap 7 October 25 at Tennessee Titans W 10–7 6–1 Nissan Stadium Recap 8 November 1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 20–23 (OT) 6–2 Georgia Dome Recap 9 November 8 at San Francisco 49ers L 16–17 6–3 Levi's Stadium Recap 10 Bye 11 November 22 Indianapolis Colts L 21–24 6–4 Georgia Dome Recap 12 November 29 Minnesota Vikings L 10–20 6–5 Georgia Dome Recap 13 December 6 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 19–23 6–6 Raymond James Stadium Recap 14 December 13 at Carolina Panthers L 0–38 6–7 Bank of America Stadium Recap 15 December 20 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 23–17 7–7 EverBank Field Recap 16 December 27 Carolina Panthers W 20–13 8–7 Georgia Dome Recap 17 January 3 New Orleans Saints L 17–20 8–8 Georgia Dome Recap Game summaries Week 1: vs. Philadelphia Eagles Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week One: Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary September 14 Monday 7:10 p.m. EDT Eagles 0 3 14 7 Falcons 3 17 0 6 Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia 70,516 Played indoors (dome stadium) Terry McAulay ESPN Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters Recap, Gamebook First quarter ATL – 10:55 Matt Bryant 41-yard FG. Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 3:04. (ATL 3–0) Second quarter ATL – 10:44 Julio Jones 4-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 11 plays, 88, yards, 5:39. (ATL 10–0) PHI – 7:18 Cody Parkey 29-yard FG. Drive: 11 plays, 69 yards, 3:26. (ATL 10–3) ATL – 10:55 Matt Bryant 39-yard FG. Drive: 9 plays, 25 yards, 4:00. (ATL 13–3) ATL – 0:45 Julio Jones 22-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 1 play, 27, yards, 0:14. (ATL 20–3) Third quarter PHI – 13:13 DeMarco Murray 8-yard TD run, Cody Parkey kick. Drive: 2 plays, 8 yards, 0:12. (ATL 20–10) PHI – 3:39 DeMarco Murray 5-yard TD pass from Sam Bradford, Cody Parkey kick. Drive: 13 plays, 95, yards, 6:10. (ATL 20–17) Fourth quarter ATL – 10:49 Matt Bryant 44-yard FG. Drive: 14 plays, 62 yards, 7:50. (ATL 23–17) PHI – 8:37 Ryan Matthews 1-yard TD run, Cody Parkey kick. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:12. (PHI 24–23) ATL – 6:27 Matt Bryant 51-yard FG. Drive: 5 plays, 51 yards, 2:10. (ATL 26–24) Top passers PHI – Sam Bradford – 36/52, 336 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT ATL – Matt Ryan – 23/34, 298 YDS, 2 TD, 2 INT Top rushers PHI – Darren Sproles – 5 CAR, 50 YDS ATL – Tevin Coleman – 20 CAR, 80 YDS Top receivers PHI – Jordan Matthews - 10 REC, 102 YDS ATL – Julio Jones - 9 REC, 141 YDS Top tacklers PHI – Mychal Kendricks - 10 TACKLES ATL – Paul Worrilow - 13 TACKLESWith the win, the Falcons began their season 1–0. Week 2: at New York Giants Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Two: Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants – Game summary September 20 1:00 pm. EDT Falcons 7 3 0 14 Giants 0 13 7 0 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey 77,678 74 F C, sunny Brad Allen Fox Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver Recap, Gamebook First quarter ATL – 0:34 Tevin Coleman 1-yard TD run, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 13 plays, 86 yards, 4:19. (ATL 7–0) Second quarter NYG – 10:06 Josh Brown 38-yard FG. Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 5:28. (ATL 7–3) ATL – 4:46 Matt Bryant 42-yard FG. Drive: 11 plays, 56 yards, 5:20. (ATL 10–3) NYG – 3:19 Odell Beckham Jr. 67-yard TD pass from Eli Manning, Josh Brown kick. Drive: 4 plays, 80, yards, 1:27. (TIE 10–10) NYG – 0:02 Josh Brown 44-yard FG. Drive: 6 plays, 30 yards, 0:56. (NYG 13–10) Third quarter NYG – 10:53 Larry Donnell 10-yard TD pass from Eli Manning, Josh Brown kick. Drive: 9 plays, 69, yards, 4:07. (NYG 20–10) Fourth quarter ATL – 12:39 Leonard Hankerson 10-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 12 plays, 91, yards, 6:36. (NYG 20–17) ATL – 1:14 Devonta Freeman 2-yard TD run, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 1:58. (ATL 24–20) Top passers ATL – Matt Ryan – 30/46, 363 YDS, 1 TD, 0 INT NYG – Eli Manning - 27/40, 292 YDS, 2 TD, 0 INT Top rushers ATL – Tevin Coleman – 9 CAR, 32 YDS NYG – Andre Williams - 6 CAR, 43 YDS Top receivers ATL – Julio Jones - 13 REC, 135 YDS NYG – Odell Beckham Jr. - 7 REC, 146 YDS Top tacklers ATL – Justin Durant - 10 TACKLES NYG – Devon Kennard - 10 TACKLESThe Giants would lead 20–17 with below 2 minutes left, but Atlanta was able to pull off the comeback, scoring with 1:14 remaining after Devonta Freeman took it in from a yard out. New York tried to come back, but the Falcons would force a turnover on downs to end the game. With the win, Atlanta improved to 2–0. Week 3: at Dallas Cowboys Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Three: Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary September 27 1:00 pm. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT Falcons 7 10 8 14 Cowboys 14 14 0 0 AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas 90,345 Played indoors (retractable roof closed) Pete Morelli Fox Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews Recap, Gamebook First quarter DAL – Joseph Randle 37-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 14:03. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 2 plays, 80 yards, 1:08. DAL – Joseph Randle 1-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 7:12. Cowboys 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 4:37. ATL – Devonta Freeman 3-yard run (Matt Bryant kick), 3:05. Cowboys 14–7. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 4:07. Second quarter DAL – Darren McFadden 2-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 7:31. Cowboys 21–7. Drive: 8 plays, 56 yards, 5:09. ATL – Devonta Freeman 2-yard run (Matt Bryant kick), 2:23. Cowboys 21–14. Drive: 7 plays, 23 yards, 3:32. DAL – Joseph Randle 1-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 0:46. Cowboys 28–14. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 1:38. ATL – Matt Bryant 32-yard field goal, 0:05. Cowboys 28–17. Drive: 6 plays, 66 yards, 0:40. Third quarter ATL – Julio Jones 45-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Levine Toilolo pass from Matt Ryan), 7:16. Cowboys 28–25. Drive: 6 plays, 87 yards, 3:15. Fourth quarter ATL – Devonta Freeman 7-yard run (Matt Bryant kick), 11:30. Falcons 32–28. Drive: 11 plays, 89 yards, 6:44. ATL – Julio Jones 2-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 3:09. Falcons 39–28. Drive: 11 plays, 62 yards, 6:14. Top passers ATL – Matt Ryan – 24/36, 285 yards, 2 TD DAL – Brandon Weeden – 22/26, 232 yards, INT Top rushers ATL – Devonta Freeman – 30 rushes, 141 yards, 3 TD DAL – Joseph Randle – 14 rushes, 87 yards, 3 TD Top receivers ATL – Julio Jones – 12 receptions, 164 yards, 2 TD DAL – Lance Dunbar – 10 receptions, 100 yards Top tacklers ATL – Justin Durant - 8 tackles, 1 assist DAL – Sean Lee - 7 tackles, 3 assistsThe Falcons would trail 14–28 at one point, but they would pull off their second comeback in as many weeks, as they scored 25 unanswered points afterwards to ultimately win 39–28. With the win, the Falcons improved to 3–0 for the first time since 2012. Week 4: vs. Houston Texans Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Four: Houston Texans at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary October 4 1:00 pm. EDT Texans 0 0 0 21 Falcons 7 21 14 6 Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia 69,904 Played indoors (dome stadium) Carl Cheffers CBS Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon Recap, Gamebook First quarter ATL – 8:32 Devonta Freeman 16-yard TD run, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 8 plays, 54 yards, 3:29. (ATL 7–0) Second quarter ATL – 14:39 Devonta Freeman 23-yard TD run, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 10 plays, 71 yards, 6:19. (ATL 14–0) ATL – 12:24 Desmond Trufant 24-yard TD fumble recovery, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 2 plays, -7 yards, 0:16. (ATL 21–0) ATL – 3:11 Leonard Hankerson 3-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 11 plays, 82 yards, 6:20. (ATL 28–0) Third quarter ATL – 10:50 Devonta Freeman 6-yard TD run, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 4 plays, 68 yards, 1:56. (ATL 35–0) ATL – 2:56 Terron Ward 8-yard TD run, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 6:17. (ATL 42–0) Fourth quarter HOU – 14:22 C. J. Fiedorowicz 5-yard TD pass from Brian Hoyer, Nick Novak kick. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 3:34. (ATL 42–7) HOU – 9:09 Chris Polk 1-yard TD run, Nick Novak kick. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 2:47. (ATL 42–14) HOU – 3:01 Cecil Shorts III 8-yard TD pass from Brian Hoyer, Nick Novak kick. Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards, 1:31. (ATL 42–21) ATL – 0:00 Nate Stupar 84-yard TD fumble recovery. Drive: 10 plays, 38 yards, 1:50. (ATL 48–21) Top passers HOU – Brian Hoyer - 17/30, 232 YDS, 2 TD, 0 INT ATL – Matt Ryan – 19/27, 256 YDS, 1 TD, 0 INT Top rushers HOU – Chris Polk - 3 CAR, 27 YDS ATL – Terron Ward – 19 CAR, 72 YDS Top receivers HOU – DeAndre Hopkins - 9 REC, 157 ATL – Leonard Hankerson - 6 REC, 103 YDS Top tacklers HOU – Brian Cushing - 11 TACKLES ATL – Nate Stupar - 6 TACKLESThe Falcons routed the Texans 48–21 at home. Atlanta would build a 42–0 lead, but Houston put up a fight, as they would outscore Atlanta 21–6 for the remainder of the game. However, the Falcons still won in a blowout. With the win, the Falcons improved to 4–0. Week 5: vs. Washington Redskins Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Five: Washington Redskins at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary October 11 1:00 pm. EDT Redskins 0 7 0 12 0 Falcons 0 3 3 13 6 Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia 70,178 Played indoors (dome stadium) Bill Vinovich Fox Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale Recap, Gamebook First quarter No Scoring Second quarter WAS – 12:12 Derek Carrier 7-yard TD pass from Kirk Cousins, Dustin Hopkins kick. Drive: 12 plays, 67 yards, 6:47. (WAS 7–0) ATL – 7:07 Matt Bryant 42-yard FG. Drive: 12 plays, 56 yards, 5:05. (WAS 7–3) Third quarter ATL – 1:54 Matt Bryant 28-yard FG. Drive: 11 plays, 47 yards, 4:47. (WAS 7–6) Fourth quarter ATL – 9:14 Julio Jones 0-yard TD fumble recovery. Drive: 11 plays, 91 yards, 6:32. (ATL 12–7) WAS – 7:59 Matt Jones 2-yard TD run. Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, 1:15. (WAS 13–12) WAS – 2:38 Dustin Hopkins 28-yard FG. Drive: 6 plays, 11 yards, 3:06. (WAS 16–12) ATL – 0:24 Devonta Freeman 6-yard TD run, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 2:14. (ATL 19–16) WAS – 0:00 Dustin Hopkins 52-yard FG. Drive: 4 plays, 46 yards, 0:24. (TIE 19–19) Overtime ATL – 12:15 Robert Alford 59-yard TD interception. Drive: 6 plays, 30 yards, 2:45. (ATL 25–16) Top passers WAS – Kirk Cousins – 21/32, 219 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT ATL – Matt Ryan – 24/42, 254 YDS, 0 TD, 2 INT Top rushers WAS – Matt Jones - 11 CAR, 20 YDS ATL – Devonta Freeman – 27 CAR, 153 YDS Top receivers WAS – Jamison Crowder - 8 REC, 87 ATL – Jacob Tamme - 8 REC, 94 YDS Top tacklers WAS – Dashon Goldson - 10 TACKLES ATL – Paul Worrilow - 9 TACKLESthe Falcons would win this game