In Week 4, Michael Penix Jr. and the Atlanta Falcons finally performed the way fans expected on offense. Following a demoralizing Week 3 loss in Carolina, the Falcons topped the Washington Commanders 34-27 for a performance that surely provided the home crowd some much-needed reassurance entering the bye week.
While Penix enjoyed the best start of his NFL career and Bijan Robinson continued his sensational start to 2025, this victory does come with a clear caveat—Washington was missing two of their most important offensive players. With both Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin sidelined, the Commanders remained in the contest all game and still managed to score 27 points.
Jeff Ulbrich's defense held Marcus Mariota to just 156 yards passing, but also threw two touchdowns in Daniels' absence, while Deebo Samuel shined as the WR1 without McLaurin. Yes, this is a Commanders team that made the NFC championship last season, but narrowly defeating them while they missed two stars should serve a reminder that the job is far from finished in the A.
The Falcons' Week 4 victory might not be as encouraging as people think
The Falcons improved to 2-2, and the bye week provides a necessary opportunity to recharge. But the Dirty Birds will immediately be tested out of the bye, as they will host Josh Allen and the 4-0 Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football in Week 6. Ulbrich's unit will be tasked with slowing down the reigning MVP and neutralizing a high-octane offense averaging over 33 points per game.
Moreover, the Bills rank second in the NFL in total offense, average the sixth-most passing yards per game in the NFL, and James Cook's sizzling start to 2025 has Buffalo leading the league with over 160 rushing yards per game. Both Allen's arm strength and mobility will challenge this unit in ways it has never been tested before—so it won't come easy for one of the league's youngest defenses.
Even amid Atlanta's offensive resurgence in Week 4, there are still concerns. The run game continues to show flashes but has been inconsistent, and the secondary (that could again be without A.J. Terrell) will be tested against one of the league’s most explosive passing attacks. Drake London and Kyle Pitts both had incredibly promising performances on Sunday, but their chemistry with Penix is still developing.
Part of why the second-year quarterback was connecting downfield against the Commanders was due to ample time in the pocket—a luxury he won’t be able to enjoy against a fearsome Bills defensive front. And Atlanta’s upcoming schedule doesn’t get any easier: the games that follow the primetime matchup are dates with San Francisco, Miami, and New England.
Sustaining this level of play against elite competition will be the real test of whether the Falcons’ Week 4 performance was a sign of progress, or if the victory was just a flash in the pan.