The Atlanta Falcons square off against the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid, desperate for a win to keep their playoff hopes alive after a heartbreaking loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They’ll need several offensive players to bounce back from last week’s loss, and others to step up in critical matchups if the Falcons want to be celebrating a win on the flight home.
Michael Penix
Quarterback Michael Penix most needs a rebound game after playing the worst game of his career, tossing an uncharacteristic four interceptions
against the Bucs. Penix has generally done an excellent job protecting the football and limiting negative plays throughout his career, so last week’s performance feels like an outlier.
With Penix promising he’ll “shake back” after last week’s loss, seeing how that plays out on Sunday morning in Madrid will go a long way toward showing his resiliency as a passer. His injury history has made him resilient through the physical and mental hurdles of playing quarterback, so this should be another test.
Bijan Robinson
Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson has also been uncharacteristically underwhelming in recent weeks, admitting as much this week. After a dominant start, Robinson still leads the NFL in rushing, but the Falcons desperately need him to return to that early-season dominance against the Bengals. A key part of the Falcons’ strategy to slow down the Bengals’ high-scoring offense will be keeping it sidelined by controlling the clock with Bijan and the run game.
Robinson is still capable of dynamic, explosive runs, but the blown protections on blitz pickups and dropped passes have been some of the areas where he has missed the mark recently. Shining in front of an international audience may be the spark that gets Bijan back to his usual brilliance.
Ryan Neuzil
Center Ryan Neuzil will face one of the toughest assignments in Madrid when he takes on Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who is off to a brilliant start this season. Neuzil and the rest of the Falcons’ interior offensive line will literally have their hands full against the 350-pound nose tackle. Lawrence is too good to be completely neutralized, but the Falcons must keep him from consistently wrecking the game. That’ll be important for their success not only in establishing the run with Robinson, but also in protecting Penix.
A.J. Terrell
Another marquee matchup will be that between cornerback A.J. Terrell and Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase. It represents a rematch from the 2020 National Championship game, when both were still at Clemson and LSU, respectively. Chase finished that game with 221 receiving yards and two touchdowns, most of which came at Terrell’s expense. That game alone led many to criticize the Falcons for “reaching” on Terrell in the 2020 NFL Draft, and Terrell has worked hard to silence his doubters since.
It’s unlikely Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will make the same mistake Clemson did six years ago: leaving Terrell on an island against Chase this go-round. But Terrell will likely find himself matched up with Chase often on Sunday morning, and if the Falcons want to slow down this high-flying Bengals aerial attack, this rematch will need to be a lot less lopsided.
Jessie Bates
Speaking of revenge, Falcons safety Jessie Bates likely will enter Sunday’s matchup with a chip on his shoulder facing his former team. Bates spent four years in Cincinnati, and that experience could be an X-factor in the Falcons slowing down the NFL’s second-highest scoring offense. But that familiarity goes both ways, as quarterback Joe Burrow is very much aware of Bates’ propensity to take the ball away. Yet, the better the opposing quarterback, the better Bates tends to play. Three of his last four interceptions have come against MVP candidates Brock Purdy, Matthew Stafford, and Drake Maye. If Bates can add another notch to his belt, the Falcons could add another upset win to their 2026 accolades.
These five Falcons could have a critical impact on Sunday’s game in Madrid and determine whether it’s time for a fiesta or siesta on the flight home as the Falcons’ 2026 season reaches the midpoint. Can you name any other Falcons that intrigue you in this matchup?
