The 49ers, Cowboys and Cardinals are out of the playoff race.

Michael Penix Jr. won his debut as Atlanta’s starting quarterback, thanks largely to a defense that returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns to hand the hapless New York Giants their franchise-record 10th straight loss, 34-7.

After losing his job as the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins is promising to support rookie Michael Penix Jr. Cousins threw nine interceptions with one touchdown in the past five games.

The Atlanta Falcons are turning to rookie Michael Penix Jr. as their starting quarterback and benching veteran Kirk Cousins as they fight for their first playoff berth since 2017.

If the Atlanta Falcons are going to make a playoff push, coach Raheem Morris and quarterback Kirk Cousins both know the 13-year veteran needs to improve his play over the last three games of the season.

Kirk Cousins threw his first touchdown pass in five weeks and the Atlanta Falcons did just enough to beat the struggling Las Vegas Raiders 15-9 and keep pace in the NFC South race.

Sam Darnold threw for 347 yards and five touchdowns, both career highs, and the Minnesota Vikings pulled away from Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons 42-21 for their sixth straight victory.

Teams considering a coaching change should be encouraged by some of the quick turnarounds around the NFL.

A person with knowledge of the situation says Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is seeking another opinion before any decision on season-ending surgery on his torn hamstring.

A person with knowledge of the situation says Dak Prescott’s injured hamstring is partially torn away from the bone and surgery for the star quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys is possible.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will miss at least one game with a hamstring injury that the team says is still being evaluated.

Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes and the Atlanta Falcons maintained their hold on first place in the NFC South with a 27-21 victory over the struggling Cowboys.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of a hamstring injury that forced him to leave Sunday’s loss at Atlanta.

After 42 seasons, Bob Costas is retiring from baseball play-by-play.

Kirk Cousins threw for 276 yards and four touchdowns to help the Atlanta Falcons take sole possession of first place of the NFC South with a 31-26 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

PepsiCo lowered its sales forecast for the year after consumers in the U.S., China and elsewhere pulled back on its snacks and drinks.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are planning to relocate to the New Orleans area to prepare for Sunday’s game against the Saints with Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall along Florida’s west coast this week.

Kirk Cousins threw for a career-high 509 yards and four touchdowns, the last of them a 45-yard scoring pass to KhaDarel Hodge in overtime that gave the Atlanta Falcons an improbable 36-30 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Atlanta Falcons had plenty of opportunities to beat Kansas City but miscues and trouble converting on third down helped the Chiefs hold on for a narrow 22-17 victory.

Patrick Mahomes threw a pair of touchdown passes and Kansas City's defense made a couple of late stands to keep the Chiefs unbeaten with a 22-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Falcons wide receiver Drake London was penalized after catching a touchdown pass in the final minute of Atlanta’s 22-21 victory in Philadelphia on Monday night for pretending to shoot in the air, a violation of a longstanding NFL rule that prohibits such gestures.

Publix said that the new products are appropriate selections for tailgating and will help fans get “game-time ready.”

Kirk Cousins led a flawless last-minute drive for Atlanta and connected with Drake London for a 7-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left to give the Falcons a 22-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Atlanta Falcons hosted the football team from Apalachee High School a week after a shooting left two students and two teachers dead.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are planning to stick with Justin Fields over an injured Russell Wilson as they get ready for a trip to Denver.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins and head coach Raheen Morris wore Apalachee High School T-shirts during warmups before the NFL team's season opener, honoring the victims of a fatal shooting.

Some of the 18 NFL teams that missed the playoffs last year have reason to hope for much greater success this season.

Losing Tom Brady didn’t loosen the Buccaneers’ hold on the NFC South.

A person with knowledge of the deal says the Dallas Cowboys and running back Dalvin Cook have agreed on a contract.

Trevor Lawrence tuned up for the regular season by guiding two long touchdown drives against a bunch of Atlanta players fighting for jobs, and the Jacksonville Jaguars blew away the Falcons 31-0 in the preseason finale.

Josh Johnson completed all 11 of his pass attempts and Emory Jones added a long touchdown throw in the second half to lift the Baltimore Ravens to a 13-12 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

The New England Patriots have traded four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons for a third-round draft pick.

