Takeaways As Bijan Robinson, Falcons Upset Bills 24-14 On Monday Night Football

Takeaways as Bijan Robinson, Falcons upset Bills 24-14 on Monday Night Football originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

If you don’t know, now you do.

Bijan Robinson dominated under the lights as the Atlanta Falcons upset the Buffalo Bills 24-14 at home in the first of two Week 6 Monday Night Football games.

Robinson and Co. jumped out to a fast start in the opening quarter and kept it going with a 21-7 lead at halftime. Buffalo made things interesting in the second and teased a classic Josh Allen comeback, but the reigning league MVP just never assembled the pieces in what marked a poor showing.

Michael Penix Jr. also put together a solid showing (250 passing yards, one touchdown, 20 of 32 completions) and made key throws when needed, except for one near-pick late in the fourth that could’ve been returned for a touchdown.

The win puts Atlanta at 3-2 ahead of its Sunday Night Football matchup at the banged-up San Francisco 49ers, while Buffalo has lost two in a row and are no longer first in its division entering its bye week.

Let’s dive into takeaways from the Atlanta-Buffalo clash:

Bijan Robinson ranks near the top

Two seasons ago it was Christian McCaffrey. Last season it was Saquon Barkley. Is this season Robinson’s to claim as the best RB1 in the league?

The explosive Texas product has shined relatively under the radar with Atlanta not yet a true contender, but that tide may be changing if the Falcons can make a run.

Robinson dominated through the ground, racking up a career-high 170 rushing yards on 19 carries with an 81-yard touchdown the main highlight of his night.

He also brought in six passes on eight targets for 68 yards, totaling 238 on the ground and through the air. Buffalo, for context, had 237 total yards prior to its final drive that resulted in an Allen pick.

Robinson can add to his impressive start next week against a depleted 49ers defense.

Josh Allen looks human

Players have bad games. You just don’t typically expect it from Allen, even in a loss. But that was the case tonight, as besides Buffalo’s opening drive, the 29-year-old QB never really got into a rhythm or looked like it’d be his night.

Allen finished with just 180 passing yards on 15 of 26 completions for two touchdowns and two picks while rushing for 42 yards on six attempts, led by a 24-yard scramble late on.

The Bills were without Dalton Kincaid and Curtis Samuel while Josh Palmer was ruled out early after recording two catches for 60 yards, but those shouldn’t be excuses for someone of Allen’s caliber and resume.

Patriots benefit from Bills’ woes

For the second straight week, the New England Patriots have gotten the last laugh over Buffalo. The Patriots pulled off the road upset last week in Buffalo on Sunday Night Football, then beat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday to move to 4-2.

With Buffalo’s consecutive losses also dropping it back to 4-2, the Patriots now lead the AFC East due to the head-to-head tiebreaker.

It’s the first time the Patriots are atop the division after a week has ended since 2021, with QB1 Drake Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel leading the resurgence. There’s plenty of football to be played, of course, but New England’s relatively soft schedule should result in a riveting divisional battle.