The Atlanta Falcons didn’t just beat the New Orleans Saints on Monday night. They carved out a place in NFL history while doing it.
Atlanta’s 45-24 win in New Orleans capped a two-game run that no team has ever matched. According to OptaSTATS, the Falcons are the only club in league history to put together a stretch of at least 80 points, 800 total yards, eight rushing touchdowns, no more than one turnover and no more than one sack allowed.
That’s the kind of number line that usually belongs in a video game. Instead, it came during a sharp midseason reset for a team that opened the year with back-to-back losses and looked nothing like this version of itself.
Through Weeks 3 and 4, Atlanta piled up 80 points after managing only 16 combined in its first two games. The Falcons are now 2-2.
A big part of the turnaround has been Michael Penix Jr., who returned in Week 3 after recovering from ACL surgery. Atlanta started the season with Cooper Rush at quarterback, but Penix has changed the feel of the offense immediately. In both of his appearances since coming back, he has thrown for more than 200 yards and a touchdown.
He’s also reached a notable benchmark for the Falcons, becoming the first Atlanta quarterback since Matt Ryan in 2018 to post a completion percentage of at least 70% while averaging at least 10 yards per attempt in consecutive games.
The Falcons have been stacking milestones in primetime, too. Their latest result made them the first team ever to win back-to-back road primetime games by at least 20 points.
Bijan Robinson has been right in the middle of it. He opened Monday’s scoring with a 59-yard touchdown run and finished with more than 100 rushing yards for the second straight week. That’s a major shift from the first two games of the season, when Robinson didn’t hit the 100-yard mark and didn’t score a rushing touchdown, though he did find the end zone as a receiver in Week 1.
Now he has rushed for two touchdowns in each of Atlanta’s last two games, giving the Falcons the kind of ground game that can tilt a night fast.
Atlanta gets its next chance to keep this surge rolling on Sunday, when it hosts the Baltimore Ravens, who are 3-1 entering Week 5.
In Other News...
Falcons-Ravens Suddenly Feels Very Different After Lamar Jackson Update
What sounded like a short-term concern for Lamar Jackson has quickly turned into something much more uncertain for the Ravens. Baltimore head coach Jesse Minter initially downplayed the left ankle injury, indicating Jackson would not be expected to miss multiple games, but the latest word has changed the outlook around Sundays matchup with Atlanta and how the rest of the schedule might unfold.
Ian Rapoport reported that Jackson now has only an outside chance to play against the Falcons, with Tyler Huntley the likely starter if Baltimore chooses to hold him out. For Atlanta, that kind of shift matters because it changes the kind of offense the Falcons may be preparing for, and it also leaves open the possibility that Jackson could sit beyond this week, including in a possible game against the Browns. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Penix Jr. Is Changing What Falcons Fans Expect
Michael Penix Jr. has given the Falcons a different kind of energy since returning from a torn ACL, and the offense has started to reflect it. Atlantas 45-24 win over the Saints was the latest sign of that shift, with teammates openly praising the way Penix has settled in and lifted the group around him.
The numbers back up the feeling, too. Penix has completed 33 of 45 passes for 479 yards with two touchdowns and one interception this season, and Atlanta has piled up 80 points over its last two games. For a team that has spent years searching for a steadier offensive identity, winning by more than 20 points in consecutive games for the first time since 2016 is the kind of stretch that changes expectations fast. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Could Catch Ravens In A Spot They Did Not Expect
The Week 5 matchup with Baltimore suddenly looks more intriguing for Atlanta than anyone expected when the schedule came out. The Ravens are dealing with uncertainty around Lamar Jacksons ankle, and that has the potential to change the shape of the game plan on the fly. For the Falcons, it adds another layer to a trip that already comes with plenty of intrigue, especially with the way their offense has been humming around Bijan Robinson and Michael Penix Jr.
Atlanta has leaned into a balanced approach lately, and that identity could matter even more if Baltimore is forced to adjust. The Falcons do not need this game to become a shootout to feel good about their chances, but they do need to keep doing the things that have made them effective on offense. If the Ravens are missing their biggest difference-maker under center, it is the kind of opening Atlanta has to be ready to press. [Read more 🡒]