Why Falcons might need to have an uncomfortable Zachariah Branch conversation

1 week ago 12

Six weeks into the 2026 regular season, the Atlanta Falcons find themselves at 2-4, with Michael Penix Jr. giving the team reason to have confidence in a turnaround.

However, a Week 6 loss to the Chicago Bears has Atlanta behind the Carolina Panthers by more than one game. That loss to the Bears was a lot worse than it might seem on paper after the fact. The reason why? Their rookie receiver had a really bad day.

Zachariah Branch fumbled two punts, which ESPN's Marc Raimondi revealed made some NFL history, and has thrust Branch's role with the team into question just six weeks into his career.

Falcons face uncomfortable Zachariah Branch question after horrible Week 6 game

"Wide receiver Zachariah Branch has shown flashes as a rookie, but he lost two fumbles on returns -- including a muffed punt when Atlanta was down a touchdown in the second quarter," Raidmondi writes.

That two-fumble game should have the Falcons a bit worried, especially considering this was only the third time someone has fumbled the ball twice on special teams in the same game over the last decade, according to ESPN Research.

Rookies can struggle; that isn't a huge issue. But the manner in which Branch impacted the Falcons in Week 6 is something that's going to be hard to shake.

The Falcons, or any team, for that matter, cannot afford a player to fumble one punt return, let alone two in one game. His two blunders completely changed the course of this game.

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Atlanta isn't going to bench Branch, as he's still a rookie and is a local product from Georgia. But the leash has likely gotten significantly shorter following Week 6.

If they aren't having the uncomfortable conversation about whether Branch deserves to stick as the team's punt returner after such a bad performance, they really should be having such talks.

Sure, it's only his sixth NFL game, and the upside is appealing enough to give him another chance or two.

But if the Falcons want any chance of making the playoffs this year, they have to be willing to take him off punt returners if the fumbles continue.