The Atlanta Falcons host Super Bowl favourites the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football this week.
Atlanta beat the Washington Commanders 34-27 in a convincing display prior to their bye week.
Quarterback Michael Penix Jr had the best performance of his career to date.
However, it was an injured Commanders side, and the Bills promise to be a much harder encounter.
Conversely, the Patriots handed Josh Allen and the Bills their first loss of the season.
One of the main focuses in this matchup will be how the Falcons’ defense deals with the Bills’ ferocious offense.
The Falcons’ offense can hurt anybody
Facing the Buffalo Bills in the Josh Allen era is a scary prospect for any team.
However, it is important to remember that he is only on one side of the ball.
Scoring against the Bills has not been a myth this season.
They have conceded 40, 10, 21, 19 and 23 in games this season; points are there to be scored.
The worry for the Falcons will be that, while they have proved they can score against anybody, they have also shown that anybody can shut them out.
The Falcons’ 0-30 loss to the Panthers in September was a stark reminder that you have to be perfect in this league.
The Dirty Birds will take encouragement from Penix Jr and Drake London’s performances last time out.
Furthermore, the season-long performances of running back Bijan Robinson have been impressive.
Overall, the weapons are there for Atlanta to take the game to the Buffalo Bills.
Dealing with Josh Allen
The key to any victory against the Bills in the last four years has been limiting Josh Allen as much as possible.
Allen, who won the 2024 MVP, has thrown for 1,217 yards so far this year, resulting in nine touchdowns.
While there is no obvious answer to stopping a player of his calibre, limiting the Bills’ opportunities for explosive plays is a great place to start.
The threat is not just from Allen, though; elite running back James Cook is currently second in rushing yards this season.
With Allen and Cook creating 14 touchdowns between them, it is crucial the Falcons’ offense is ready to respond with their own points on the board.
Tale of the tape
Quarterbacks: Michael Penix Jr. (ATL) | Josh Allen (BUF)
WR1 and WR2: Drake London (ATL), Darnell Mooney (ATL) | Keon Coleman (BUF), Khalil Shakir (BUF)
Running backs: Bijan Robinson (ATL) | James Cook III (BUF)
Head coach: Raheem Morris (ATL) | Sean McDermott (BUF)
Offensive coordinator: Zac Robinson (ATL) | Joe Brady (BUF)
Defensive coordinator: Jeff Ulbrich (ATL) | Bobby Babich (BUF)
2024 record: Atlanta Falcons (8-9) | Buffalo Bills (13-4)
2025 round 1 pick(s): Jalen Walker (ATL), James Pearce (ATL) | Maxwell Hairston (BUF)
2024 result: N/A