in overtime against the Redskins. In overtime, the game was sealed away after Robert Alford returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown to end the game. With the win, Atlanta started 5–0 for the first time since 2012. Week 6: at New Orleans Saints Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Six: Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints – Game summary October 15 Thursday 8:25 pm. EDT/7:25 pm. CDT Falcons 0 7 0 14 Saints 14 0 10 7 Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana 73,018 Played indoors (dome stadium) Gene Steratore CBS/NFLN Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson Recap, Gamebook First quarter NO – 9:44 Mark Ingram II 2-yard TD run, Zach Hocker kick. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 5:16. (NO 7–0) NO – 2:06 Michael Mauti blocked punt returned 4-yards for TD, Zach Hocker kick. Drive: 3 plays, -4 yards, 2:15. (NO 14–0) Second quarter ATL – 14:12 Roddy White 7-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 2:54. (NO 14–7) Third quarter NO – 7:19 Zach Hocker 31-yard FG. Drive: 11 plays, 56 yards, 4:55. (NO 17–7) NO – 2:23 Benjamin Watson 2-yard TD pass from Drew Brees, Zach Hocker kick. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 4:19. (NO 24–7) Fourth quarter ATL – 13:07 Devonta Freeman 25-yard TD run, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:16. (NO 24–14) NO – 8:02 Mark Ingram II 1-yard TD run, Zach Hocker kick. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:05. (NO 31–14) ATL – 1:29 Devonta Freeman 13-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 11 plays, 62 yards, 5:05. (NO 31–21) Top passers ATL – Matt Ryan – 30/44, 295 YDS, 2 TD, 0 INT NO – Drew Brees - 30/39, 312 YDS, 1 TD, 0 INT Top rushers ATL – Devonta Freeman – 13 CAR, 100 YDS NO – Mark Ingram II - 20 CAR, 46 YDS Top receivers ATL – Julio Jones - 6 REC, 93 YDS NO – Benjamin Watson - 10 REC, 127 YDS Top tacklers ATL – Paul Worrilow - 9 TACKLES NO – Dannell Ellerbe - 14 TACKLESThe Falcons suffered their first loss of the season in New Orleans on Thursday Night Football. The Saints would lead the entire game. The Falcons would tie it, but that was the closest they would come to striking distance, as the Saints won 31–21. With the loss, the Falcons fell to 5–1. Week 7: at Tennessee Titans Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Seven: Atlanta Falcons at Tennessee Titans – Game summary October 25 1:00 pm. EDT/12:00 pm. CDT Falcons 0 3 7 0 Titans 0 7 0 0 Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee 63,329 59 F C, cloudy Brad Allen Fox Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis and Tony Siragusa Recap, Gamebook First quarter No Scoring Second quarter TEN – 8:42 Kendall Wright 19-yard TD pass from Zach Mettenberger, Ryan Succop kick. Drive: 1 play, 19 yards, 0:07. (TEN 7–0) ATL – 2:31 Matt Bryant 27-yard FG. Drive: 11 plays, 55 yards, 6:11. (TEN 7–3) Third quarter ATL – 5:56 Julio Jones 8-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 9 plays, 88 yards, 4:30. (ATL 10–7) Fourth quarter No Scoring Top passers ATL – Matt Ryan – 22/38, 295 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT TEN – Zach Mettenberger – 22/35, 295 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT Top rushers ATL – Devonta Freeman – 25 CAR, 116 YDS TEN – Antonio Andrews – 10 CAR, 57 YDS Top receivers ATL – Julio Jones - 9 REC, 92 YDS TEN – Delanie Walker - 7 REC, 55 YDS Top tacklers ATL – Justin Durant - 8 TACKLES TEN – Wesley Woodyard - 9 TACKLESWith the win, the Falcons improved to 6–1. Week 8: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Eight: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary November 1 1:00 pm. EST Buccaneers 3 10 7 0 3 Falcons 3 0 7 10 0 Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia 70,524 Played indoors (dome stadium) Ron Torbert Fox Justin Kutcher, Charles Davis and Tony Siragusa Recap, Gamebook First quarter ATL – 7:54 Matt Bryant 21-yard FG. Drive: 14 plays, 71 yards, 7:06. (ATL 3–0) TB – 2:03 Connor Barth 38-yard FG. Drive: 4 plays, 1 yard, 0:58. (TIE 3–3) Second quarter TB – 3:32 Connor Barth 23-yard FG. Drive: 10 plays, 73 yards, 5:32. (TB 6–3) TB – 0:30 Cameron Brate 20-yard TD pass from Jameis Winston, Connor Barth kick. Drive: 6 plays, 50 yards, 0:53. (TB 13–3) Third quarter TB – 6:06 Jameis Winston 4-yard TD run, Connor Barth kick. Drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 3:56. (TB 20–3) ATL – 0:15 Jacob Tamme 7-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 5 plays, 40 yards, 1:35. (TB 20–10) Fourth quarter ATL – 4:56 Matt Bryant 24-yard FG. Drive: 14 plays, 77 yards, 7:11. (TB 20–13) ATL – 0:17 Julio Jones 8-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 5 plays, 40 yards, 1:35. (TIE 20–20) Overtime TB – 7:52 Connor Barth 31-yard FG. Drive: 15 plays, 68 yards, 7:08. (TB 23–20) Top passers TB – Jameis Winston – 16/29, 177 YDS, 1 TD, 0 INT ATL – Matt Ryan – 37/45, 397 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT Top rushers TB – Doug Martin - 23 CAR, 71 YDS ATL – Devonta Freeman – 21 CAR, 88 YDS Top receivers TB – Cameron Brate - 2 REC, 48 YDS ATL – Julio Jones - 12 REC, 162 YDS Top tacklers TB – Kwon Alexander - 11 TACKLES ATL – Ricardo Allen - 6 TACKLESWith the loss, the Falcons fell to 6–2. Week 9: at San Francisco 49ers Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Nine: Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary November 8 4:05 pm. EST/1:05 p.m. PST Falcons 3 10 0 3 49ers 0 17 0 0 Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California 70,799 58 F C, cloudy Tony Corrente Fox Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale Recap, Gamebook First quarter ATL – 9:24 Matt Bryant 44-yard FG. Drive: 9 plays, 46 yards, 3:38. (ATL 3–0) Second quarter SF – 13:41 Garrett Celek 1-yard TD pass from Blaine Gabbert, Phil Dawson kick. Drive: 12 plays, 84 yards, 6:26. (SF 7–3) ATL – 6:05 Matt Bryant 36-yard FG. Drive: 5 plays, 27 yards, 1:28. (SF 7–6) SF – 3:20 Phil Dawson 44-yard FG. Drive: 9 plays, 41 yards, 2:45. (SF 10–6) SF – 1:16 Garrett Celek 11-yard TD pass from Blaine Gabbert, Phil Dawson kick. Drive: 5 plays, 57 yards, 1:09. (SF 17–6) ATL – 0:13 Devonta Freeman 17-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 3 plays, 78 yards, 1:03. (SF 17–13) Third quarter No Scoring Fourth quarter ATL – 2:56 Matt Bryant 19-yard FG. Drive: 10 plays, 66 yards, 4:18. (SF 17–16) Top passers ATL – Matt Ryan – 30/45, 303 YDS, 1 TD, 0 INT SF – Blaine Gabbert - 15/25, 2 TD, 2 INT Top rushers ATL – Devonta Freeman – 12 CAR, 12 YDS SF – Shaun Draughn - 16 CAR, 58 YDS Top receivers ATL – Julio Jones - 10 REC, 137 YDS SF – Quinton Patton - 3 REC, 70 YDS Top tacklers ATL – Philip Wheeler - 10 TACKLES SF – Marcus Cromartie - 7 TACKLESThis game was notable for Dan Quinn choosing to kick a field goal at 1 yard line with 1:49 left in the fourth quarter rather than going for it on 4th down, resulting in a bitter loss that dropped the Falcons to 6–3. Week 11: vs. Indianapolis Colts Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Eleven: Indianapolis Colts at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary November 22 1:00 pm. EST Colts 0 7 7 10 Falcons 7 7 7 0 Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia 70,433 Played indoors (dome stadium) Walt Anderson CBS Greg Gumbel, Trent Green and Jamie Erdahl Recap, Gamebook First quarter ATL – 0:02 Patrick DiMarco 15-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 5:28. (ATL 7–0) Second quarter ATL – 8:54 Patrick DiMarco 15-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 10 plays, 83 yards, 4:18. (ATL 14–0) IND – 1:55 Ahmad Bradshaw 7-yard TD pass from Matt Hasselbeck, Adam Vinatieri kick. