Monday nights matchup against the Atlanta Falcons and the Buffalo Bills looks compelling on paper and could become one of the most exciting games of Week 6.

Will McFadden

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. Monday night's matchup against the Atlanta Falcons and the Buffalo Bills looks compelling on paper and could become one of the most exciting games of Week 6.

There's no question, however, that Buffalopresents a tough challengefor the Falcons. After storming back in the fourth quarter to snatch a Week 1 victory from the Baltimore Ravens, the Bills rattled off three double-digit wins while making the case to be considered the league's best team.

While the Falcons were on bye in Week 5, the Bills were handed their first loss by the New England Patriots. That outcome both provided a beginning blueprint for Atlanta and gave Buffalo the added goal of preventing back-to-back losses early in the year.

Good teams typically don't lose consecutive games, and the Bills have been no exception during the Josh Allen era. Since 2019, Buffalo is 20-6 following a loss. Changing that six into a seven won't be easy, but Monday night is also an opportunity for Atlanta to once again make a statement against a top-tier team in a nationally televised game.

Here's what the Falcons will need to do to beat the Bills.

Make Josh Allen be patient

Allen is on the shortest of lists for best player in the NFL, and there's really no good way to defend the league's reigning MVP.

"He's going to challenge our guys' discipline as far as the way we rush him. He's going to challenge us on the back end, the way he throws the ball," Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said of the Bills' quarterback. "He's surrounded with a skill group now that's better than he's had, in my opinion, in the last couple of years, so that's a problem as well. And when they get the run game going and they got everything popping, it can make it a very difficult task. So, we're going to have to play our best football."

Limiting the Bills' opportunities for explosive plays is a great place to start, however.

Buffalo has generated an explosive play on 12% of its offensive snaps, according to TruMedia, which ranks ninth in the league. An explosive pass play is defined as a reception that gains 16 yards or more the Bills have 28 of those. An explosive run play is defined as a carry that gains 12 yards or more the Bills have 11 of those.

They produce those explosives in virtually every conceivable way. Allen's arm talent allows him to hit deeper routes on each play, and the Bills scheme up ways to attack downfield. He's also one of the league's best at extending plays while scanning the coverage for the big play. Of course, when that's not there, Allen can gash a defense with his legs as he has on his four explosive scrambles.

To limit that aspect of the game, I would anticipate the Falcons using a spy defender on Allen to keep eyes on Buffalo's quarterback at all times. Atlanta has the league's highest blitz rate through Week 5, but keeping a player back to match Allen as a runner might be preferable to sending an extra rusher against one of the NFL's best pass-blocking offensive lines.

Although the Patriots gave up eight explosives in their win, they were mostly in off-script moments and had to be earned. For the most part, New England made Buffalo earn their downfield shots, there were no freebies.

Forcing an offense to march downfield should create more situations for the defense to get off the field or create a turnover, which were vital in the Patriots' upset.

Score points to slow Bills' run game

While most are looking at the Falcons' run defense in this matchup against the league's No. 2 rushing offense, I'm looking at their offense as the best way to slow the Bills' ground game.

Generally, a balanced score leads to a balanced approach on offense. It's much easier for a team to keep running the ball when it's 13-10 than when it's 28-10. As a team's lead builds, its opponent begins to consider the amount of time left in the game and how many possessions its offense can squeeze into that time. Naturally, pass plays can pick up yardage more quickly and are time-friendly due to incompletions stopping the clock.

Therefore, one of the most effective ways to neutralize an opponent's run game is to score enough points a team into a more aggressive mindset that necessitates throwing the ball. Knowing that, a defense can better predict what's coming and potentially force turnovers because of the greater risk the offense has to take on when playing from behind. That's how complementary football can spring a trap and shape the game.

So, while Atlanta's defense will need to be sound against a terrific Bills rushing attack, Michael Penix Jr., Bijan Robinson and the rest of the Falcons' offense will also play a role.

Limit and create yards off missed tackles

The Bills and Falcons are the two best teams at possessing the football and rank No. 1 and 2 in time of possession, respectively. It should be expected that both offenses will move the ball on Monday night, but that doesn't mean the Bills should have an easy time doing so. Allowing yards after missed tackles is one of the easiest ways for a defense to cede momentum to an offense, and the Bills can become an avalanche if their snowball gets rolling.

Buffalo has forced thirty missed tackles on the ground so far in 2025, which ranks 12th in the NFL, but it's 561 yards after contact ranks first. When the Bills make a defender miss, they make the defense pay.

The Bills are No. 11 in rushing yards over expectation with 95 yards more than would be expected of a league-average offense in similar situations. Likewise, they are 12th in yards after the catch over expectation, but they've had six plays where a receiver has gained more than 20 yards after a reception, which ranks second.

Following the Patriots' blueprint, preventing explosive plays downfield while securing tackles in the short-to-intermediate parts will force the Bills to move incrementally instead of in chunks.

