Coming off a surprising loss to the Patriots in Week 5, Josh Allen and the Bills will be back in the national spotlight Monday night when they take on the Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
At 4–1, the Bills risk losing the top spot in the AFC East if they fail to get the job done in Atlanta. Buffalo’s offense has been tremendous through its first five games, averaging 30.6 points, which ranks third in the NFL. The Bills have scored 30 or more points in four of their five games and are undefeated in those contests. They’ll be leaning on Allen and the rest of the offense to keep things rolling after a somewhat lackluster showing against New England.
Meanwhile, the Falcons will be fresh after having a bye last week. They’re 2–2 on the year and looking to claw above .500 for the first time this season. After being shut out in a humbling 30–0 defeat to the Panthers in Week 3, Atlanta’s offense responded with its best game of the season, scoring 34 points in a win against the Commanders. They’ll look to carry that performance over into Monday night’s game against the Bills.
Here are a few bold predictions for the showdown on Monday night.
Bijan Robinson will have 100-plus rushing yards and 50-plus receiving yards
Bijan Robinson is undeniably the Falcons’ most versatile offensive weapon, and he’ll be a focal point of their game plan on offense. It’s a favorable matchup for Robinson, too, as Buffalo’s defense surrenders an average of 145.6 rushing yards per game, the fifth-worst mark in the NFL. The Bills did well to shut down the Patriots’ rushing game, but they’ll have a more difficult time slowing Robinson.
Robinson is coming off his best game of the season in Week 4 when he rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown and also caught four passes for 103 yards. Up against a stalwart Bills passing defense, the Falcons will be looking to put the ball in Robinson’s hands whenever possible.
I’m expecting him to surpass his season-high in touches (25) and rack up some big yardage numbers both on the ground and through the air.
Josh Allen will cement his status as MVP favorite with a dominant performance
Through the first five weeks of the season, Allen is among the contenders to win the MVP award, though his candidacy took a hit during the Week 5 loss to New England. As the league’s reigning MVP, he’s seeking the award for the second year in a row. He can separate himself from the pack Monday night with a big game, and I’m expecting him to do just that.
The Falcons have surrendered the fewest passing yards per game this season (135.0). Still, they haven’t exactly played the most challenging quarterbacks, matching up against J.J. McCarthy, Marcus Mariota and Bryce Young in three of their four games.
The Bills will be a significant litmus test for the Falcons’ defense, and I’m expecting Allen & Co. to come out on top. I’m predicting Allen will throw for two touchdowns and rush for one more, while also racking up more than 250 passing yards and 50 rushing yards.
Michael Penix Jr. will throw two interceptions and get sacked three-plus times
Atlanta’s pass blocking has been one of the team’s greatest strengths this season. In four games, Michael Penix Jr. has only been sacked five times, and just once in their past two contests. The Bills have had multiple sacks in four of their five games this year, making the battle in the trenches one of the most intriguing aspects of Monday’s game.
I’m expecting Buffalo’s pass rush to get after Penix and make things difficult for him. Penix has only one game in his career in which he’s thrown multiple interceptions, and he’s had only two games in which he’s taken numerous sacks. The Bills will add to both of those tallies on Monday night, forcing two interceptions and sacking Penix three or more times.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bills vs. Falcons: Three Bold Predictions for Week 6 Showdown on Monday Night.
