Another primetime game for the Atlanta Falcons (2-2) means another show from running back Bijan Robinson. He erupted for over 140 yards rushing as Atlanta earned a wire-to-wire 45-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints (1-3) on "Monday Night Football."
The Falcons have now scored 35-plus points in consecutive primetime games for the first time since the 2016 season, when they won the NFC and lost in overtime of the Super Bowl to the New England Patriots. Their 80 points scored across their last two games, between Monday and the 35-14 Week 3 win at the Green Bay Packers, are also their most in a two-game span since 2016. Monday was also the first time the Falcons have run for 200-plus yards (205 in Week 4 vs. the Saints) as a team in consecutive games since 2010.
Robinson brought his A-game from the start, taking his first carry of the night 59 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown that put the Falcons up 7-0. All it took was one cut outside, and he was gone. That score is his fifth from 50-plus yards, the second-most in the league since he entered the NFL in 2023. Robinson added a second touchdown from 4 yards out with 48 seconds left in the first quarter to run the Falcons' lead up to 14-0. He finished the first half with 103 yards rushing and those two touchdowns on 12 carries, and by the time the clock hit zero Monday night, he was up to 145 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns on 19 carries. After his 194-yard, two-touchdown performance at the Packers in Week 3, Robinson is now the only player in Falcons history with 300-plus yards rushing and 4-plus rushing touchdowns in a two-game span, per CBS Sports Research.
New Orleans clapped back at the start of the second quarter after a drive began at their own 46 after an unnecessary roughness penalty on Atlanta, and they fully capitalized on the short field. Quarterback Tyler Shough hit a wide-open Chris Olave on a play-action pass for 44 yards to kick start the drive, and then they were in the end zone via an Alvin Kamara touchdown run from three yards out two plays later. The touchdown was Kamara's first since Week 1 of the 2025 season against the Arizona Cardinals. That score cut the Falcons' lead to 14-7 with 14:57 left in the first half. Shough finished with 286 yards and a touchdown on 30 of 48 passing.
From that point, Atlanta outscored New Orleans 31-17 the rest of the way with No. 2 running back Brian Robinson Jr. finding the end zone a career-high three times, kicker Nick Folk hitting a 29-yard field goal, and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. throwing a wide-open, 31-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jahan Dotson off play action. Atlanta, between both Robinsons, combined for a franchise-record five rushing touchdowns Monday night. Robinson and Robinson Jr. combined for 207 yards rushing and those five rushing touchdowns on 33 carries. Kamara scored a second rushing touchdown from five yards out, and wide receiver Devaughn Vele hauled in a three-yard touchdown pass with 1:13 left to play.
With Penix and the threat of the passing game back in the lineup, Atlanta is a force to be reckoned with. As for the Saints, they're now left to soul-search after getting manhandled at the line of scrimmage at the Superdome.
Robinson has always been a superstar-caliber talent. With coach Kevin Stefanski having a quarterback whose arm defenses have to show any semblance of respect toward in Penix Jr., the Falcons' run game is humming. Atlanta looked dead in the water after being outscored 54-16 in a 0-2 start, with backup Cooper Rush filling in as the starting quarterback, with Penix Jr. working his way back from the torn ACL he suffered last season. With Penix Jr., who threw for 223 yards and 1 touchdown on 15 of 20 passing, back in the lineup, the 2026 Falcons have had the sixth-largest scoring increase from the first two weeks of a season (16 points) to the second two weeks of a season (80 Points), per CBS Sports Research.
| Largest points increase from Weeks 1-2 to Weeks 3-4, NFL history | Points increase |
|---|---|
Buffalo All-Americans (1921) | +76 (17 to 93) |
Chicago Rockets (1946) | +73 (6 to 79) |
Houston Texans (2017) | +70 (20 to 90) |
Oakland Raiders (1961) | + 68 (0 to 68) |
Pittsburgh Steelers (1993) | +66 (14 to 79) |
Atlanta Falcons (2026) | +64 (16 to 80) |
The longer Penix Jr. shakes off the rust from his torn ACL, the more dangerous Atlanta's offense will become with the threat of the play-action pass growing by the week. Atlanta scored 80 points in his first two starts of 2026, making him just the fourth quarterback this decade with 80-plus team points in his first two starts of a season, per CBS Sports Research.
