Take 5: Five quick takeaways from Falcons’ big victory vs. Bills
The Falcons should be giddy over their defense; beyond giddy, really.
The unit came through again and again and again as the Falcons upset the Bills 24-14 on “Monday Night Football” at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It’s a huge win for the Falcons, who are trying to keep pace with the Buccaneers (5-1) and Panthers (3-3) in the NFC South.
And if the Falcons are going to make the playoffs in a deep NFC, they’ll need more performances like this one. Here are five takeaways:
1. Take a bow, Jeff Ulbrich. The Falcons’ defensive coordinator has made the 2024 unit a distant memory. It’s clear the Falcons have a quality defense. When was the last time the Falcons’ defense held an MVP quarterback down the way it did Monday?
Josh Allen looked out of sorts from the opening drive and never found consistency. Ulbrich outcoached Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who routinely is touted as a head coach candidate. Allen was sacked four times and threw two interceptions, with each coming at the end of a half.
Buffalo had 291 total yards. It went 2-for-9 on third downs and scored on only two of 11 drives. The Bills had multiple possessions with the opportunity to tie the score at 21-21 in the second half, but they never even threatened. Allen and his supporting cast had no answers for the Falcons.
2. Falcons running back Bijan Robinson is a sensation, accruing 238 total yards, including 170 rushing yards. Robinson had an 81-yard touchdown run that was the longest of his career.
Was this the finest performance of his career, in high school, college and professional football?
“Just another great game,” he said. “Because it’s the next one. I wish I could tell you I rank games and stuff, but this is just a game for me to help my team win. That’s just how it is for me.”
3. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. benefited greatly from the run game. He didn’t need to be superman, throwing for 250 yards and a touchdown on 20-for-32 passing. Penix will happily take that every week. He was efficient and showed constant toughness in delivering passes while getting smacked — including on the team’s clinching drive in which he found Robinson as he was clocked by a Bills defender.
The Falcons don’t need Penix to play at an elite level to win if the structure around him succeeds (of course, it would be nice if he emerged as a top-tier quarterback). Their winning formula revolves around a fierce defense and the NFL’s No. 1 rushing offense right now.
4. Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews left the game before halftime with an ankle injury. His status will be a major story moving forward. Matthews is a good player at a premium position, and losing him for any time would be a blow. Morris didn’t have an immediate update on Matthews after the game.
5. The Falcons needed this win to keep pace in a loaded NFC. They join the following teams that have won at least three games: Tampa Bay (5), Detroit (4), Philadelphia (4) San Francisco (4), Seattle (4), Los Angeles (4), Green Bay (3), Minnesota (3), Washington (3) and Carolina. It’s early, but it feels like it could be a year in which an NFC team might need at least 10 wins to reach the playoffs.
The Falcons travel to San Francisco for “Sunday Night Football” next week. Suddenly that game looks extremely important in what’s likely a crowded NFC playoff picture.
“Look here, for this performance, people are going to come at us now like, ‘Wow, look at the Falcons,’” Robinson said. “’The Falcons are this team now.’ Yeah, nah. We have to scratch that out of this building.
“I’m big into my faith, like the Bible says, the worship and praise, we have to shut that down immediately because that’s what hurts your team. That’s when you go to a next game and get blown out or lose. This was great, we’ll celebrate it tonight, but we have to put it to the side super fast because the 49ers just came off a loss (to Tampa Bay) and that’s a great team. They’re going to come in ready to go for this week coming up.”
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
