The Falcons had to weather swings all afternoon, but the biggest one came in the fourth quarter, when a rookie defender delivered the kind of moment that can swing a season’s mood in one snap. Atlanta, after spotting San Francisco a 14-3 lead, ripped off a 23-0 run and carried a 26-14 edge into the final period before hanging on for a 29-20 win.
That finish was the headline, but the more interesting story was how Atlanta got there. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees scrapped the usual script and leaned into first-down passing instead of building everything around Bijan Robinson.
The approach paid off. Michael Penix Jr. put together his best game of the season, completing 25 of 34 passes for 213 yards with three touchdowns, no turnovers and a 118.9 passer rating.
Drake London remained the main target in the air game, catching seven of 10 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. Kyle Pitts and Tanner Muse also found the end zone, giving the Falcons multiple answers through the air.
Robinson still had his fingerprints on the game, even if the rushing numbers stayed modest. He finished with 20 carries for 63 yards and no touchdown, then added 59 receiving yards on five catches.
With backup Brian Robinson Jr. unavailable, Atlanta never really found much traction on the ground and finished with 82 rushing yards as a team.
San Francisco leaned hard into Christian McCaffrey with most of its wide receivers sidelined, and that plan worked early. McCaffrey was still productive despite a thigh injury in the second quarter, piling up 100 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown.
But the Falcons’ defense eventually found the play it needed from rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels. Daniels jumped a pass for the second of Brock Purdy’s two interceptions, extending and getting vertical for the pick before adding a big return.
He then came up with the final fumble recovery from George Kittle to close the door.
Purdy finished 27 of 40 for 288 yards with one touchdown and those two interceptions as the shorthanded passing game struggled to keep pace.
Special teams had its own share of highs and a near disaster. Rookie receiver Zachariah Branch bounced back after fumbling two returns last week and turned his first kickoff return into 61 yards.
Khalil Herbert added 65 more on two returns, while Nick Folk was perfect on all three of his field goal tries. Jake Bailey’s 21-yard punt late, though, nearly turned a comfortable finish into a problem for Atlanta.
In Other News...
Raheem Morris Returns With A Test Michael Penix Must Answer
Raheem Morris is set to come back to Atlanta in a new role, this time guiding the undefeated 49ers defense instead of running the Falcons. For a team still trying to settle in under Michael Penix Jr., the matchup adds a familiar face to an already meaningful stretch, especially with the quarterback facing another early test in his development.
Penix, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 draft, is expected to see Morris across the sideline when San Francisco visits. The reunion gives the Falcons a look at a coach who once led their sideline, and it puts Penix in front of a defense built to make life difficult as Atlanta tries to keep moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Christian Harris Falcons Revival Is Slipping Away Fast
Christian Harris came to Atlanta this offseason looking for a reset, hoping the Falcons could offer the kind of fresh start that once seemed out of reach after injuries knocked him out of his job with the Texans. He got an early look during OTAs and appeared to have a path into the linebacker mix, but the room has shifted quickly around him as younger players have pushed their way up the board.
What looked like a chance to revive his career has now turned into a waiting game, and not a very encouraging one. Harris has slid behind Kendal Daniels, Harold Perkins Jr. and others, leaving him with a shrinking role and a spot on the roster that feels increasingly fragile as the season goes on. [Read more 🡒]
Drake London Exit Put Falcons Offense In A Tense Spot
For a stretch in the third quarter against the 49ers, the Falcons had to make do without Drake London after he went off the field for a concussion evaluation following a helmet-to-helmet hit. Atlanta was already leaning on its top wideout, and before the injury scare, London had a team-high five catches for 43 yards, a reminder of how central he has become to the offense.
The good news for the Falcons was that London was eventually cleared and returned to the game, easing what could have been a much bigger concern in a tight spot. Even so, any time a receiver with that kind of role leaves the field after a hit like that, it puts the offense on edge and leaves Atlanta watching closely for the next update. [Read more 🡒]