| Most team points in first two starts of a season, Quarterbacks since 2020 | Points |
|---|---|
2024 Derek Carr (NO) | 91 |
2020 Aaron Rodgers (GB) | 85 |
2025 Lamar Jackson (BAL) | 81 |
2026 Michael Penix Jr. (ATL) | 80 |
The one positive New Orleans can take from their 1-3 start to 2026 is the connection between Shough and Olave. After Olave racked up another 116 yards on 8 catches, he now ranks second in the NFL with 491 receiving yards. Shough and Olave need to spend the next week watching Dallas Cowboys film to learn how quarterback Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, who leads the NFL with 498 yards receiving, carry their leaky defense.
The Falcons will be on primetime once again in Week 5, hosting Lamar Jackson and his 3-1 Baltimore Ravens on "Sunday Night Football." The Saints will host the 4-0, NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings in Week 5.
Atlanta, between both Robinson's, combined for a franchise-record five rushing touchdowns Monday night. Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. combined for 207 yards rushing and those five rushing touchdowns on 33 carries.
The Atlanta Falcons are in cruise control after a franchise-record fifth rushing touchdown, two from Bijan Robinson and a career-high three from Brian Robinson Jr. Robinson Jr. was the latest to find the end zone on an 11-yard plunge. Kevin Stefanski's offense can't be stopped right now.
With Atlanta taking over at the Saints' 21 up 38-17 with 8:29 left to play, this game is closing to being officially out of reach.
The Saints were drawn in by the Falcons' play-action because of Atlanta's dominant run game. That opened up the middle of the field for quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to connect with wide receiver Jahan Dotson on a 31-yard touchdown strike to put Atlanta back up 21, 38-17, with 9:50 left to play.
The Saints aren't going down without a fight. They converted a fourth down in the red zone on a two-yard by Kamara, and then he finished off the drive with a five-yard rushing touchdown. New Orleans is hanging around, down 31-17, with 13 minutes left to play, but they'll need to figure out how to stop the run. Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. have combined for 173 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns on 27 carries tonight.
The Atlanta Falcons' offensive line is pounding the New Orleans Saints defensive line into submission as Brian Robinson Jr. waltzes into his second rushing touchdown of the night, this time from eight yards out. Atlanta now leades by three touchdowns, 31-10, with 2:11 left in the third quarter.
Former 2024 sixth-round pick Michael Jerrell will fill in for Matthews.
Saints head coach Kellen Moore chose not to go for it on fourth-and-3 from the Falcons' eight while trailing by 17. Instead, the Saints drill a 27-yard field goal to trim the Atlanta lead to 14, 24-10 with 7:38 left in the third quarter.
New Orleans wide receiver Chris Olave fell down and was still able to catch Tyler Shough's pass for 11 yards and a first down.
Olave then corralled another toe-tapping catch for a 10-yard gain.
The other Robinson, Brian Robinson Jr., rumbles into the end zone from four yards out to put Atlanta back in front by 14 points, 21-7, with 8:59 left in the half.
New Orleans' drive began at their own 46 after an unnecessary roughness penalty on Atlanta, and they fully capitalized on the short field. Quarterback Tyler Shough hit a wide open Chris Olave on a play-action pass for 44 yards to kick start the drive, and then they were in the end zone via an Alvin Kamara touchdown run from three yards two plays later. The Saints now trail 14-7 with 14:57 left in the first half.
Robinson is now up to 78 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns on just 7 carries. His touchdowns are from 50 yards out and now 4 yards out. His 78 yards rushing are his career high for a first quarter. Atlanta leads 14-0 with 48 seconds left in the first quarter.
Falcons cornerback C.J. Henderson forced the fumble and recovered the loose ball to give Atlanta the ball back at the Saints' 22. The Falcons are in a great spot up 7-0 with 2:52 left in the first quarter.
Smith is being evaluated for potential concussion as well as a neck injury per ESPN's broadcast.
