An Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens game doesn’t land on the calendar very often. The two franchises play in different conferences, they have met only seven times since 1999, and the last meeting happened almost four years ago. That gap closes on Sunday, October 11, 2026. Week 5 brings Sunday Night Football to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, with kickoff set for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.
Atlanta walks in at 2-2 after the sharpest turnaround in the league, going from two ugly losses to back-to-back prime-time blowouts. Baltimore arrives at 3-1 and has also won two straight, but the Ravens will play without two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, who was ruled out on Friday with an ankle injury. The Falcons are home favorites by about three points, and the total opened at 43.5, a low number that shows how much the quarterback news moved the market.
So here is everything that matters before kickoff: where each team stands right now, the full head-to-head history, a breakdown of the last time these two shared a field, the best players to watch, injury news, the betting angle, and a final score prediction. Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens matches like this one don’t come around often, so if you can’t watch live, Falcons vs Ravens highlights will be easy to find on NFL.com and the league’s social channels right after the final whistle.
Atlanta Falcons: Penix and Bijan Robinson Turn a Lost Start Around
Atlanta’s season began in the worst possible way. Michael Penix Jr. was still returning from a torn ACL in his left knee and Tua Tagovailoa was out with an oblique injury, so third-string quarterback Cooper Rush started the opener, a 20-13 loss at Pittsburgh in which he threw two interceptions, one of them a pick-six. A week later the Falcons were booed at home in a 34-3 loss to Carolina, and Rush was benched in the third quarter after two more interceptions and a lost fumble. Across those first two games the offense scored a combined 16 points.
Then Penix took over, and everything changed. Atlanta won 35-14 at Green Bay on Thursday night behind 194 rushing yards from Bijan Robinson, then rolled past New Orleans 45-24 on Monday Night Football. Penix went 15 of 20 for 223 yards and a touchdown against the Saints, Robinson added 145 yards and two scores, and Brian Robinson Jr. ran for three touchdowns as the Falcons tied a franchise record with five rushing touchdowns in one game. Since Penix returned, the offense has scored 80 points in two games.
What Makes Atlanta’s Offense Tick
- Michael Penix Jr. is completing 73.3 percent of his passes since coming back, with two touchdowns and one interception, and the line sacked him only once against the Saints
- Bijan Robinson ranks second in the NFL with 494 rushing yards and 614 scrimmage yards, and he has run for 339 yards and four touchdowns over the last two games
- Drake London is the clear No. 1 receiver, and he finished the Saints game with five catches for 96 yards
- Brian Robinson Jr. gives the Falcons a second punishing runner, and his first career three-touchdown game took the pressure off Penix
Atlanta Falcons Snapshot
| Detail | Atlanta Falcons |
| Division | NFC South |
| Head coach | Kevin Stefanski (1st season) |
| Starting QB | Michael Penix Jr. |
| Home field | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| Recent form | 2-2 to start 2026, won last two |
| 2026 results | Lost at Steelers 20-13 (Wk 1), lost to Panthers 34-3 (Wk 2), beat Packers 35-14 (Wk 3), beat Saints 45-24 (Wk 4) |
| Key injuries | LT Jake Matthews, DE Za’Darius Smith, LB Divine Deablo and DE Samson Ebukam (all questionable), LB Yasir Abdullah (out) |
Looking at the Atlanta Falcons standings, 2-2 looks better than it sounds. The Falcons share the NFC South lead with Carolina, ahead of New Orleans at 1-3, while Tampa Bay is still searching for its first win at 0-4. A victory on Sunday would give Atlanta its first winning record of the season, and the Atlanta Falcons games that follow include two more home dates before a trip to Tampa.
Baltimore Ravens: A Backup Quarterback and a Patchwork Line
Jesse Minter’s first season as head coach has been uneven but productive. The Ravens opened with a 41-23 win at Indianapolis, then lost their home opener 24-17 to New Orleans when the Saints scored on a late quarterback sneak and an interception ended the comeback. They beat Dallas 34-31 in Rio de Janeiro on a last-second 56-yard field goal by Tyler Loop, then handled Tennessee 24-18 last Sunday. Baltimore is 2-0 on the road this year.
The Titans game cost the Ravens their quarterback. Jackson went 15 of 20 for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, then left with an ankle injury late in the second quarter, and Tyler Huntley finished 8 of 9 for 63 yards. Jackson was seen in a walking boot after the game, missed practice all week, and was officially ruled out on Friday. Huntley will make his 12th career start for the Ravens and his first of 2026.
