The Falcons have averaged 39 points per game over their last six games

The defense is getting a lot of love for stopping up Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense, which is well-deserved. The offense needs to get all that love and much more, though, because what they’re doing is nothing short of historically great.

There’s nothing simple about Atlanta’s offense, which is run by a mad scientist and routinely features passes to eight-plus different receivers in a given game. When you have a terrific offensive line, an MVP candidate at quarterback, the NFL’s best rushing duo, and the NFL’s best receiver, though, all that sorcery ceases to seem just plain cool and becomes something otherworldly. Simply put, no one is stopping this team right now, and the only prayer you have is forcing a turnover or two (which Green Bay couldn’t do) or outgunning them (which Green Bay also couldn’t do). Even Seattle, which has one of the best defenses in the NFL, couldn’t do more than mildly dent that average.

Over that span, the Falcons have beaten some cupcake teams (49ers, Rams, Panthers), one reasonably challenging one (the Saints), and two strong playoff contenders (Seahawks, Packers). They’ll face their stiffest test against New England a week from now, but really, we’re past the point of asking whether any defense is going to be able to hold them in check. Thirty points seems like a genuine miracle, at this point.

If you’re the Patriots, as good as you are, you have to be looking at those numbers and this offense and wondering how the hell you’re going to stop the Falcons from doing basically whatever they want. We’ll see what New England can come up with.