Falcons vs. Bills takeaways: Bijan Robinson runs wild as Atlanta swarms Josh Allen for 'MNF' upset

Buffalo drops its second straight, sliding to second place in the AFC East

The Buffalo Bills dropped a stunning prime-time game to the rival New England Patriots in Week 5, marking a dramatic end to their four-game win streak to open the 2025 NFL season. Monday night brought another stunner for the AFC powerhouse, as the Atlanta Falcons swarmed Josh Allen and enjoyed another monster performance from Bijan Robinson en route to a 24-14 upset victory.

Looking to rebound from the Patriots defeat, Allen struggled mightily to get into a rhythm against Raheem Morris' defense, which entered the Monday night matchup ranked among the NFL's best in pass coverage. Missing top tight end Dalton Kincaid, Allen also lost speedy wide receiver Josh Palmer to an in-game injury. He struggled to evade Atlanta's persistent rush, absorbing four sacks, throwing two interceptions and nearly losing a fumble as Buffalo tried to dig itself out of a 21-7 halftime deficit.

Robinson, meanwhile, led the way for the Falcons' attack, finishing with 238 scrimmage yards -- 81 of which came on a sprint down the right sideline for a touchdown. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. wasn't nearly as consistent, following up a sharp first half with an erratic finish, but he still led a key fourth-quarter field goal drive that put Atlanta up by 10 with under two minutes to play.

Here are some big-picture takeaways from the Falcons' win, which helps Atlanta stay alive in the NFC South race and dropped the Bills to 4-2, behind the Patriots in the AFC East:

Play of the game

This one belongs to Bijan, who made a routine carry look spectacular after finding a clear lane through the middle of the Bills' defense, then taking off down the right sideline, shedding a would-be tackler for a game-breaking score:

Bijan Robinson is award-worthy

If there's one thing everyone should know after watching the Falcons upset the Bills in prime time, it's this: Atlanta has itself a potential MVP and Offensive Player of the Year contender in Robinson. The multipurpose threat was already enjoying a stellar season before Week 6, even leading the Falcons in receiving yards. Then he went and ran all over Sean McDermott's defense, maximizing every touch with an innate ability to find open turf. He did everything so well that it didn't even matter too much that Michael Penix Jr. endured an uneven second half under center, nearly throwing a fourth-quarter pick to enhance Buffalo's comeback efforts. Robinson's all-star contributions also helped minimize the absence of injured wideout Darnell Mooney.

Josh Allen is feeling the effects of a bruised setup

Now, to be clear, other quarterbacks have fared quite well despite plenty of teammates going down with injuries (see: Baker Mayfield). But Allen really seemed to be missing the depth of Buffalo's skill groups on Monday. With Curtis Samuel, Dalton Kincaid and eventually Josh Palmer all sidelined, the reigning NFL MVP never looked fully comfortable against Atlanta's pass rush, also putting the ball in danger on a handful of downfield darts. Facing blitzes on more than 55% of his snaps, Allen ended up completing just 57% of his throws. It didn't help he had little ground support to start the contest. But the Bills are going to need him to sharpen up, or at least get healthier at pass-catcher, if they intend to retain their AFC East crown with authority.

Bills leadership also deserves some heat

Allen hurt Buffalo as often as he helped the team on Monday, almost throwing more than two picks with some hero-ball tosses, but he's still a top-three talent at the position. McDermott, however, has yet to fully iron out the Bills' defense, which committed some untimely penalties and once again was a sieve against the run. And general manager Brandon Beane is part of the sour equation, considering his investment in aging and/or injury-prone starters at each level. Let's not overreact here: The Bills are still 4-2, within reach of the top of the AFC East and another real playoff push. But back-to-back losses are back-to-back losses, and the warts are starting to show a bit more clearly. It's on everyone -- all the way from the top on down -- to correct the imbalances.

[Oct 13, 2025 at 10:24 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Atlanta is going to leave this one with a victory! Josh Allen makes some magic with his legs to put the Bills all the way into the red zone, then scrambles around some more for a potential touchdown throw, only to have his pass tipped by Zach Harrison ... right into the waiting arms of DeAngelo Malone. That's pick No. 2 for Allen on the night, capping a sloppy performance from Buffalo's typically vaunted attack. And that's two straight prime-time losses for the Bills. Big tip of the cap to Raheem Morris' defense.

[Oct 13, 2025 at 10:18 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Blocked from 37 yards out earlier, John Parker Romo redeems himself with a 33-yard field goal that puts the Falcons up 10 points with 1:43 to go. Credit Atlanta for finally putting points on the board in the second half, even though a few of Michael Penix Jr.'s throws on that drive were arguably forced into traffic. If Atlanta holds on, Raheem Morris can thank Bijan Robinson, whose 170 yards on the ground have helped keep the Falcons afloat since the break, plus a persistent defensive front that's kept Josh Allen on his toes.

[Oct 13, 2025 at 9:47 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

The Falcons defense has shown up fairly consistently, putting heat on Josh Allen while the quarterback works with a depleted group of weapons. The offense, on the other hand? Since a hot first half in which a sharp Michael Penix Jr. and explosive Bijan Robinson worked in tandem, Atlanta's done very little with the ball in its hands. Penix's accuracy has dipped in the second half as he holds the ball waiting for someone other than Drake London to break free. And now Buffalo has momentum after blocking a 37-yard John Parker Romo field goal try. The Falcons' lead is officially no longer secure.