Fortunately, the Falcons have been one of the soundest teams in the tackling department this year. Atlanta has missed 17 tackles this year, according to Next Gen Stats, which are the fourth fewest. Getting the Bills' offensive weapons on the ground will be a key aspect of this game for Atlanta's defense.

On the flip side, the Falcons are one of the best in the league at creating additional yards and should have opportunities in this one to do just that. Forcing a missed tackle on 27% of run plays, the Falcons have generated an additional 199 yards through defensive breakdowns. Bijan Robinson's ability to make plays in space could be a deciding factor in this game, in particular.

The Bills are a pretty sound tackling team as well and have the 12th-lowest missed tackle rate. However, they have given up 6.7 yards on average after a missed tackle, which is the fourth-highest mark in the league. Robinson has averaged 7.3 yards after a missed tackle, which is eighth-best among running backs with at least 50 touches. If he's able to slip a Bills defender, he should have a lot of room to run.

Finish opportunities in the red zone

As I noted earlier, these are two of the best teams at moving the ball. The issues for Atlanta have arisen in the red zone, as they've come away with a touchdown just 46% of the time, the eight-lowest rate in the league. Buffalo's defense has been just league average in the red zone so far, allowing a touchdown 60% of the time.

Against the Commanders, we got a glimpse of what a good day in the red zone can mean for the Falcons' offense. They scored a touchdown on four of their six trips inside the 20-yard line, which laddered up to a season-high 34 points. If this game turns into the shootout some believe it could, Atlanta may need to score 30-plus points to keep pace.

The Falcons will undoubtedly probe for some big plays downfield, but the Bills have given up only 15 explosive passes this year, which are third fewest among defenses. If they aren't able to generate easy touchdowns, they'll need to find ways to create them in the red zone.

Up Next

Videos

A.J. Terrell Jr., Bijan Robinson & other Falcons on preparing to take on Buffalo

Videos

On The Rise | S5E7 | Offense comes to life in NFC matchup

Videos

QB Michael Penix Jr. week 6 media availability | Press Conference

Videos

Head Coach Raheem Morris Week 6 Media Availability | Thursday, October 9th | Press Conference

Videos

The confidence within Michael Penix Jr.

Videos

Who are the 2025 Atlanta Falcons? | What we've learned in the five weeks

Videos

Head Coach Raheem Morris Week 6 Media Availability | Tuesday, October 7th | Press Conference

Videos

Miniature NFL Game | Tilt-Shift Lens | Falcons vs Commanders

Videos

Atlanta Falcons offense rebounds in a compelling showing vs. Washington Commanders | A Mini Movie

Videos

Is Bijan Robinson an alien? Breaking down the top plays from Bijan's 181 yard game | Film Review

Videos

Brandon Dorlus mic'd up against the Washington Commanders

Videos

Head Coach Raheem Morris Week 5 Media Availability | Monday, September 29th | Press Conference

Videos

Kyle Pitts Sr. & Matthew Bergeron on the upcoming bye after the win vs Washington

Videos

Falcons top plays vs. Commanders | Highlights | Week 4

Videos

Raheem Morris postgame victory speech | Washington Commanders vs. Atlanta Falcons

Videos

Drake London's best plays from 110-yard game vs. Commanders Week 4

Videos

Bijan Robinson & other Falcons on the Week 4 win vs the Washington Commanders

Videos

Michael Penix Jr.'s best plays from 313 yard game vs. Commanders

Videos

Michael Penix Jr. reflects on Atlanta Falcons win over Washington Commanders | Press Conference

Videos

Head Coach Raheem Morris on Falcons Week 4 WIN over the Washington Commanders | Press Conference

Videos

Commanders vs. Falcons highlights | Week 4

Videos

Drake London postgame interview after Week 4 win over Commanders

Videos

Drake London's brilliant stretching catch keeps drive alive for Falcons

Videos

Penix Jr. zips a 22-yard dart to Pitts

Videos

Can't-Miss Play: Truck-stick TD! Allgeier drops a Commander into the turf at goal line

Videos

Bijan's leaping grab picks up first down for Falcons

Videos

Xavier Watts picks off Marcus Mariota in end zone

Videos

Can't-Miss Play: Michael Penix with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Pitts

Videos

Falcons special teams plays fast and hard on punt return

Videos

Can't-Miss Play: 69-yard pickup! Bijan Robinson torches Commanders after catching Penix Jr.'s short pass

Videos

Falcons get big sack and 6-yard loss to end Commanders drive

Videos

Bijan shows off balance on 14-yard touchdown run

Videos

Can't-Miss Play: Penix Jr. dials launch codes to London for 43-yard completion

Videos

Michael Penix Jr's touchdown pass to Drake London gives Falcons 10-0 lead

Videos

Drake London makes leaping grab to convert first down

Videos

Mariota sacked for a 3-yard loss

Videos

Parker Romo drills 38-yard field goal to give Falcons 3-0 lead

Videos

Penix links up with Pitts for 26 yard catch-and-run

Videos

Jessie Bates III & others on the upcoming matchup vs the Washington Commanders

Videos

Zac Robinson & other Falcons on preparation for the Week 4 matchup vs Washington