What Makes Baltimore’s Offense Tick
- Derrick Henry leads the ground game with 374 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, tied with Josh Allen for the NFL lead, and the Ravens rank fourth in rushing at 153.5 yards per game
- Zay Flowers has 18 catches for 352 yards and two touchdowns despite missing a game with a hamstring injury, and he caught eight passes for 118 yards against Tennessee
- A rebuilt offensive line leans on rookie center Vega Ioane, while newly acquired center Cam Jurgens sits in concussion protocol and is not expected to debut until next week
Baltimore Ravens Snapshot
| Detail | Baltimore Ravens |
| Division | AFC North |
| Head coach | Jesse Minter (1st season) |
| Starting QB | Tyler Huntley (Lamar Jackson out) |
| Home field | M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore |
| Recent form | 3-1 to start 2026, won last two |
| 2026 results | Beat Colts 41-23 (Wk 1), lost to Saints 24-17 (Wk 2), beat Cowboys 34-31 (Wk 3), beat Titans 24-18 (Wk 4) |
| Key injuries | QB Lamar Jackson, OLB Trey Hendrickson and C Cam Jurgens (out), WR Zay Flowers, CB Marlon Humphrey and G Andrew Vorhees (questionable) |
The Baltimore Ravens standings look healthy at 3-1, and a win on Sunday would give Baltimore its first 4-1 start since 2021. This is also the first time the Ravens are underdogs under Minter.
NFL Schedule This Week
Falcons vs Ravens closes out the Week 5 slate, with kickoff at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC. It is the Ravens’ first primetime game of the Minter era and the third straight primetime appearance for the Falcons. For the Baltimore Ravens schedule, next week brings a road trip to Cleveland, while Atlanta stays home against Chicago.
| Team | Next Matchup | Date | Location |
| Atlanta Falcons | vs Chicago Bears | Sunday, Oct. 18 (1:00 p.m. ET) | Atlanta, GA |
| Baltimore Ravens | at Cleveland Browns | Sunday, Oct. 18 (1:00 p.m. ET) | Cleveland, OH |
Head-to-Head History: The Full Timeline
Baltimore holds the edge in the Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens matches since 1999, winning five of seven, and the Ravens have taken the last three. Atlanta’s two wins came in 2002 and 2010, both at home. The Ravens are 2-2 in Atlanta, so the venue offers no clear advantage.
| Date | Winner | Location | Score | Notes |
| 12/24/2022 | Ravens | Baltimore | 17-9 | Played in 17-degree cold, a Ravens home record |
| 12/02/2018 | Ravens | Atlanta | 26-16 | Lamar Jackson’s first road start |
| 10/19/2014 | Ravens | Baltimore | 29-7 | Biggest Ravens win in the series (22 points) |
| 11/11/2010 | Falcons | Atlanta | 26-21 | Roddy White’s late 33-yard touchdown decided it |
| 11/19/2006 | Ravens | Baltimore | 24-10 | Ravens outscored Atlanta 17-3 in the third quarter |
| 11/03/2002 | Falcons | Atlanta | 20-17 | Falcons recorded six sacks |
| 10/03/1999 | Ravens | Atlanta | 19-13 (OT) | Only overtime game in the series |
The Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens stats across the series favor Baltimore 5-2, but the games have rarely been blowouts, and the most recent result went the Ravens’ way by a single score.
A Few Things Worth Pointing Out
- Zero playoff meetings, so all seven games have been regular season contests
- Three of the seven games were decided by six points or fewer
- Atlanta has not beaten Baltimore since 2010 and scored 16 points or fewer in each of the last three meetings
- This is the Ravens’ first trip to Atlanta since 2018
- Tyler Huntley, Roquan Smith and Drake London all played in the 2022 meeting
Ravens vs Falcons Mythology: Birds of Legend
There is a fun side note buried in this matchup that has nothing to do with the standings. Ravens vs Falcons mythology goes back thousands of years, because both birds were treasured symbols of power and prophecy in ancient storytelling. In Norse myth, Odin kept two ravens, Huginn and Muninn, whose names roughly mean thought and memory. They flew across the world every day and returned to whisper what they had seen into the god’s ear.
Falcons carried just as much weight. In ancient Egypt the sky god Horus was shown with the head of a falcon, and pharaohs were seen as his living form. In Norse stories the goddess Freyja owned a cloak of falcon feathers that let its wearer fly, and Loki famously borrowed it. Baltimore has its own literary link, since the franchise took its name from Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven” and Poe is buried in the city. In the end, this series has always been decided by ordinary things, like a late touchdown catch in 2010, a 22-point blowout in 2014 and a freezing Saturday in 2022.
Three Eras of the Rivalry
Era 1: The Early Meetings (1999-2006) Baltimore won the first game in overtime in 1999, the Falcons answered with a 20-17 win in 2002, and the Ravens took the 2006 game after a dominant third quarter.
Era 2: Close Calls and a Blowout (2010-2014) Atlanta won 26-21 in 2010 on Roddy White’s late touchdown after Baltimore had erased a 20-7 fourth-quarter deficit. The Ravens then won 29-7 in 2014, the largest margin in the series.