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:59. (ATL 14–7) Third quarter ATL – 9:38 Leonard Hankerson 3-yard TD pass from Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant kick. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 5:22. (ATL 21–7) IND – 0:10 Ahmad Bradshaw 7-yard TD pass from Matt Hasselbeck, Adam Vinatieri kick. Drive: 10 plays, 90 yards, 4:58. (ATL 21–14) Fourth quarter IND – 10:07 D'Qwell Jackson 6-yard TD interception, Adam Vinatieri kick. Drive: 1 plays, 0 yards, 0:07. (TIE 21–21) IND – 0:52 Adam Vinatieri 43-yard FG. Drive: 9 plays, 56 yards, 4:02. (IND 24–21) Top passers IND – Matt Hasselbeck - 23/32, 280 YDS, 2 TD, 2 INT ATL – Matt Ryan – 25/46, 280 YDS, 3 TD, 3 INT Top rushers IND – Frank Gore - 14 CAR, 34 YDS ATL – Tevin Coleman – 17 CAR, 48 YDS Top receivers IND – Frank Gore - 5 REC, 46 YDS ATL – Julio Jones - 9 REC, 160 YDS Top tacklers IND – Jerrell Freeman - 9 TACKLES ATL – Justin Durant - 9 TACKLESThe Falcons would lead 21–7 at one point, but Indianapolis would rally to erase it after D'Qwell Jackson returned an interception 6 yards to tie it at 21. The Colts would eventually go down the field to win it with an Adam Vinatieri field goal from 43 yards with 52 seconds left. With the loss, Atlanta fell to 6–4. Week 12: vs. Minnesota Vikings Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Twelve: Minnesota Vikings at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary November 29 1:00 pm. EST Vikings 7 0 3 10 Falcons 0 3 0 7 Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia 70,610 Played indoors (dome stadium) Clete Blakeman Fox Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver Recap, Gamebook First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers MIN – ATL – Top rushers MIN – ATL – Top receivers MIN – ATL – Top tacklers MIN – ATL –With the loss, the Falcons fell to 6–5. Week 13: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Thirteen: Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary December 6 1:00 pm. EST Falcons 0 9 3 7 Buccaneers 7 0 9 7 Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida 58,221 79 F C, cloudy Ed Hochuli Fox Dick Stockton, David Diehl and Kristina Pink Recap, Gamebook First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers ATL – TB – Top rushers ATL – TB – Top receivers ATL – TB – Top tacklers ATL – TB –With the loss, the Falcons fell to 6–6. Week 14: at Carolina Panthers Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Fourteen: Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers – Game summary December 13 1:00 pm. EST Falcons 0 0 0 0 Panthers 21 7 10 0 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina 74,420 63 F C, sunny Tony Corrente Fox Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR – Jonathan Stewart 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 11:28. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:32. CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. 74-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 6:48. Panthers 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 93 yards, 1:18. CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. 46-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 0:12. Panthers 21–0. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:23. Second quarter CAR – Ed Dickson 4-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 0:17. Panthers 28–0. Drive: 10 plays, 81 yards, 3:27. Third quarter CAR – Graham Gano 38-yard field goal, 5:46. Panthers 31–0. Drive: 9 plays, 23 yards, 4:45. CAR – Fozzy Whittaker 16-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 2:18. Panthers 38–0. Drive: 4 plays, 26 yards, 1:57. Fourth quarter No scoring plays. Top passers ATL – Matt Ryan – 22/34, 224 yards, INT CAR – Cam Newton – 15/21, 265 yards, 3 TD Top rushers ATL – Devonta Freeman – 12 rushes, 40 yards CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 10 rushes, 75 yards, TD Top receivers ATL – Julio Jones – 7 receptions, 88 yards CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. – 2 receptions, 120 yards, 2 TDThe Falcons would suffer a blowout and shutout loss to undefeated Carolina. The Falcons would struggle all day, as the Panthers romped them 38–0, their worst shutout loss since 2004. With the loss, the Falcons fell to 6–7. This is the first and only time they had been under .500 all season. Week 15: at Jacksonville Jaguars Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Fifteen: Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary December 20 1:00 pm. EST Falcons 7 10 0 6 Jaguars 0 3 14 0 EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Florida 64,016 65 F C, clear Bill Vinovich Fox Dick Stockton, David Diehl and Kristina Pink Recap, Gamebook First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers ATL – JAX – Top rushers ATL – JAX – Top receivers ATL – JAX – Top tacklers ATL – JAX –With the win, the Falcons improved to 7–7. They finished 3-1 vs AFC South. Week 16: vs. Carolina Panthers Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Sixteen: Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary December 27 1:00 pm. EST Panthers 7 0 3 3 Falcons 0 7 7 6 Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia 70,981 Played indoors (dome stadium) John Parry Fox Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver Recap, Gamebook First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers CAR – ATL – Top rushers CAR – ATL – Top receivers CAR – ATL – Top tacklers CAR – ATL – In a major upset win, the Atlanta Falcons defeated Carolina 20–13, spoiling the Panthers' run at a perfect season. Unfortunately for the Falcons, they were eliminated from playoff contention due to the Minnesota Vikings' 49–17 win against the New York Giants later in the day. Week 17: vs. New Orleans Saints Atlanta Falcons 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Seventeen: New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary January 3, 2016 1:00 pm. EST Saints 7 7 3 3 Falcons 3 14 0 0 Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia 69,699 Played indoors (dome stadium) Craig Wrolstad Fox Sam Rosen, Matt Millen and Peter Schrager Recap, Gamebook First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers NO – ATL – Top rushers NO – ATL – Top receivers NO – ATL – Top tacklers NO – ATL –With the loss, the Falcons ended their season 8–8, and finished 1–5 against their division. For the first time since the 2013 season, they were swept by the New Orleans Saints who also finished their season with a 7-9 Record. Statistics Team leaders Category Player(s) Value Passing yards Matt Ryan 4,591 Passing touchdowns Matt Ryan 21 Rushing yards Devonta Freeman 1,061 Rushing touchdowns Devonta Freeman 11 Receptions Julio Jones 136 Receiving yards Julio Jones 1,871 Receiving touchdowns Julio Jones 8 Points Matt Bryant 83 Kickoff return yards Eric Weems 403 Punt return yards Eric Weems 221 Tackles Paul Worrilow 95 Sacks Vic Beasley 4.0 Interceptions Ricardo Allen 3 Forced fumbles Vic Beasley 2 Stats as of week 16. Atlanta Falcons 2015 Statistics - Team and Player Stats - ESPN https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/stats/_/name/atl/atlanta-falcons ESPN.com 2015-12-27 Standings Division ATL Conference ATL Notes note References 30em External links http://www.atlantafalcons.com Atlanta Category:Atlanta Falcons seasons Atlanta Falcons