New Orleans quarterback Tyler Shough was able to gain a couple yards on a short pass on second down, but that was it. Atlanta gets the football back on their own 49 up 7-0 with 12:50 left in the first quarter after a 25-yard punt return.
Robinson's five career touchdowns of 50-plus yards now rank as the second most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2023. His 59-yard touchdown run on Monday against the New Orleans Saints is his first of 2026.
| Most 50-yard TD since 2023 | 50-yard TD |
|---|---|
Saquon Barkley (PHI) | 6 |
Bijan Robinson (ATL) | 5* |
De'Von Achane (MIA) | 4 |
Breece Hall (NYJ) | 4 |
TreVeyon Henderon (NE) | 4 |
* Bijan Robinson entered the NFL in 2023
Robinson made a quick cut out to the left, and that's all he needed to explode down the left sideline for a 59-yard rushing touchdown on his first carry of the night. Falcons lead 7-0 after the opening drive. It looks like he's in for another historic performance in Week 4 after going off for 194 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground in Week 3 at the Green Bay Packers.
New Orleans' WR1 Chris Olave's 375 yards receiving in 2026 rank as the third-most in the first three games of a season in Saints history. Olave is also one of two players with 80-plus receiving yards in each of the first three weeks of the season along with Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
| Most receiving yards through first three games of a season, Saints history | Receiving yards |
|---|---|
Michael Thomas (2018) | 398 |
Wes Chandler (1979) | 289 |
Chris Olave (2026) | 375 |
Jimmy Graham (2013) | 358 |
Tyler Shough entered Week 4 averaging the second-most passing yards per game (305.7) in the NFL while being tied for the third-most passing touchdowns (8) in the league. Despite losing two of his first three games, Shough's start to 2026 is the seventh time this century a quarterback has lost two games with three-plus passing touchdowns in within the first three games of a season. He is certainly part of the issue with his five fumbles entering Week 4 ranking as the most in the league while his three fumbles lost was tied for the NFL lead entering Week 4.
| Quarterbacks with two losses with three-plus pass TD in first three games of season, Since 2000 | Team |
|---|---|
2026 Tyler Shough | NO |
2023 Kirk Cousins | MIN |
2021 Patrick Mahomes | KC |
2016 Drew Brees | NO |
2012 Drew Brees | NO |
2008 Philip Rivers | SD |
2000 Jeff Garcia | SF |
New Orleans has won six of their last seven primetime home games against the Falcons, including five of their last six Monday night games against the Falcons. However, they did lose their last Monday night home game against the Falcons back in 2016.
Currently, the Saints have lost six straight home primetime games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL. New Orleans is looking for the first primetime home win since the 2020 season against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Robinson led the NFL in yards from scrimmage (467) through the first three weeks of 2026, and he has a track record of going crazy on "Monday Night Football. He is averaging 181.0 scrimmage yards per game on Mondays, the most by any player on any day of the week ever, minimum three games played per CBS Sports Research.
| Most career scrimmage YPG on Monday Night Football, NFL history minimum three games played | Scrimmage YPG |
|---|---|
Bijan Robinson* | 181.0 |
Jahmyr Gibbs | 149.4 |
Le'Veon Bell | 146.8 |
* Most by any player on any day of the week all-time
Penix Jr. is seeking to win his first NFC South game after losing his first four. Monday night's matchup in New Orleans will be his first against the Saints. He doesn't have any touchdowns in his last two division games, both against the Carolina Panthers.
Atlanta won back to back games against the Saints in 2025 for the first time since the 2016-2017 seasons when they won three games in a row. With a win tonight, Atlanta could tie their longest winning streak against the Saints this century. They're looking for consecutive road wins at the Saints for the first time since 2001-2002.
The New Orleans Saints had two players listed as questionable for Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons: linebacker Pete Warner (shoulder) and tight end Noah Fant (abdomen). Warner is active, but Fant is inactive and will not play in Week 4.
The two players Atlanta listed as questionable for Week 4 at the New Orleans Saints, linebacker Divine Deablo (hamstring) and edge rusher Samson Ebukam (hamstring), are both active.