Era 3: The Lamar Jackson Years (2018-Present) Jackson won his first road start in Atlanta in 2018, 26-16. Backup Tyler Huntley then beat the Falcons in 2022. Jackson sits out this one, which puts Huntley back in the same role.
The Last Time These Two Teams Met: Ravens 17, Falcons 9 (Dec. 24, 2022)
Sunday’s game is still unplayed, so the 2022 chapter of the Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens matches remains the best snapshot of how this series has gone lately. Baltimore was playing without Jackson and starting Huntley, and the temperature at kickoff was 17 degrees, the lowest for a home game in franchise history. The Ravens built a 14-0 lead behind two Justin Tucker field goals and a six-yard Huntley touchdown pass to Demarcus Robinson.
Atlanta, starting rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder, kept kicking field goals. Younghoe Koo made three of them, but the Falcons never reached the end zone, even after they had first-and-goal from the four-yard line in the fourth quarter and four straight runs came up short. Baltimore ran the ball on the first 11 plays of its second-quarter touchdown drive, and the win clinched a playoff spot.
Passing Leaders
- Tyler Huntley (BAL): 9 of 17, 115 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
- Desmond Ridder (ATL): 22 of 33, 218 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 2 sacks
Rushing Leaders
- Gus Edwards (BAL): 11 carries, 99 yards
- Cordarrelle Patterson (ATL): 8 carries, 17 yards
Receiving Leaders
- Drake London (ATL): 7 catches, 96 yards
- Demarcus Robinson (BAL): 1 touchdown catch, 6 yards
Roquan Smith led the Baltimore defense with 14 tackles that day.
Where Both Teams Stand Entering Sunday’s Game
Four weeks into the season, the first four Baltimore Ravens games and Atlanta Falcons games show two teams built on the same idea. Both want to run the football and play defense, and the gap between them comes down to quarterback health and turnovers. Before looking at the table below, it’s worth framing this Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens match player stats snapshot simply: whichever run game wins the early downs probably wins the game.
| Stat | Atlanta Falcons | Baltimore Ravens |
| Record | 2-2 | 3-1 |
| Points per game | 24.0 | 29.0 |
| Points allowed per game | 23.0 | 24.0 |
| Rushing offense | 447 yards over last two games (5.9 per carry) | 153.5 yards per game (4th) |
| Rushing defense | 48.3 yards per game (1st) | 10th in yards allowed |
| Starting QB | Michael Penix Jr.: 73.3% completions, 2 TD, 1 INT | Tyler Huntley (Jackson out) |
| Against the spread | 2-2 | 1-3 |
| Betting line | Falcons -3.5 | Ravens +3.5 |
The Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens stats tell an interesting story about discipline. The Falcons are tied for 27th in the league with a minus-5 turnover margin, mostly because of Rush’s four interceptions in the first two games. Baltimore has been flagged more than almost anyone, with the third-most penalties in the NFL.
Best Top Players to Watch
Both rosters have stars at the skill positions and on defense, so the Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens match player stats through four weeks point to these names as the ones worth circling.
Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta. The most dangerous player on the field. He ranks second in the NFL in rushing and scrimmage yards, and he hit 21.78 miles per hour on his 59-yard touchdown run against the Saints, the fastest speed by an offensive ball carrier this season. Derrick Henry called him the best in the game right now.
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Atlanta. Completing 73.3 percent of his passes in his return from a torn ACL, with only one interception. Penix is not mobile, so Baltimore’s pass rush has to get home, and that is harder with Trey Hendrickson out.
Drake London, WR, Atlanta. A contested-catch specialist who also gains yards after the catch. He caught seven passes for 96 yards against this same franchise in 2022, and the Ravens will need to bracket him.
Top Players to Watch
Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Atlanta. Four rushing touchdowns on the season, including three against New Orleans. He is the hammer to Bijan Robinson’s speed.
Atlanta’s defensive front, led by Gervon Dexter Sr., Zach Harrison and Maason Smith. This group leads the NFL with 79 quarterback pressures and ranks second with 35 quarterback hits, even though it has only seven sacks. Baltimore may start a rookie at center and a backup at right guard.
Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore. Seven touchdowns and 374 yards, but only 3.3 yards per carry across his last 49 attempts. He faces the league’s top run defense, yet he ran for 216 yards and four touchdowns the last time Huntley started, against Green Bay in December.
Tyler Huntley, QB, Baltimore. He won both of his starts last season, completing 33 of 42 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns while running for 113 yards, with no turnovers. Critics point to his lack of vertical passing, but Mark Andrews calls him a commander.
Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore. Questionable with a foot issue after being limited all week. If he plays, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle will line him up everywhere.
Kyle Hamilton, S, Baltimore. He grew up in Georgia and is playing his first NFL game in Atlanta. He was Baltimore’s highest-graded defender against the Titans.
