Falcons find rhythm and success behind these three key factors

Michael Penix delivers, Bijan Robinson rolls, and the defense excels as the Falcons rout the Giants.

The Atlanta Falcons finished the game with a 34-7 win against the New York Giants.

That’s right, it has been 56 days, almost two months since the Falcons have scored 30+ points, and there are three key reasons as to why they managed it on Sunday.

Bijan Robinson is a STUD

Is there anything Bijan Robinson can’t do?

There may be one: He can’t be tackled by the first defender that sees him. He came into the day eighth in the NFL this season in broken tackles with 19, according to Pro FootballReference (a number that feels a little low) and maybe added about two or three more on his most recent touchdown run to push Atlanta’s lead to 17-7.

Atlanta’s bell-cow back has been a beacon of consistency in a season that has been anything but. His 10 games of 100+ scrimmage yards is second in the league behind only Saquon Barkley and the surging Philadelphia Eagles.

Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has made it clear he is going to ease Michael Penix Jr. into the game on the back of Robinson and he has done just that.

Robinson ultimately pushed his way into 100+ scrimmage yards for the 11th time this season, as he finished with 94 yards on the ground and nine through the air.

Michael Penix Highlights a Huge Day for the Offense

Speaking of Penix, Jr., how about that for a first impression?

The numbers aren’t the most impressive, as his first half was only 9-of-16 for 116 yards and a…questionable, yeah, that’s the word, interception to end the half. Actually, that interception was a symbol of the lack of chemistry in the offense, as Falcons receivers struggle to get used to the spin on the football from the left-handed quarterback. Atlanta’s receivers came into Sunday seventh in the NFL with 17 drops through the first 14 games; they have four today.

Despite not putting up eye-popping numbers, Penix has exceeded expectations for his first start, looking as calm and collected as you want from the 24-year-old rookie.

He beat up the Giants over the middle of the field, finding Drake London and Darnell Mooney on crossing routes.

He’s throwing with timing and anticipation on the outside, layering throws for first downs.

Have the Atlanta Falcons found their new franchise quarterback? It’s too early to be very definitive either way, but there’s no doubt that Penix has made a lasting first impression for Falcons fans.

What Has Gotten Into This Falcons Defense?

Since 1994, the farthest that we have play-by-play data on Pro-Football-Reference, the Falcons have not had a game where there were two pick-sixes in the same game. The broadcast would tell us the last and only other time the Falcons managed it was 1983.

Atlanta’s defense let up an early touchdown to Tyrone Tracy and since then New York’s drives have been as follows:

• Pick-Six
• Punt
• Fumble
• Pick-Six
• Punt
• Punt

On top of that, they added two more sacks to their late-season pass-rush surge, held Drew Lock to under 100 yards passing and have held the running game to 3.7 yards a carry on 12 carries.

This Falcons defense had one job against an inferior Giants offense: Don’t get embarrassed. They have taken it a step further and completely annihilated Lock and this struggling offense.

Oh yeah, and Malik Nabers was mostly a non-factor until the final drive of the game. The Falcons will need to take top weapon Terry McLaurin out of the game for Washington next week, so that matters.