September 28, 2025 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta | Attendance: 71,492
One week after getting pulled in a 30-0 shutout and written off by half the league, Michael Penix Jr. walked into Mercedes-Benz Stadium and threw for a career-high 313 yards. Bijan Robinson followed with 181 yards from scrimmage — also a career-high. Atlanta won 34-27 in a game that stayed closer than those numbers suggest, right down to the final 90 seconds.
Washington played without Jayden Daniels (knee sprain, second straight absence), Terry McLaurin (quad), Noah Brown, and John Bates. Marcus Mariota started for the second consecutive week, had no business keeping this as close as he did, and still had the ball with a chance to tie in the final minute and a half.
Table of Contents
Score by Quarter
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Commanders | 0 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 27 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 10 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 34 |
Scoring Summary
| Qtr | Time | Team | Play | WAS | ATL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10:46 | ATL | John Parker Romo 38-yd FG | 0 | 3 |
| 1 | 0:49 | ATL | Drake London 5-yd pass from Penix (Romo kick) | 0 | 10 |
| 2 | 11:31 | WAS | Luke McCaffrey 5-yd pass from Mariota (Gay kick) | 7 | 10 |
| 2 | 8:27 | ATL | Bijan Robinson 14-yd run (Romo kick) | 7 | 17 |
| 2 | 5:24 | WAS | Matt Gay 43-yd FG | 10 | 17 |
| 3 | 10:12 | WAS | Matt Gay 52-yd FG | 13 | 17 |
| 3 | 9:25 | ATL | Kyle Pitts 7-yd pass from Penix (Romo kick) | 13 | 24 |
| 3 | 4:22 | WAS | Matt Gay 41-yd FG | 16 | 24 |
| 3 | 0:14 | ATL | Tyler Allgeier 15-yd run (Romo kick) | 16 | 31 |
| 4 | 8:48 | WAS | Deebo Samuel 24-yd pass from Mariota (2-pt conv.: Mariota to Ertz) | 24 | 31 |
| 4 | 1:57 | ATL | John Parker Romo 26-yd FG | 24 | 34 |
| 4 | 1:29 | WAS | Matt Gay 42-yd FG | 27 | 34 |
Penix Posts Career-High 313 Yards, Robinson Tops 180 From Scrimmage
Penix finished 20 of 26 for 313 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, posting a 126.0 passer rating on the same field where the Falcons had been held scoreless seven days prior. Atlanta converted 6 of 12 third downs (50%) against a Washington defense that had ranked among the NFL’s best on third down through the first three weeks of the season.
Head coach Raheem Morris never doubted Penix would respond. When asked when he saw it coming, Morris kept it short: “Monday, when he came to work. I believed in him that day.”
Penix echoed the same message after the final whistle. “What contributed to the response was the way the guys went about their business each and every day leading up to this game,” he said. “It showed true maturity and showed what this team is really about.”
Robinson was the other half of Atlanta’s offensive performance. He ran 17 times for 75 yards and a touchdown, caught four passes for 106 yards, and finished with 181 combined yards from scrimmage — a career-high for the third-year running back. His 69-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter — a short pass turned into a sideline sprint — set up Penix’s TD connection to Kyle Pitts moments later. His 14-yard TD run in the second quarter, breaking two tackles near the line before punching through, gave Atlanta its first double-digit lead at 17-7.
“We know we’re a very good offense,” Robinson said, “but you have to do the little things right, as we did today.”
London Silences the Noise, Pitts Goes Perfect
The week before this game, Atlanta fired wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard. Drake London went out and had his best game of the 2025 season: 8 catches on 10 targets for 110 yards and a touchdown — his third straight 100-yard receiving performance against the Commanders.
Kyle Pitts ran routes cleanly enough to catch every single ball thrown his way. He finished 5 for 5 for 70 yards and a touchdown, including a 22-yard reception on third-and-6 on the game-sealing drive in the fourth quarter that pushed Atlanta beyond field goal range.
“It felt great, just looking beside each other, knowing that it’s our game,” Pitts said afterward.
The Fourth-Quarter Drive That Settled It
Washington had just made it a seven-point game. With 8:48 left, Mariota found Deebo Samuel on a 24-yard TD on fourth-and-3, then hit Zach Ertz on the 2-point conversion to cut it to 31-24. The crowd inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium got loud. The Commanders had momentum.
Atlanta answered with the most telling sequence of the game: 14 plays, 69 yards, 6 minutes and 51 seconds consumed. Penix converted three straight third downs on that drive:
- Third-and-4: scrambled forward for the sticks
- Third-and-6: 22-yard completion to Pitts
- Third-and-7: 9-yard throw to London
John Parker Romo’s 26-yard field goal made it 34-24. Matt Gay hit from 42 yards with 1:29 left to make it 34-27. Washington recovered the onside kick. Penix kneeled three times. The game was over.
“Third down was a huge factor in this game,” Commanders coach Dan Quinn said.
Mariota and a Short-Handed Washington Roster Pushed It to the End
With Daniels, McLaurin, Brown, and Bates all out, Mariota completed 16 of 27 passes for 156 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and added a 22-yard scramble on a third-and-14 in the third quarter to keep a field-goal drive alive.
Deebo Samuel handled the bulk of the passing game without McLaurin and went a perfect 6 for 6 on targets for 72 yards and a touchdown. Chris Rodriguez Jr. led the ground attack with 59 yards on seven carries, including a 48-yard burst in the second quarter. Luke McCaffrey had a receiving TD and finished with six kick returns for 199 yards (long: 58) — the highest single-game kick return total in the NFL at that point in the 2025 season.
Quinn acknowledged his team gave themselves a shot despite the absences: “I know our team is going to battle back. As a whole, I thought we ran the ball effectively. We missed a few opportunities and you just can’t beat yourself on some things.”
Defense: Two Interceptions, Third Down Tells the Story
Both teams forced one turnover each.
Mike Sainristil (WAS) picked off Penix in the third quarter and returned it 23 yards, setting up a Matt Gay field goal that cut the Falcons’ lead to 24-16. Xavier Watts (ATL) responded on Washington’s next series, intercepting Mariota in the end zone on a deep ball intended for Jaylin Lane.
On the pass rush:
- Frankie Luvu (WAS) — 1.0 sack
- Zach Harrison (ATL) — 1.0 sack
- Leonard Floyd / Kaden Elliss (ATL) — 0.5 sack each on a shared pressure
Washington allowed a 50% third-down conversion rate after holding opponents to the NFL’s best mark through the first three weeks.
Full Box Score
Passing
| Player | Team | CMP | ATT | YDS | TD | INT | SACKS | SK YDS | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Penix Jr. | ATL | 20 | 26 | 313 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 126.0 |
| Marcus Mariota | WAS | 16 | 27 | 156 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 84.8 |
Rushing
| Player | Team | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijan Robinson | ATL | 17 | 75 | 4.4 | 1 | 14 |
| Tyler Allgeier | ATL | 16 | 51 | 3.2 | 1 | 19 |
| Michael Penix Jr. | ATL | 4 | 2 | 0.5 | 0 | 5 |
| ATL Total | 37 | 128 | 3.5 | 2 | 19 | |
| Chris Rodriguez Jr. | WAS | 7 | 59 | 8.4 | 0 | 48 |
| Jacory Croskey-Merritt | WAS | 7 | 47 | 6.7 | 0 | 16 |
| Marcus Mariota | WAS | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 0 | 22 |
| Deebo Samuel | WAS | 3 | 9 | 3.0 | 0 | 7 |
| Chris Moore | WAS | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 9 |
| Jeremy McNichols | WAS | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 0 | 2 |
| WAS Total | 22 | 147 | 6.7 | 0 | 48 |
Receiving
| Player | Team | REC | TGT | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drake London | ATL | 8 | 10 | 110 | 13.8 | 1 | 43 |
| Bijan Robinson | ATL | 4 | 5 | 106 | 26.5 | 0 | 69 |
| Kyle Pitts | ATL | 5 | 5 | 70 | 14.0 | 1 | 26 |
| Casey Washington | ATL | 1 | 3 | 19 | 19.0 | 0 | 19 |
| Darnell Mooney | ATL | 1 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 15 |
| Ray-Ray McCloud III | ATL | 1 | 2 | -7 | -7.0 | 0 | — |
| ATL Total | 20 | 26 | 313 | 15.7 | 2 | 69 | |
| Deebo Samuel | WAS | 6 | 6 | 72 | 12.0 | 1 | 24 |
| Luke McCaffrey | WAS | 2 | 3 | 21 | 10.5 | 1 | 16 |
| Zach Ertz | WAS | 2 | 4 | 21 | 10.5 | 0 | 14 |
| Jaylin Lane | WAS | 2 | 3 | 18 | 9.0 | 0 | 11 |
| Tay Martin | WAS | 1 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 0 | 14 |
| Jacory Croskey-Merritt | WAS | 2 | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 0 | 6 |