Roquan Smith, ILB, Baltimore. The only player in the league with at least 30 tackles, an interception, a sack and a forced fumble this season. Gap discipline is his message this week.
Coaching Matchup: Stefanski vs. Minter
Kevin Stefanski and Jesse Minter have never faced each other as head coaches, and both are in their first season with their current clubs. Baltimore offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford spent the last five seasons in that same role with the Falcons, so he knows the Atlanta locker room well.
| Factor | Atlanta (Stefanski) | Baltimore (Minter) |
| Experience level | 1st season with Falcons, 2-2 | 1st season as head coach, 3-1 |
| Quarterback situation | Penix back from ACL surgery | Huntley replacing Jackson |
| Offensive identity | Two-back run game, play action | Henry, Flowers, creative schemes |
| Defensive concern | 7 sacks despite 79 pressures | Hendrickson out, thin pass rush |
| Program status | Hot streak, first winning record in reach | Strong start, injuries mounting |
Neither coach has much room for error on a national stage.
Betting Angle: What the Odds Say
The game opened with Atlanta as a 3-point home favorite, and some books have moved to 3.5 after Jackson was ruled out. The Falcons sit around -162 on the moneyline, and the total opened at 43.5. That tells you oddsmakers see Falcons vs Ravens as a one-score, run-heavy game.
The Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens stats on trends point in a few directions. Atlanta is 2-2 against the spread this season, while Baltimore is 1-3, and the Falcons have been outstanding in home primetime games since 2024, going 3-1. The over has hit in two of the four games for both teams. Anyone leaning on Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens match player stats before making a pick should weight the Ravens’ quarterback situation heavily, because the line moved a full touchdown after the injury news.
Prediction: Falcons 27, Ravens 20
This game is built around one question: can Baltimore move the ball without Jackson? The Ravens have a patchwork line, a rookie at center, and a backup quarterback facing the best run defense in the NFL. If Henry can’t find room, Huntley will be asked to win from the pocket. The Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens stats from the first four weeks back that up.
On the other side, Penix is accurate, Bijan Robinson is on a roll, and Brian Robinson Jr. is a reliable finisher. The Falcons’ defensive front has lived in opposing backfields all season. The Ravens are not dead in the water, though. They are 20-7 on the road since 2023, Huntley has a history of winning with no turnovers, and Flowers can break a game open with one big play.
The edge belongs to Atlanta because of Robinson, Penix and the home crowd. Two Baltimore-based previews also lean Atlanta, landing at 27-20 and 27-21. History says the Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens matches stay close, and a final score around 27-20 fits that.
Where to Watch Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens
- TV: NBC, with local coverage on WBAL Channel 11 in Baltimore and NBC4 in Washington
- Streaming: Peacock and NFL+ for out-of-market viewers
- Broadcast crew: Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst) and Melissa Stark (sideline)
- Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (5:50 a.m. IST on Monday, October 12 in India)
- Weather: Mercedes-Benz Stadium has a retractable roof, so weather is not a factor
- Ravens radio: WBAL 1090 AM and 101.5 FM, plus 98 Rock (97.9), with Kyle Youmans and Rod Woodson on the call
The short answer on where to watch Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens is NBC, and a full set of Falcons vs Ravens highlights will be posted on NFL.com and the league’s social channels shortly after the game ends.
What’s Next for Both Teams
Atlanta’s season now hinges on whether the run-first formula can survive against better opponents. The Falcons host Chicago on October 18 and San Francisco on October 25, then visit Tampa Bay on November 1 before facing Cincinnati in Madrid on November 8. A win on Sunday would put Atlanta at 3-2, and the Atlanta Falcons standings would look very different with first place in the NFC South in reach.
The Baltimore Ravens schedule sends them to Cleveland on October 18, brings Cincinnati to Baltimore on October 25, and then goes to Buffalo on November 1. A Thursday-night game against Jacksonville follows on November 5, and the bye does not arrive until Week 13. A win would move the Baltimore Ravens standings to 4-1, while a loss would drop them to 3-2 and raise new questions about Jackson’s recovery. Either way, the Baltimore Ravens games ahead will show whether this team can stay in the AFC race with a banged-up roster.
Check Also: Bijan Robinson | Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Myles Garrett
Quick FAQs
Baltimore leads 5-2 since 1999, including three straight wins.
NBC, with streaming on Peacock and NFL+.
Key numbers are above; full box score follows.
Michael Penix Jr., back from a torn ACL.
Tyler Huntley, after Lamar Jackson was ruled out with an ankle injury.
Yes, Sunday Night Football on NBC at 8:20 p.m. ET.
Bijan Robinson, Michael Penix Jr., Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers and Kyle Hamilton.
December 24, 2022. Baltimore won 17-9.
Source: NFL
