ATLANTA — ATLANTA (AP) — Huge performs from Bijan Robinson and Drake London and mistake-free management from Michael Penix Jr. made the Atlanta Falcons appear to be a playoff contender.

An absence of huge offense and extra miscues from Josh Allen offered extra purpose to query the Buffalo Payments.

Robinson matched a profession excessive with 170 dashing yards and gave Atlanta an early two-touchdown lead with the NFL’s longest run of the season, and the Falcons denied Allen’s comeback try and beat the Payments 24-14 on Monday evening.

Robinson’s career-long 81-yard landing run within the second quarter put Atlanta (3-2) forward 21-7.

“We have been ready for that second,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris mentioned.

Robinson bought his 170 yards on 19 carries. He added six catches for 68 yards for a career-best 238 yards from scrimmage. Morris mentioned Robinson “is one of the best participant in soccer; I’ve mentioned it a number of instances.”

For Robinson’s massive recreation to come back in opposition to Allen, final season’s MVP, was significant as a result of he paid the identical praise to the Payments quarterback.

“I feel he is one of the best soccer participant within the NFL,” Robinson mentioned. “Shout out to our protection. They made him uncomfortable the entire day.”

London had 10 catches for 158 yards and a landing. Penix threw for 250 yards, together with a 9-yard TD to London, whereas finishing 20 of 32 passes with out an interception.

Allen threw two landing passes, together with a 16-yarder to Ray Davis to open the second half.

Allen and the Payments (4-2) have been stopped on fourth down close to midfield late within the third quarter. They didn’t benefit from one other alternative when Greg Rousseau blocked Parker Romo’s 37-yard field-goal try early within the fourth.

“Blocking the kick I believed was massive for us,” Payments coach Sean McDermott mentioned. “Clearly, I believed we had some momentum popping out of that. … So total, alternatives, simply not ok and getting the outcome we wish.”

Allen and the Payments once more didn’t capitalize. The Falcons secured the win with a 14-play, 5-minute drive that included Penix’s 23-yard move to Robinson. Romo’s 33-yard area objective prolonged the result in 10 factors, and the Payments have been left with 1:47 on the clock and no timeouts.

“They’d a very good plan,” Allen mentioned of the Falcons. “Seems like they got here off the bye week and bought to game-plan us fairly a bit. Once more, I’ve bought to be higher in seeing the issues they’re attempting to do to us and make changes accordingly.”

Atlanta linebacker DeAngelo Malone intercepted Allen’s final throw with 41 seconds remaining. Allen accomplished 15 of 26 passes for 180 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, giving him 4 interceptions in his final three video games. He had just one choose in his earlier 12 video games, together with the playoffs.

Tyler Allgeier scored the Falcons’ first landing on a 21-yard run.

Allen had the assist of a robust contingent of Buffalo followers who have been so loud that Penix was compelled to make use of a silent depend on an early possession.

The Payments’ loss added extra causes to doubt their 4-0 begin. These wins got here in opposition to groups that at the moment are a mixed 3-21: Baltimore (1-5), the New York Jets (0-6), Miami (1-5) and New Orleans (1-5).

“We’ll work onerous at it,” McDermott mentioned. “We’ve bought to determine it out. It’s not going to be straightforward, however we bought to determine it out and work our tails off to get it executed.”

In a shock, Falcons vast receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III, usually a starter, was a wholesome scratch and was on the sideline in road garments. The transfer got here regardless of one other starter, Darnell Mooney (hamstring), getting dominated out on Saturday.

Morris known as the transfer “a coaches’ choice” and mentioned McCloud will “be again out competing subsequent week.”

The Payments have a bye week. When requested if the timing was good, Allen mentioned: “It’s going to eat at me for the subsequent two weeks. I imply, a number of stuff to wash up. We’ll put our concentrate on our subsequent opponent and go from there.”

Payments: WR Joshua Palmer (left ankle) was dominated out early within the second half. … LB Terrel Bernard left with a proper ankle harm. … TE Dalton Kincaid was inactive with an indirect harm. The choice was made after he participated in pregame warmups. Kincaid leads the workforce 287 receiving yards and three touchdowns and had a career-best 108 yards in his final recreation. DT DaQuan Jones, a starter, was held out after struggling a calf harm in pregame warmups.

Falcons: LT Jake Matthews (ankle) was escorted to the locker room late within the first half and dominated out. … Beginning nickel again Billy Bowman Jr. (knee, hamstring) was inactive.

Payments: After a bye, Buffalo performs one other NFC South workforce when it visits Carolina on Oct. 26.

Falcons: In one other prime-time recreation, Atlanta visits San Francisco on Sunday evening.

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