The Falcons enter their bye week at 6-3 and 0-2 in the NFC South. Atlanta has dropped two of their last three games after starting the season 5-1.
Although the recent losses are fresh in the minds of most, head coach Dan Quinn's message has remained the same from the Week 1 win to the Week 9 loss.
"Each game we have is a championship game opportunity," Quinn said. "We love going through that process."
Quinn hasn't strayed from that approach and as his players step away from the football field for the week, they were asked to reflect on their individual performances thus far.
"Upon us is the bye week, and really the challenge that comes for the players is to look back to our start of training camp, are you happy with where your game's at right now? That's their challenge," Quinn said.
The bye week will also be used for the players to get healthy again. For the most part, the Falcons have been able to stay relatively healthy. As Atlanta prepared for the 49ers last week, the team listed 11 players on the final injury report, the most all season. Staying healthy is vital to long-term success in the NFL.
"We're right in the middle of it, so we want to make sure the guys know that and we'll come back, get fresh, get rested up, and get ready to come back after the bye and go for it in a big way," Quinn said.
All in all, the team enters the midway point with a winning record and two home games ahead of them. Quinn and his players approach the week with an optimistic attitude by saying their best football is ahead of them.
With a week of rest and self-evaluation, the Falcons will return to Flowery Branch next Monday rested and ready to prepare for the Indianapolis Colts.
"The message I wanted to give to the guys is let's make sure the ones that are in the past, don't keep replaying those, and the ones that are going to happen in the future, don't pre-play those," Quinn said. "Let's get right back to it, and we'll take it one game at a time."
