Atlanta Falcons @ Buffalo Bills
Final Score: Falcons 24, Bills 14
Writer: Steven Pintado (@coachstevenp)
“Monday Night Football” kicked off with a surprising upset as the Falcons defeated the Bills by 10 points. Atlanta’s stars, Drake London and Bijan Robinson, carried the offense, dominating a Bills defense that had no answers for either of them all night.
The Falcons’ defense was equally impressive — creating chaos for Josh Allen with constant pressure, multiple sacks, and key turnovers. Meanwhile, the Bills’ offense looked flat and uninspired, taking too long to establish the run, and their receivers struggled to consistently get open.
From the opening drive, the Falcons set the tone with physical play and never let up. They bullied Buffalo early and maintained control throughout, earning one of their most complete team wins of the season.
Three Up
- Drake London — London dominated the Bills’ secondary and showed why he is an up-and-coming elite receiver.
- Bijan Robinson — Like London in the passing game, Robinson dominated the ground game, and the Bills’ defense had no way to stop him from making the longest play of the season.
- Khalil Shakir — Shakir’s numbers weren’t great, but he was the next best decent play in this game. He is Allen’s trusted weapon underneath.
Three Down
- Josh Allen — This didn’t look like the Josh Allen we know: sacks, poor throws, and turnovers.
- Michael Penix Jr. — Penix put up decent numbers, but a closer look reveals he wasn’t all that great.
- Keon Coleman — With the Bills trailing for most of the game, Coleman failed to create separation against the Falcons’ secondary.
Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback
Michael Penix Jr.: 20/32, 250 Yards, TD | 2 Carries, 6 Yards
Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. put up decent numbers against the Bills, but his on-field performance told a different story. In the first half, if Penix wasn’t targeting Drake London, things got ugly fast. His accuracy dipped on short and intermediate throws, and he often locked onto his first read rather than working through progressions. When pressure came early, he struggled to create outside the pocket, limiting the offense’s rhythm.
The second half looked much the same, though Penix leaned more on Bijan Robinson as a safety valve in the passing game to help bail him out of tight spots. He nearly threw two interceptions during a critical fourth-quarter drive that could have cost Atlanta the game. Fortunately, the Bills failed to adjust to slow down London or Robinson — or Penix’s struggles might have been far more noticeable. A quick glance at the target distribution shows just how dependent the Falcons’ offense was on their two stars.
- 16/24 for 226 yards to London and Robinson.
- 4/8 for 24 yards to any other pass catcher.
Running Back
Bijan Robinson: 19 Carries, 170 Yard, TD | 8 Targets, 6 Receptions, 68 Yards
Star running back Bijan Robinson absolutely dominated the Bills’ run defense. He seemed to get stronger as the game went on, ripping off chunk gains and making defenders miss at will — it felt like every time he touched the ball, a Bills defender was left grasping at air. Robinson eventually broke the game open with an electrifying 81-yard rushing touchdown, showcasing his elite burst and top-end speed as he outran everyone to the end zone.
In the passing game, Robinson contributed with a few early receptions, but most of his receiving work came in the fourth quarter on screens designed to get him in space. Outside of losing an early touchdown to Tyler Allgeier and nearly fumbling on the first play of the game, Robinson delivered one of his best performances of the season — a true reminder of the difference-maker he is for both the Falcons’ offense and fantasy lineups.
Tyler Allgeier : 10 Carries, 32 Yard, TD | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 6 Yards
Backup running back Tyler Allgeier did exactly what he’s done all season — steal touchdowns from Robinson. In the first quarter, Allgeier spelled Robinson and capitalized with a 21-yard touchdown run, bouncing off multiple defenders on his way to the end zone. Most of his remaining touches came in the fourth quarter as the Falcons looked to drain the clock. Allgeier continues to serve as a reliable backup and a solid change-of-pace option behind Robinson, even if his touchdown poaching can be frustrating for fantasy managers.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Drake London: 16 Targets, 10 Receptions, 158 Yards
Drake London was an absolute beast against the Bills. Whether the defense lined up in zone or man coverage, London consistently found ways to win. Against zone, he showcased sharp route running and excellent separation skills, making himself an easy target for Penix. In man coverage, he simply overpowered defenders or came down with tough contested catches. London dominated early — he was the only Falcons pass catcher to see targets in the first quarter — and the Bills had no answer for him all night.