Atlanta rookie Michael Penix Jr. completed 9 of 16 passes for 104 yards in the Falcons’ 20-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Friday night in the preseason opener for both teams.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Rondale Moore was carted off the field with a leg injury during the team’s joint practice with the Miami Dolphins on Wednesday.

The Atlanta Falcons were stripped of a fifth-round pick in next year’s draft on Thursday for violating the NFL’s anti-tampering rules prior to signing quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins’ recovery from a torn right Achilles tendon remains on track as the team approaches next week’s mandatory minicamp.

Kirk Cousins has shrugged off any hard feelings over the Atlanta Falcons drafting Michael Penix Jr., insisting he’s ready to compete and doesn’t think there will be any issues in the quarterback room.

Matt Ryan, who retired last week after 15 years in the NFL, will join CBS Sports as a studio analyst on “The NFL Today” and Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason will leave after long runs on the show.

Michael Penix Jr., the biggest surprise of the NFL draft’s first round, received a congratulatory call from Kirk Cousins even as Cousins’ agent was second-guessing the Atlanta Falcons adding depth to their quarterback spot.

The Atlanta Falcons provided the first major surprise of the NFL draft by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. of Washington with the No. 8 pick.

Matt Ryan has called it a career.

The NFL is reviewing whether the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles violated tampering policies during the legal tampering window, a league spokesman said Thursday.

The Indianapolis Colts are proposing a rule change that would allow coaches to challenge any penalty call for the first time.

Former Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury isn’t going to Las Vegas to become the Raiders offensive coordinator after all, according to person informed of the decision.

The Las Vegas Raiders are hiring former Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury to be their offensive coordinator, a person informed of the decision told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The Atlanta Falcons have hired Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as their new head coach after an exhaustive search that included six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick.

Bill Belichick has completed his second coaching interview with the Atlanta Falcons, moving closer to joining the franchise that endured its biggest disappointment with him on the opposite sideline.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons for their head coaching vacancy, his second interview in two days.

Arthur Smith has been fired by the Atlanta Falcons after completing his third straight losing season.

Reserve quarterback Jameis Winston and New Orleans’ offense capped off a convincing victory with an aggressive play call that defied the orders of their own coaches and upset the rival Atlanta Falcons.

A medical examiner's report concludes that former NFL player Mike Williams died from a rare form of sepsis related to dental health problems.

Baker Mayfield threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Cade Otton with 31 seconds remaining, capping a wild fourth quarter that pushed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into a tie for first place with a 29-25 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.

Five games ended with field goals in regulation Sunday, the most in one day in NFL history.

A person familiar with the situation has told The Associated Press the Chicago Bears and recently acquired pass rusher Montez Sweat agreed to a four-year, $105 million contract extension through 2027.

Younghoe Koo’s third field goal of the game, a 51-yarder as time expired, bailed out Atlanta quarterback Desmond Ridder and gave the mistake-prone, but now first-place Falcons a 16-13 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The telecast was entirely animated and synced with the movement of players on the field for the Falcons and Jaguars during the real game.

Calvin Ridley caught a touchdown pass against his old team and Darious Williams returned an interception for a 61-yard score and the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Atlanta Falcons 23-7 at Wembley Stadium.

Return specialist Jamal Agnew will be inactive for the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium because of a thigh injury.

The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum is moving up festivities for the former president’s 99th birthday because of the threat of a partial federal government shutdown.

The Green Bay Packers are leaning heavily on their 13-man draft class as they prepare for their home opener Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.

Bijan Robinson outshined top overall pick Bryce Young in their NFL debuts, leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers in the season opener.

Kenny Pickett led two touchdown drives and showed he and the Pittsburgh starters are ready for real games as the Steelers overpowered the Atlanta Falcons’ backups 24-0 in the final preseason game for both teams.

Desmond Ridder led an impressive drive for Atlanta in his preseason debut and the Falcons settled for a field goal with 2 seconds left for a 13-13 tie with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Atlanta Falcons have waived 2022 starting linebacker Mykal Walker.

