Bijan Robinson continued his breakout season, Kyle Pitts made a key scoring contribution, and Atlanta’s defense came up big in a clutch moment as the Falcons defeated the Arizona Cardinals 26–19 Sunday.
The win, Atlanta’s second in a row, showed what the team is capable of even if a playoff push is out of reach. The Falcons improved to 6–9, bouncing back from a midseason five-game losing streak and winning three of their last five games.
Atlanta built a 26–16 lead early in the fourth quarter, but Arizona cut it to 26–19 with a field goal after Kirk Cousins fumbled at midfield. On Arizona’s final drive, C.J. Henderson, recently elevated from the practice squad, made a diving interception with 1:30 remaining to secure the victory.
Robinson dominated both on the ground and through the air, rushing for 76 yards on 16 carries and catching seven passes for 92 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown. His performance pushed him over 2,000 yards from scrimmage for the season, making him just the third player in Falcons history to reach that milestone, joining Jamal Anderson and William Andrews.
Cousins also scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak on a 12-play, 66-yard drive, and connected with Pitts for an 11-yard touchdown late in the second quarter. Atlanta overcame an early 10-point deficit and tied the game at 16 heading into halftime, aided by a blocked extra point from Arizona’s Calais Campbell.
Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett finished 16 of 31 for 203 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The Cardinals have now lost seven straight games, 12 of 13 since starting 2–0. Tight end Elijah Higgins had 91 receiving yards on seven catches, while Trey McBride saw his streak of 16 consecutive games with at least five receptions snapped.
Injuries
Cardinals: CB Garrett Williams (Achilles, carted off), DL Walter Nolen III (knee, carted off), DL Josh Sweat (ankle, ruled out), plus six inactives including CB Max Melton (heel), LT Paris Johnson Jr. (knee), and S Jalen Thompson (hamstring).
Up Next
Falcons: Host the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, Dec. 29.
Cardinals: Visit Cincinnati next Sunday.