| Jeremy McNichols | WAS | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | — |
| Chris Moore | WAS | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | — |
| WAS Total | 16 | 24 | 156 | 9.8 | 2 | 24 |
Defense
| Player | Team | TOT | SOLO | SACKS | TFL | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobby Wagner | WAS | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Frankie Luvu | WAS | 8 | 5 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeremy Reaves | WAS | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Sainristil | WAS | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Marshon Lattimore | WAS | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Quan Martin | WAS | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dorance Armstrong | WAS | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Trey Amos | WAS | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Javon Kinlaw | WAS | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daron Payne | WAS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalyn Holmes | WAS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Javontae Jean-Baptiste | WAS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Martin | WAS | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eddie Goldman | WAS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jer’Zhan Newton | WAS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates III | ATL | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Watts | ATL | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Dee Alford | ATL | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaden Elliss | ATL | 5 | 3 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Divine Deablo | ATL | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Mike Hughes | ATL | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| David Onyemata | ATL | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leonard Floyd | ATL | 4 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Billy Bowman Jr. | ATL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeAngelo Malone | ATL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Ford | ATL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalon Walker | ATL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zach Harrison | ATL | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Team | FG | PCT | LONG | XP | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Gay | WAS | 4/4 | 100% | 52 | 1/1 | 13 |
| John Parker Romo | ATL | 2/2 | 100% | 38 | 4/4 | 10 |
Punting
| Player | Team | PUNTS | YDS | AVG | LONG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tress Way | WAS | 2 | 89 | 44.5 | 47 |
| Bradley Pinion | ATL | 2 | 92 | 46.0 | 48 |
Kick Returns
| Player | Team | RET | YDS | AVG | LONG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luke McCaffrey | WAS | 6 | 199 | 33.2 | 58 | 0 |
| Jamal Agnew | ATL | 3 | 69 | 23.0 | 28 | 0 |
| Ray-Ray McCloud III | ATL | 2 | 59 | 29.5 | 30 | 0 |
Punt Returns
| Player | Team | RET | YDS | AVG | LONG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylin Lane | WAS | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
| Mike Ford | ATL | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
Team Stats
| Stat | Washington | Atlanta |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 27 | 34 |
| Total Yards | 294 | 435 |
| Net Passing Yards | 147 | 307 |
| Rushing Yards | 147 | 128 |
| Total Plays | 51 | 65 |
| Yards per Play | 5.8 | 6.8 |
| First Downs | 17 | 24 |
| 3rd Down Conversions | 1/8 (13%) | 6/12 (50%) |
| 4th Down Conversions | 2/2 | 1/1 |
| Red Zone (Scoring/Att) | 1/1 | 4/6 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Penalties-Yards | 6-50 | 5-45 |
| Sacks-Yards Lost | 2-9 | 1-6 |
| Time of Possession | 25:45 | 34:15 |
Washington came in missing four starters including its franchise quarterback, ran a veteran backup who hadn’t started an NFL game since 2022, and still forced Atlanta to survive a goal-line stand in the final two minutes. That margin of seven points, in a game where the Commanders totaled 147 rushing yards and converted both fourth-down attempts, was a fair reflection of how competitive they were without Daniels. For Penix and Robinson, September 28 was the day they showed, together, what Atlanta’s offense was capable of running at full speed. The final score was 34-27. It required every one of those 14 plays to get there.
Sources: Pro Football Reference, ESPN, Associated Press, PFF