Dee Alford scored on a 79-yard punt return, Breon Borders returned one of Atlanta’s three interceptions for a score and the Falcons defeated the Miami Dolphins 19-3 in the teams' preseason opener.

Matt Ryan brought the No. 2 jersey back to the Atlanta Falcons' training camp.

Second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder is key to the Atlanta Falcons' hopes for a winning season.

The Jaguars will become the first NFL team to play two international games in the same season.

For one night at least, running backs got some of the glory in the pass-happy NFL.

Deion Sanders became the NFL draft’s first fashion icon by accessorizing a black and white track suit with loads of sparkling gold jewelry when he took the call from the Atlanta Falcons before they selected him fifth overall in the 1989 draft.

A person with a knowledge of the deal tells The Associated Press that quarterback Taylor Heinicke has agreed to terms on a two-year contract worth up to $20 million.

The NFL reinstated suspended receiver Calvin Ridley and cleared the way for him to join his new team in Jacksonville.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has entered home hospice care after a series of short hospital stays.

The man considered the greatest NFL quarterback of all time is hanging it up.

Rookie Desmond Ridder’s first two career touchdown passes powered the Atlanta Falcons to a 30-17 win over the playoff-bound Tampa Bay Buccaneers after Tom Brady added to his imposing list of records.

Tom Brady broke his own NFL mark for most completions in a season, quickly gaining the needed nine connections in Tampa Bay’s 30-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

It goes without saying that Deion Sanders is eager to win his last game with Jackson State.

Two years after no team in the NFC East won more than seven games, all four have pulled off the trick with six weeks to go in the NFL's regular season.

Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson returned a kickoff 103 yards to become the NFL career leader with nine touchdowns.

Carolina Panthers starting cornerback Donte Jackson will miss the remainder of the season after tearing an Achilles tendon.

Faster, more competitive games have the NFL feeling proud through the first half of the season.

D’Onta Foreman carried 31 times for 130 yards and a touchdown, Laviska Shenault added a 41-yard burst to the end zone and the Carolina Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 25-15 on a rainy night.

The worst division in the NFL gets a prime-time matchup when the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons meet for the second time in less than two weeks on Thursday night.

Suspended Atlanta receiver Calvin Ridley is getting a fresh start in Jacksonville.

Atlanta’s Younghoe Koo booted a 41-yard field goal in overtime after the Carolina Panthers missed a pair of kicks that could have won the game.

A person familiar with the situation tells AP that Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase could miss several games with a hip injury.

Microsoft has reported a 14% drop in profit for the July-September quarter compared to the same time last year, reflecting a weak market for personal computers affecting its Windows business.

For Marcus Mariota, the loss of confidence was the biggest blow.

Tom Brady was fined by the NFL on Friday for trying to kick Atlanta’s Grady Jarrett following the play in which the Falcons defensive tackle was flagged for a disputed roughing-the-passer penalty, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

The NFL has looked at Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett’s disputed roughing-the-passer penalty on Tom Brady to determine whether Brady attempted to kick Jarrett and if that warrants a fine, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

Grady Jarrett was flagged for roughing the passer after what many observed to be a typical sack of Tom Brady late in the fourth quarter of the Atlanta Falcons' 21-15 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tom Brady threw for 351 yards and a touchdown, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers end a two-game losing streak with a 21-15 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Matthew Stafford threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns, Jalen Ramsey intercepted a potential go-ahead touchdown pass in the end zone and the Los Angeles Rams held off a second-half rally attempt by the Atlanta Falcons for a 31-27 victory.

Wil Lutz kicked a 51-yard field goal with 19 seconds remaining to cap a stunning fourth-quarter comeback by the New Orleans Saints.

A prosecutor in Atlanta has announced a sprawling indictment targeting members of what she called a violent street gang that targeted the homes of famous athletes, entertainers and others.

Desmond Ridder shook off an interception on his first throw to lead the Atlanta Falcons to their first home preseason win since 2016, 28-16 over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Marcus Mariota led Atlanta to scores on two of his three drives in the Falcons’ 24-16 loss against mostly New York Jets backups.

It was a 1-2 punch to the gut for Atlanta’s sports fans.

The Indianapolis Colts have acquired their new quarterback, Matt Ryan, in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons.