Falcons Clips
During the first two weeks of the 2026 season, the Falcons looked like one of the worst teams in the NFL.
The last two weeks have been much different. A 35-14 win in Green Bay in Week 3 was followed by Monday night’s 45-24 rout of the Saints in New Orleans and it’s not hard to notice the biggest difference in the team over the last two games. Quarterback Michael Penix was cleared to return from last season’s torn ACL and he’s been at the helm of their offensive explosion.
Penix is 33-of-45 for 479 yards and two touchdowns in the two wins and combining accuracy with an ability to pick up big chunks of yardage every time the ball is in the air has opened the door for the Falcons to run wild. Bijan Robinson has run for 339 yards and four touchdowns while Brian Robinson has 117 yards to go with four more scores in the back-to-back wins. The change in offense has made a strong impression on safety Jessie Bates.
“We just want to show the world who we can be,” Bates said, via Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com. “The first two weeks were not up to our standards. Obviously, when you got [Penix] back there dealing, it’s a whole different team. So, we’re just excited to continue to go with this.”
The Falcons had a strong collection of skill position players to open the season, but poor quarterback play didn’t allow them to take advantage of that talent. The shift with Penix has been clear and it’s opened the door to a much brighter future in Atlanta.
The NFL scheduled the Saints to host the Falcons on Monday night to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Superdome’s reopening after Hurricane Katrina. It was a big night in New Orleans, and the Saints did not match the fans’ energy.
Saints head coach Kellen Moore said after the 45-24 loss that the team came out flat despite the excitement of the moment.
“Really disappointing game for us,” Moore said. “The dome was an incredible night, incredible energy. I did a poor job preparing our football team. Didn’t coach well enough, didn’t play well enough. It wasn’t good enough. We’re at where we’re at, a 1-3 football team with some good moments but not enough consistent football to be where we ultimately want to be. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Moore said he addressed the historical significance of the game with his team and thought they bought into this being a particularly big game. But when it was time to put it all together, they didn’t.
“We talked about it at the beginning of the week, the guys were fired up,” Moore said. “I thought there was good energy, we just didn’t execute well enough.”
The Saints saw the nationally televised, much-discussed game as a big opportunity to show what kind of team they are, and they didn’t show much.
“Those are big-time opportunities,” Moore said. “It’s just disappointing for us and I know there’s frustration for everyone.”
The Saints will always have the Hurricane Katrina game on Sept. 25, 2006. Steve Gleason’s block of a Falcons’ punt is commemorated in a statue outside the Superdome titled “Rebirth.”
But Monday night belonged to the Falcons.
Atlanta ruined New Orleans’ “Domecoming” celebration, routing the Saints 45-24.
The Superdome cleared out in the second half as the Falcons ran over the Saints, with 205 of their 420 yards coming on the ground. Bijan Robinson had 19 carries for 145 yards and two touchdowns, and Brian Robinson added 14 carries for 62 yards and three touchdowns.
Bijan Robinson went 59 yards for a touchdown on the third play from scrimmage, a foreshadowing of how the night was going to go.
The Falcons led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and 24-7 at halftime before continuing to pour on the points in the second half.
The Falcons scored the fewest points in the NFL the first two weeks, with 16. In the past two games, since quarterback Michael Penix returned, the Falcons have an NFL-leading 80 points. The Falcons are 2-2 and tied with the Panthers atop the NFC South. The Saints are 1-3.
Penix went 15-of-20 for 223 yards and a touchdown, which was a 31-yard throw to Jahan Dotson. Drake London caught five passes for 96 yards and Dotson had two for 54.
Alvin Kamara turned back time in scoring two of the Saints’ touchdowns on runs of 3 and 5 yards. He tied Deuce McAllister’s franchise record for most multiple-rushing touchdown games with his 14th.
Late in the fourth quarter, with the game out of reach, Devaughn Vele made one of the best catches of the season. He got both feet down for a 3-yard touchdown with 1:13 left.
Tyler Shough went 30-of-48 for 286 yards and a touchdown despite banging up his left hand. Chris Olave caught eight passes for 116 yards before taking a hard hit on his knee late in the game.
The only bad news for the Falcons was the loss of edge rusher Za’Darius Smith (concussion) and left tackle Jake Matthews (groin). They left in the first half with their injuries and now have a short week to try to get back for the Ravens on Sunday Night Football.
Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews will not return tonight.
The Falcons have ruled him out.
Now, the question becomes: Will his groin injury keep him out of Sunday night’s game against the Ravens on a short week?
Matthews has started 199 games in a row, the longest active streak in the NFL. He made his 200th career start on Monday night but left in the first quarter.
The Falcons are rolling in the third quarter, holding a 31-10 lead after Brian Robinson’s second rushing touchdown. The Falcons have 173 rushing yards, with Bijan Robinson running for 132 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Brian Robinson has 11 carries for 41 yards.
Saints fans were ready to party like it’s 2006. Bijan Robinson, though, has reigned over their parade.
The Falcons running back has 12 carries for 103 yards and two touchdowns, and Atlanta leads 24-7 at halftime.
The pregame celebration had barely cleared the field from their “Domecoming” when Robinson broke a 59-yard touchdown run. It came on the third play from scrimmage.
He later added a 4-yard touchdown run.
The Falcons scored on four of their seven first-half possessions, and they outgained the Saints 255 to 147 yards.
Brian Robinson scored the Falcons’ third touchdown on a 4-yard run, and he has nine carries for 35 yards.
Michael Penix has completed 10 of 15 passes for 125 yards, with Drake London catching four for 82.
Saints quarterback Tyler Shough is 12-of-19 for 139 yards, with Chris Olave catching three for 62. The team’s only touchdown came on Alvin Kamara’s 3-yard run.
The Saints, though, have only 15 yards rushing on seven carries.
Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews made his 199th consecutive start on Monday night. But he watched the Falcons’ 10-play, 65-yard scoring drive from the sideline.
Matthews left in the first quarter with a groin injury that has him questionable to return.
He does not look as if he will.
Matthews’ starting streak is the longest active streak in the NFL.
Michael Jerrell has replaced Matthews, and Jerrell helped Brian Robinson score on a 4-yard run. The Falcons lead 21-7.
The Falcons have ruled out pass rusher Za’Darius Smith with a concussion. Smith took a knee to the head from a teammate early in the first quarter.
The Saints needed a touchdown. They got a touchdown.
Running back Alvin Kamara scored on a 3-yard run, pulling the Saints to within 14-7 of the Falcons.
It was his first rushing touchdown of the season and the 62nd of his career.
The Saints started their fourth drive from their own 46 after Falcons cornerback Billy Bowman Jr. was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the kickoff. Tyler Shough then hit Chris Olave for 44 yards to the Atlanta 10 on the first play from scrimmage on the drive.
Shough has completed 7 of 10 passes for 100 yards.
Bijan Robinson has a career-high 78 yards in the first quarter. He also has two touchdowns.
The Falcons have a 14-0 lead.
Saints running back Kendre Miller fumbled at his own 22, when cornerback C.J. Henderson punched it out. Officials did not rule a fumble on the field, forcing the Falcons to challenge. Replay reversed it to a fumble.
The Falcons scored five plays later on Robinson’s 4-yard run.
The Saints were called for two defensive holding penalties in the drive, including Kool-Aid McKinstry’s on Jahan Dotson on fourth-and-4 at the New Orleans 8.
Robinson had seven carries in the first quarter, and Michael Penix completed 3 of 6 passes for 30 yards.
Falcons defensive end Za’Darius Smith took a knee to the head with 12:57 left in the first quarter.
He remained on the ground, and after the Falcons’ medical personnel checked him out, they called for a cart. Smith, though, waved it off and walked off the field.
Smith is in the training room being evaluated for a concussion and a neck injury and is questionable to return.
He was blocked to the ground by Saints left tackle Asim Richards, and while lying on the ground, Falcons defensive end Brandon Dorlus’ left knee connected with Smith’s helmet.
Smith leads the team with 2.5 sacks.
Meanwhile, Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts did not start and has played only one snap in two series. The team told ESPN sideline reporter Laura Rutledge that Pitts is healthy.
Charlie Woerner, Nick Muse and Austin Hooper have played more snaps and Pitts so far.
The Saints had barely finished celebrating the 20th anniversary of their emotional post-Katrina return when Bijan Robinson crashed the party.
The Falcons running back took the air out of the “Domecoming” game with a 59-yard touchdown run.
He followed the hole created by left tackle Jake Matthews on Chase Young and went untouched down the left sideline.
Michael Penix completed passes of 12 and 9 yards before Robinson’s jaunt.
The Falcons lead 7-0 only 1 minute, 26 seconds into Monday Night Football.
