Washington (AFP) – Reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills suffered a surprise defeat for the second consecutive week, falling 24-14 in Atlanta on Monday. Michael Penix threw for 250 yards and a touchdown while Bijan Robinson ran 19 times for 170 yards and a touchdown to spark the Falcons attack. Robinson, who also caught six passes for 68 yards, said: “This was a big game for us. We had to come out and be physical. We do what we do and come out with a win.”
Allen threw for 180 yards and two touchdowns but also two costly interceptions as the Bills slid to 4-2 and are now level for the AFC East division lead with New England, which upset Buffalo 23-20 last week. The Falcons improved to 3-2 and moved into second in the NFC South. Atlanta’s Tyler Allgeier scored on a two-yard run only 2:45 into the game, but Buffalo equalized just 4:14 later on Allen’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Dawson Knox. Drake London caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Penix late in the first quarter to put the Falcons back in front, and they stretched the lead to 21-7 on Robinson’s 81-yard TD run early in the second quarter.
Allen fired a 16-yard touchdown pass to Ray Davis on the opening drive of the third quarter to pull Buffalo within 21-14, but Atlanta’s Parker Romo kicked a clinching 33-yard field goal with 1:43 remaining. An interception foiled Buffalo’s last hope.
– Moody wins it for Bears – At Washington, Jake Moody kicked a 38-yard field goal on the final play to give Chicago a 25-24 victory. The Bears stretched their win streak to three games and kept the Commanders from tying Philadelphia for the NFC East lead. “That’s who we are. We fight,” said Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. “We’re 3-2 because of our fight, because of how we face adversity and come together.”
Moody’s four field goals were the most for any kicker in his Bears debut. “It feels amazing,” Moody said. “To get all that support from all my teammates after the game, it was an amazing feeling.” Chicago seized a 13-0 lead on Moody’s field goals of 47 and 48 yards and a one-yard touchdown run by Williams. Jayden Daniels lifted Washington within 13-7 at halftime on a 22-yard touchdown pass to Chris Moore in the second quarter. Matt Gay’s 53-yard field goal late in the third quarter pulled the Commanders within 13-10, but Moody answered from 41 yards.
Washington seized a 17-16 lead after Daniels connected with Luke McCaffrey on a 33-yard touchdown pass with 2:56 remaining in the third quarter. Daniels made it 24-16 on a six-yard touchdown pass to Zach Ertz with 11:27 to play. The Bears scored just 61 seconds later on a 55-yard Williams touchdown pass to D’Andre Swift, but a two-point pass conversion failed, and Washington still led 24-22, setting the stage for Moody’s winning kick.
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