[Oct 13, 2025 at 9:36 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Atlanta is doing its best to squeeze the Bills on a night Buffalo is missing several of Josh Allen's playmakers. Three sacks speaks to the pressure applied up front, but it also doesn't do justice to the heat Raheem Morris' unit is applying on key downs. Allen tried to play Superman on fourth down in Atlanta territory just now, only to nearly gift the Falcons another pick with a wayward pitch pass:

[Oct 13, 2025 at 9:19 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

James Cook was held to just 7 yards on the ground in the first half, but he came alive on Buffalo's latest scoring drive, taking five carries to propel the Bills into enemy territory, where Josh Allen found Ray Davis open for a critical second-half touchdown:

[Oct 13, 2025 at 8:58 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

If, somehow, the Falcons can't hang on to their sizable lead, they'll look back on this strong but ultimately empty effort from London at the close of the first half, when Michael Penix Jr. nearly put Atlanta up 28-7 on the final play of the second quarter:

[Oct 13, 2025 at 8:53 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

We're at the break, and Atlanta has the clear edge at home, entering halftime with a 21-7 advantage. Bijan Robinson's 81-yard explosion was the home run of the first half for the Falcons, but it's been an all-around solid performance from Raheem Morris' squad. Michael Penix Jr. is throwing with some extra heat, giving plenty of opportunities to Drake London.

And Morris' defense is taking advantage of Buffalo's banged-up lineup, which is without Dalton Kincaid and Curtis Samuel and also saw Josh Palmer go down. Josh Allen has yet to settle into any kind of rhythm, absorbing a pair of sacks, nearly losing a fumble and rifling a pick to Dee Alford just before half. The only thing that went Buffalo's way: London stepped out of bounds while lunging for a last-gasp would-be touchdown on the final play of the half; that score would've had Atlanta up 21.

[Oct 13, 2025 at 8:14 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

How about this for some Falcons firepower? Right after swarming Josh Allen on defense, with a trio of players driving the star quarterback into the turf for a third-down sack, Atlanta finds daylight on a straightforward carry from Bijan Robinson. Where are the linebackers? Nowhere to be found. Robinson found a second gear quickly, and all of a sudden Atlanta's got a decisive lead:

[Oct 13, 2025 at 8:02 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Atlanta is down two veteran wideouts in Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud III, but Drake London came to play, and Michael Penix Jr. is feeding his No. 1 pass catcher. Already up to five catches for 64 yards, London also showcased elite awareness and ball skills at the goal line, outmuscling Taron Johnson for a touchdown. The Falcons offense looks very much in sync to start this one.

[Oct 13, 2025 at 7:38 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Top Falcons corner A.J. Terrell is back in the lineup for Atlanta, but that's not stopping Josh Allen from slinging it. The Bills quarterback launches a deep shot to an open Josh Palmer, then seals Buffalo's first drive with a 19-yard laser to Dawson Knox. No Dalton Kincaid? No problem just yet for the Bills, who marched right down the field against one of the NFL's top-ranked pass defenses.

[Oct 13, 2025 at 7:24 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

The Falcons got away with one early: Bijan Robinson loses the ball on Atlanta's first offensive snap of the game, with Shaq Thompson part of the defensive duo knocking it loose, but the fumble is negated by a Bills offsides penalty. Then Robinson's counterpart, Tyler Allgeier, finds open turf to cruise in for a 21-yard touchdown. Buffalo has struggled to clog rushing lanes this year, and without Matt Milano at linebacker, the problem continues. Big opening statement from Atlanta.

[Oct 13, 2025 at 6:50 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

The following notable names will not suit up for Atlanta on Monday night:

• WR Darnell Mooney
• WR Ray-Ray McCloud III
• CB Billy Bowman Jr.

Mooney, who's arguably the Falcons' top field-stretcher opposite Drake London, will miss his second game of 2025 due to a hamstring issue. That puts added strain on Atlanta's depth chart with McCloud deemed a healthy scratch. Casey Washington, KhaDarel Hodge and Jamal Agnew are set to see an uptick in action behind London out wide.

Bowman (knee/hamstring) will leave Raheem Morris' defense a bit short on secondary depth, though top cornerback A.J. Terrell is back in the lineup after missing two games with a hamstring issue of his own.

[Oct 13, 2025 at 5:51 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Buffalo's offense may have an MVP candidate in Josh Allen, but it will be without two veteran playmakers tonight:

• TE Dalton Kincaid (oblique)
• WR Curtis Samuel (rib / neck)

Look for top wideouts Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir to remain on Allen's radar all night.

[Oct 13, 2025 at 5:45 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Buffalo officially elevated veteran defensive lineman Jordan Phillips and safety Jordan Poyer from the practice squad for Monday's matchup with Atlanta. Phillips is on his third stint with the Bills, while Poyer, a former All-Pro, is on his second.

[Oct 13, 2025 at 3:34 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

This is a huge question. Atlanta should be well rested after taking Week 5 off. But the Falcons have been a real hit-or-miss operation so far. Michael Penix Jr. was sharp in a Week 1 back-and-forth with Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The defense was suffocating in a Week 2 rout of the Minnesota Vikings. Then everything crashed to Earth in a stunning 30-0 loss to the Carolina Panthers that had some overzealous fans calling for Kirk Cousins to return under center. Finally Penix rebounded with a high-scoring win over the injury-riddled Washington Commanders before the bye. One constant during Atlanta's bumpy ride: Bijan Robinson, who's averaged more than 140 scrimmage yards per game, also serving as the club's top pass catcher.

[Oct 13, 2025 at 3:31 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

From our betting preview at CBS Sports and SportsLine:

The Bills' offense is averaging 395.8 total yards per game, with Josh Allen throwing for 243.4 yards per outing with nine touchdowns and just two interceptions. The defense has struggled against the rush and is allowing 145.6 yards on the ground, which could spell trouble going up against Bijan Robinson. Buffalo has been solid at defending the pass, however, and the Falcons could be in trouble if Michael Penix Jr. has an off night.