Even in his big performance, there were a few missed opportunities. Penix overthrew London on two potential deep connections that could’ve added huge yardage, and late in the first half, London broke a tackle and nearly scored a second touchdown before stepping out of bounds just short of the goal line. Still, his performance was a major reason why the Falcons’ offense clicked in Week 6.
Kyle Pitts Sr. : 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 18 Yards
Tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. made little impact in this game, though it wasn’t entirely his fault. The game script limited his target opportunities, and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. struggled to connect with anyone outside of Drake London. Most of Pitts’ looks came on short tight end screens, giving him limited chances to work downfield. He was tripped up on a few of those attempts, leading to minimal yardage. It ended up being one of Pitts’ worst performances of the season — but much of that lack of production falls on Penix rather than Pitts himself.
Casey Washington: 2 Targets
Feleipe Franks: 1 Carry, 2 Yards
Buffalo Bills
Quarterback
Josh Allen: 15/126, 180 Yards, 2 TD, 2 INTs | 6 Carries, 42 Yards
Quarterback Josh Allen looked poised for a big night early on, opening the game with a 46-yard bomb to Joshua Palmer. He appeared sharp on the first drive, hitting his receivers for chunk gains and leading the Bills to an early score. Unfortunately, things quickly unraveled from there. The Falcons’ defense adjusted, dialing up pressure that forced Allen to constantly move within the pocket — and the offense stalled as a result.
Allen began forcing throws, taking sacks, and scrambling to make something out of broken plays. His decision-making slipped late in the first half when he threw an ill-advised interception over the middle into triple coverage.
The second half wasn’t much better. While Allen’s rushing helped salvage his fantasy floor, the passing game remained disjointed. He threw a second interception on the Bills’ final drive, trying to make a play under duress. Allen appeared to get shaken up early in the game, and while it didn’t take him out, it might have affected his throwing mechanics. Despite the rough outing, he should bounce back in the coming weeks — this looked more like an off night than a trend.
Running Back
James Cook: 17 Carries, 87 Yards
Star running back James Cook had an average outing against the Falcons. In the first half, Cook found little room to operate, often getting stuffed behind the line with few open running lanes. The second half brought more opportunities as the Falcons’ defense began to soften, allowing Cook to find some rhythm and pick up chunk gains. He fought hard for every yard, but surprisingly finished the game without a target, as his backups handled most of the passing-down work. Cook now finds himself in a bit of a slump, marking back-to-back games without a touchdown.
Ray Davis: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 19 Yards, 1 TD
Ty Johnson: 1 Carry, 5 yards | 2 Target, 1 Reception, 11 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Khalil Shakir: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 33 Yards
The Bills’ WR1, Khalil Shakir, turned in an average performance against the Falcons, but remained Allen’s clear go-to target, especially on underneath routes. Most of his receptions came in the short and intermediate areas, where he was able to showcase his yards-after-catch ability. Shakir nearly added another 16 yards on what would’ve been a highlight grab in the second quarter, but he couldn’t quite get both feet down in bounds. Even so, it was evident that he was the Bills’ most reliable pass catcher on the field — he simply needed more targets to make a bigger impact.
Josh Palmer: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 60 Yards
Veteran receiver Josh Palmer got off to a fast start, hauling in a 46-yard reception on the very first play of the game for the Bills’ offense. He later added a 14-yard catch over the middle, showing good timing and chemistry early on. Unfortunately, Palmer suffered an injury on that play midway through the first quarter, which appeared to limit his usage for the remainder of the game.
Keon Coleman: 6 Targets, 3 Receptions, 11 Yards
Keon Coleman had a rough night against the Falcons. Despite leading the team in targets, he managed just 11 receiving yards, as Atlanta’s secondary completely shut down his ability to make plays downfield. Most of Coleman’s catches came on short routes with tight coverage, giving him little room to operate after the catch.
It’s starting to raise some concern that Coleman isn’t stepping up enough in his second season. With Shakir firmly established as Allen’s go-to receiver, Coleman’s role in the Bills’ passing game continues to look limited and inconsistent.
Dawson Knox: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 19 Yards, 1 TD
Veteran tight end Dawson Knox stepped up as a capable replacement for Dalton Kincaid, drawing a few early looks in the passing game. He even capitalized on an end-zone target for a touchdown. However, Knox’s involvement faded as the Bills leaned heavily on their ground game to create play-action in the offense. With Kincaid expected to return next week, Knox will likely slide back into a secondary role and hold limited any value moving forward.
Elijah Moore: 2 Targets
Tyrell Shavers: 5 Targets, 3 Reception, 27 Yards