Robinson’s 170 Yards Fuel Falcons 24-14 Win Over Bills/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Bijan Robinson exploded for 170 rushing yards and an 81-yard touchdown as the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Buffalo Bills 24-14 on Monday night. Michael Penix Jr. played mistake-free football, while Josh Allen struggled with turnovers again. Atlanta improves to 3-2, while Buffalo’s early-season hype takes another hit.
Falcons vs. Bills Quick Looks
- Bijan Robinson rushes for 170 yards, 81-yard TD
- Robinson adds 68 receiving yards, totals 238 scrimmage yards
- Michael Penix Jr.: 250 passing yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs
- Drake London: 10 receptions, 158 yards, 1 TD
- Josh Allen: 180 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
- Allen has 4 interceptions in last 3 games
- Falcons extend lead with 14-play, 5-minute drive
- Atlanta defense pressures Allen, seals win with INT
- Bills fall to 4-2 after 4-0 start
- Buffalo has bye before facing Carolina in Week 8
Deep Look: Robinson’s Career Day Powers Falcons Past Bills 24-14
ATLANTA (AP) — Bijan Robinson put on a show under the lights of Monday Night Football, racking up 170 rushing yards, including an electrifying 81-yard touchdown run, to help the Atlanta Falcons defeat the Buffalo Bills 24-14.
Robinson added six receptions for 68 yards, giving him a career-best 238 total yards from scrimmage in one of the most dominant performances of the 2025 NFL season so far.
“We’ve been waiting for that moment,” said Falcons head coach Raheem Morris. “He’s the best player in football. I’ve said it multiple times.”
Robinson’s second-quarter touchdown — the longest run in the NFL this season — gave Atlanta a 21-7 lead, and the Falcons never looked back. While Josh Allen attempted a second-half comeback, turnovers and missed chances doomed the Bills, who fell to 4-2 after a promising 4-0 start.
Mistake-Free Penix and Explosive London
Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. looked sharp, completing 20 of 32 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown — a 9-yard strike to Drake London, who caught 10 passes for 158 yards on the night. Penix avoided turnovers and delivered key throws, including a 23-yard completion to Robinson to keep Atlanta’s final scoring drive alive.
“We’re learning how to win together,” Penix said. “Bijan, Drake — those guys made plays all night.”
Tyler Allgeier scored the Falcons’ opening touchdown on a 21-yard run, helping Atlanta to a quick two-score lead.
Buffalo’s Problems Mount
Josh Allen continued to struggle with turnovers, finishing 15-of-26 for 180 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. He now has four interceptions over the last three games, after throwing just one in his previous 12 games, including the 2024 playoffs.
Allen’s mistakes proved costly:
- A fourth-down stop near midfield in the third quarter
- A blocked field goal by Greg Rousseau early in the fourth that went wasted
- A game-sealing interception by Atlanta linebacker DeAngelo Malone with 41 seconds left
“I’ve got to be better,” Allen admitted. “They had a good plan. Looks like they used the bye week to game-plan us quite a bit.”
Bills head coach Sean McDermott echoed the sentiment.
“We had opportunities. Blocking the kick was big, but we didn’t capitalize,” he said.
Falcons Control the Final Moments
After Rousseau’s block, Atlanta responded with a methodical 14-play, 5-minute drive, culminating in Parker Romo’s 33-yard field goal to put the Falcons up by 10. Buffalo was left with 1:47 and no timeouts, a situation they couldn’t overcome.
The win moves Atlanta to 3-2, showing signs of growth under Morris and Penix. The Bills, meanwhile, face mounting questions about their inconsistency and whether their 4-0 start was inflated by weak competition.
Buffalo’s first four wins came against teams now holding a combined 3-21 record — Baltimore (1-5), Jets (0-6), Miami (1-5), and New Orleans (1-5).
“We’ve got to figure it out,” McDermott said. “It’s not going to be easy.”
Injuries and Surprises
Injury Updates:
- Bills: WR Joshua Palmer (ankle), LB Terrel Bernard (ankle) both exited in the second half.
TE Dalton Kincaid was inactive with an oblique injury despite pregame warmups. DT DaQuan Jones also missed the game with a calf injury. - Falcons: LT Jake Matthews (ankle) exited before halftime and didn’t return. CB Billy Bowman Jr. (knee, hamstring) was inactive.
Surprise Inactive:
“That was a coach’s decision,” Morris said. “He’ll be back competing next week.”
What’s Next
- Bills: Enter a much-needed bye week, then face the Carolina Panthers (0-6) on October 26.
- Falcons: Travel to face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football, another test for Atlanta’s rising stars.
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