The Atlanta Falcons wanted to win this game to set the tone for a season where they were hyped for their talent, and they could have. The opportunities were there, and the Falcons squandered every single one of them.
The usual caveats apply. It was only one game, against one of the league’s better defenses and defensive lines, and the defense generally acquitted itself quite well. Even with Nick Foles at the helm, holding a team to 18 points is nothing to sneeze at, and there was no particular reason to believe the Falcons would lose this game allowing that many.