The Falcons walked out of Week 8 with plenty to fix, and the run defense was right at the top of the list. What had looked like one of the NFL’s quieter success stories took a hard hit in Tampa Bay, where Atlanta got steamrolled on the ground in a lopsided 16-0 loss.
The numbers told the story in ugly fashion. The Buccaneers ran the ball 56 times for 324 yards and a touchdown, averaging 5.8 yards per carry while repeatedly finding space against a Falcons defense that had no answers for Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell. Atlanta also missed a season-high 16 tackles, and Tampa Bay piled up 10 runs of more than 10 yards in a game where chunk gains came almost routinely.
That performance knocked Atlanta’s run defense off its early perch. The Falcons had entered Week 8 ranked fourth against the run at 88.9 rushing yards allowed per game, but after the Buccaneers’ damage they dropped to 19th, now giving up 118.3 rushing yards a contest.
Week 9 offers a much friendlier setup. Atlanta heads into an overseas matchup in Madrid against a Bengals offense that lives through the air, not on the ground. Cincinnati is second in points per game thanks to a league-leading passing attack, so the bigger concern is slowing down Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Joe Burrow.
The rushing numbers, though, give Atlanta a clear opening. The Bengals average just 80.3 rushing yards per game and have topped 100 yards on the ground only twice in seven games. They rank 27th in EPA per rush and sit behind only the Green Bay Packers and Las Vegas Raiders in rushing yards per game.
Chase Brown has not given Cincinnati much punch as a runner, averaging 3.6 yards per carry and looking more dangerous as a receiver. Samaje Perine, the change-of-pace option, has been little better, with fewer than 4.0 yards per carry and most of his value coming in short-yardage work.
That means Atlanta’s path is pretty straightforward: contain the passing game, and the Bengals’ ground attack should not be a major problem. After the mess against Tampa Bay, this is the kind of opponent that gives the Falcons a real chance to settle back in.
In Other News...
Falcons Face A Jessie Bates Deadline Decision Fans Will Watch Closely
With the trade deadline approaching, the Falcons appear set to take a cautious approach, with the front office more likely to look for draft capital than to move out important pieces. Atlantas 3-5 record has not pushed the team toward a fire sale, and Jessie Bates has emerged as one of the more notable names drawing outside interest as teams check on the market.
Bates is a pending free agent and a 2023 Pro Bowler, which naturally makes him a player rival clubs would ask about, but a deal still looks like a long shot. His salary is a hurdle, and Atlanta does not appear eager to absorb money just to make a trade easier, especially with Bates still operating as a full-time starter next to rookie Xavier Watts. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Need Bijan Robinson To Snap Out Of This Slump Fast
Bijan Robinson opened the 2026 season looking every bit like the engine of Atlantas offense, stacking multiple games with more than 100 scrimmage yards and giving the Falcons the kind of backfield production that can tilt a game plan. Over the last four weeks, though, the rhythm has changed. The touches are still there, but the same explosive finish has been harder to find, and Robinson has already acknowledged to reporters that his recent play has not matched his standard.
The timing matters because Atlanta heads into Week 9 against Cincinnati with a matchup that should be there for the taking on the ground. The Bengals have been vulnerable enough in run defense to give Robinson a path back toward the kind of impact the Falcons need from him, especially as they try to steady an offense that has leaned on him all season. For Atlanta, the question is less whether the opportunity will be there and more whether Robinson can turn it into the kind of statement outing that resets the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Bijan Robinson Just Gave Falcons Fans A Perfect Spain Game Moment
The NFLs push into Spain got an easy win before kickoff when Bijan Robinson showed up around the Week 9 game in Madrid wearing a Real Madrid jersey. For a league trying to plant deeper roots overseas, it was the kind of crossover moment that lands instantly with a local crowd, and it fit Robinsons profile as one of the most visible young stars in the sport. He enters the game leading the NFL in rushing yards through eight weeks, and he is expected to be on the field against the Bengals.
For Atlanta, it is a reminder that Robinsons appeal stretches well beyond the usual NFL audience. A player who can draw attention in a soccer-mad city like Madrid gives the Falcons a rare chance to connect with new fans in a setting built for that kind of exposure. The league wanted a showcase in Spain, and Robinson gave it one before the first snap even mattered. [Read more 🡒]