The Atlanta Falcons head into Madrid with a chance to reset their season, but the assignment is a tough one. Cincinnati brings an offense that can stress a defense in a hurry, and Atlanta’s path to an upset starts with playing a cleaner, more complete game than it has managed lately.
The most obvious place for the Falcons to attack is on the ground. Bijan Robinson has been one of the team’s most productive players all season, and he should be central to everything Atlanta tries to do against a Bengals defense that has had trouble slowing the run. Robinson has piled up 780 rushing yards on 150 carries, good for 5.2 yards per attempt, and he has added 203 receiving yards as another way for the Falcons to get him involved.
That matters because Cincinnati has allowed 4.8 yards per carry this season. Atlanta cannot afford to let the offense become too predictable, especially with Michael Penix Jr. coming off a rough outing against Tampa Bay. Robinson gives the Falcons their best chance to stay balanced, control the clock and create manageable third downs.
On the other side of the ball, the challenge is even bigger. Joe Burrow has been rolling, throwing for 2,115 yards and 20 touchdowns with six interceptions through seven games.
Cincinnati is scoring 29.4 points per game and sits near the top of the league in passing production, with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins giving Burrow two dangerous targets. Chase has 492 receiving yards and six touchdowns, while Higgins has 726 yards and four touchdowns.
That puts a premium on Atlanta’s pass rush. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has pointed to the difficulty of defending Burrow’s ability to diagnose coverages and get the ball out accurately.
The Falcons need pressure without having to bring extra bodies all the time, and the possible return of James Pearce Jr. could help, though his availability is still uncertain because of a back issue. Even with that question hanging over the week, Atlanta’s front has to make Burrow uncomfortable and force him into tougher throws.
Ball security may be the biggest issue of all. The Falcons are coming off a 16-0 shutout loss to Tampa Bay, a game in which they turned it over four times.
Penix threw a career-high four interceptions, and Atlanta finished with just 224 total yards. Against Cincinnati, that kind of sloppiness would be brutal, especially with the Bengals having scored at least 30 points in each of their last three games.
There’s also a long history working against Atlanta here. Cincinnati leads the all-time series 10-5 and has won the last three matchups, including a 35-17 win in 2022. The Falcons have not beaten the Bengals since 2010.
So the formula is clear enough. If Atlanta can lean on Robinson, keep Burrow under pressure and avoid giving the ball away, it gives itself a real shot to leave Spain with a much-needed win.
In Other News...
Bengals Suddenly Face A Trade Deadline Question About Fixing The Offense
As the trade deadline approaches, the Bengals are being pulled into a familiar kind of conversation: whether a midseason move could help jump-start an offense that has not looked quite right. One analyst has floated the idea of Cincinnati pursuing a running back upgrade, and the discussion has gained a little traction because it is tied to the kind of roster fix teams often consider when they think they are close enough to justify a bold swing.
The catch is that any such move would come with real financial complications and a tricky fit within the way the Bengals want to run their offense. The idea is still speculative, but it has not been dismissed out of hand because the same analyst was right on a previous trade prediction, which is enough to make this one worth watching as the deadline nears. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Linked To Veteran Move Their Defense May Still Need
With the NFL trade deadline set for Nov. 10, Cincinnati is being sized up as a team that could still use a little help in the secondary. The Bengals have stayed in the mix as a competitive club, and the idea of adding a veteran corner has surfaced as a logical way to shore up a defense that could use another proven piece on the back end.
One speculative scenario has the Bengals looking at a short-term upgrade from Los Angeles, where an experienced corner on an expiring deal could fit the bill. The appeal is obvious: a player with ball skills and interception history who might not cost much in draft capital, while giving Cincinnati another option as it tries to hold its place in the playoff race. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Linked To A Trade Debate Their Offense May Not Need
The Bengals keep getting mentioned in trade chatter as teams around the league sort through their own needs, and the latest conversation centers on whether Cincinnati should add another receiver even with its offense already built around high-end passing production. The idea is less about desperation than fit, since the Bengals have a passing game that can support another weapon, and the discussion has naturally spilled into how much help the current wideout group actually needs.
Josh Downs is the name drawing the most attention, with the Colts receiver attracting interest from several contenders and standing out as a young, productive option after being a third-round pick in 2023. Cincinnati has also been loosely tied to the broader market at receiver while being viewed as an unlikely destination for Jonathan Taylor, and the real question is whether the Bengals would see enough value in another pass-catcher to keep pushing in that direction. [Read more 🡒]