Quietly, the Atlanta Falcons' defense has been off to an impressive start in the 2025 season despite their blowout loss in Week 3. Much of the blame for the loss can be placed on the special teams unit and offensive mistakes that either allowed Tampa Bay to score or set up short fields. All this leads to the point that while the majority of Atlanta's starters on defense have been playing well, Mike Hughes has been a clear outlier. The veteran corner has a disturbing 55.1 PFF grade this season, which points to the fact that he has often been targeted.
If there is one defensive piece that needs a bounce-back game in Week 4, it is Hughes. Something that might be perfectly set up with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting that star receiver Terry McLaurin suffered a quad injury, which has left him questionable for Sunday's game against Atlanta. This is on top of it already being very probable that Jayden Daniels will be out, forcing former Falcons' starter Marcus Mariota into the lineup for a second straight week. If Hughes can't get on track against a limited Washington offense, he never will.
Falcons Corner Mike Hughes Being Gifted Perfect Bounce-Back Opportunity in Week 4
If both stars do miss the game in Atlanta, there are no more excuses for Hughes. If you're ever going to get back on track, it is against the Commanders. Their offense is looking far less intimidating after losing Austin Ekeler for the year and possibly being without both Daniels and McLaurin on Sunday afternoon.
Atlanta could be at a disadvantage at the cornerback position as well, with A.J. Terrell missing Week 3 due to a hamstring injury suffered against the Vikings. With the Falcons having an early bye week after playing the Commanders, there is reason to wonder if the franchise might sit Terrell one more game, understanding that it means an additional week of rest.
This even further sets the stage for why Hughes badly needs to take a step forward in Atlanta's next game. Already, you're playing two rookies in the secondary with Xavier Watts at safety and Billy Bowman serving as the slot corner. It puts a higher level of pressure on the veterans to help set the tone and lead by example. Hughes isn't living up to this expectation, actively giving up big plays and getting beaten in coverage.
It is similar to what the Falcons saw from Hughes at the end of the 2024 season after a great start to the year. There was a level of belief that perhaps the devolved performance was due to an earlier injury that was the tipping point for when the season started turning in the wrong direction for the veteran corner.
Regardless, the Falcons need Hughes to take a step forward, or Atlanta must quickly attempt to find another answer. Looking at free agent options, Asante Samuel Jr. and Stephon Gilmore both remain on the market. Either could serve as a potential upgrade if Hughes is unable to show viable improvement in Week 4.