December 21, 2025 | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ | Attendance: 60,673 | TV: FOX
GLENDALE, Ariz. — About 200 family members and friends traveled from Tucson to watch Bijan Robinson play at State Farm Stadium on December 21. They saw him make Falcons history.
Robinson finished with 76 rushing yards and 92 receiving yards on seven catches, including a 13-yard touchdown. His 168 yards from scrimmage pushed his 2025 season total past 2,000, making him the third Atlanta Falcon to reach that milestone in a single season, joining Jamal Anderson (1998) and William Andrews (1981 and 1983).
Atlanta won 26-19, overcoming a 10-0 first-quarter deficit and holding the ball for 35 minutes and 34 seconds. A practice squad cornerback activated the day before kickoff made the diving interception that sealed it with 1:30 remaining.
The Falcons improved to 6-9 with their second straight road win. The Cardinals dropped to 3-12 and lost their seventh consecutive game.
Table of Contents
Final Score
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons (6-9) | 3 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 26 |
| Arizona Cardinals (3-12) | 10 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 19 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 — 12:46 | Chad Ryland 50-yd FG — 7 plays, 29 yards | ARI 3-0 |
| Q1 — 7:43 | Michael Wilson 32-yd TD pass from Brissett (Ryland kick) — 5 plays, 55 yards | ARI 10-0 |
| Q1 — 2:17 | Zane Gonzalez 49-yd FG — 11 plays, 34 yards | ARI 10-3 |
| Q2 — 13:27 | Chad Ryland 51-yd FG — 8 plays, 42 yards | ARI 13-3 |
| Q2 — 11:56 | Bijan Robinson 13-yd TD pass from Cousins (Gonzalez kick) — 3 plays, 65 yards | ARI 13-10 |
| Q2 — 5:02 | Chad Ryland 25-yd FG — 13 plays, 59 yards | ARI 16-10 |
| Q2 — 0:25 | Kyle Pitts 5-yd TD pass from Cousins (PAT blocked by Calais Campbell) — 14 plays, 60 yards | Tied 16-16 |
| Q3 — 7:25 | Zane Gonzalez 40-yd FG — 13 plays, 44 yards | ATL 19-16 |
| Q4 — 12:28 | Kirk Cousins 1-yd rush (Gonzalez kick) — 12 plays, 66 yards | ATL 26-16 |
| Q4 — 4:37 | Chad Ryland 34-yd FG (set up by Cousins fumble at midfield) — 10 plays, 37 yards | ATL 26-19 |
How the Game Unfolded
Arizona came out sharp. Ryland opened the scoring with a 50-yard field goal on the first drive, then Brissett hit Michael Wilson for a 32-yard touchdown four minutes later. Wilson and Falcons cornerback Cobee Bryant both went up for the ball near the end zone, tumbled in together, and the ball settled between Wilson’s legs without hitting the ground. Officials ruled it a catch. Atlanta was down 10-0 inside the first eight minutes.
The Falcons clawed back one score at a time through the second quarter. Cousins hit Robinson for a 13-yard touchdown on a three-play, 65-yard drive to cut it to 13-10, then found Kyle Pitts on a 5-yard score with 25 seconds left in the half that tied it at 16-16. Calais Campbell, 39 years old and a former Falcon, got a hand on Gonzalez’s extra-point attempt and blocked it, keeping Atlanta from taking any lead into the locker room.
Gonzalez’s 40-yard field goal in the third quarter put Atlanta ahead for the first time at 19-16. Cousins then capped a 12-play, 66-yard drive with a 1-yard rushing score early in the fourth to push the lead to 26-16. He fumbled at midfield shortly after, which gave Arizona a short field and Ryland converted from 34 yards to make it 26-19 with 4:37 left.
Brissett drove the Cardinals down the field with a chance to tie the game or take the lead. CJ Henderson ended it.
Three Plays That Decided It
Wilson’s circus catch — Wilson and Bryant were both going for the same ball near the end zone. They fell in together. The ball bounced around and eventually settled between Wilson’s legs without touching the ground. Touchdown ruled. Arizona up 10-0.
Campbell blocks the PAT — With 25 seconds left in the half, Cousins hit Pitts on a 5-yard score to tie the game at 16. Gonzalez lined up for the go-ahead extra point. Campbell, 39, got off the line fast enough to block it. Instead of Atlanta leading 17-16 at half, it stayed tied.
Henderson seals it — Arizona got the ball back at their own 40 with 2:05 left, down seven. Brissett dropped back on third down. Henderson, elevated from Atlanta’s practice squad just the day before, made a diving interception with 1:30 remaining.
“I’ve been staying ready the entire time, so I wasn’t surprised,” Henderson said.
Quarterback Stats
| Stat | Kirk Cousins (ATL) | Jacoby Brissett (ARI) |
|---|---|---|
| Completions / Attempts | 21 / 35 | 16 / 31 |
| Completion % | 60.0% | 51.6% |
| Adj. Completion % (PFF) | 71.9% | 70.4% |
| Passing Yards | 197 | 203 |
| Touchdowns | 2 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 1 |
| Sacks / Yards Lost | 1 / 7 | 2 / 15 |
| Passer Rating | 82.7 | 69.7 |
| ESPN QBR | 79.5 | 30.1 |
| Avg. Depth of Target | 5.1 yds | 8.4 yds |
| Rush Attempts / Yards | 5 / -3 | 1 / 5 |
| Rushing TD | 1 | 0 |
| Fumbles Lost | 1 | 0 |
| Dropbacks | 36 | 33 |
Brissett fell to 1-9 as Arizona’s starter since replacing the injured Kyler Murray in Week 6. His 30.1 QBR was his lowest output of the month.
Rushing Stats
Atlanta Falcons
| Player | Att | Yds | YPC | TD | Long | 1st Downs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Allgeier | 16 | 79 | 4.9 | 0 | 12 | 4 |
| Bijan Robinson | 16 | 76 | 4.8 | 0 | 29 | 4 |
| Kirk Cousins | 5 | -3 | -0.6 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Team | 37 | 152 | 4.1 | 1 | 29 | 10 |
Arizona Cardinals
| Player | Att | Yds | YPC | TD | Long | 1st Downs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Carter | 11 | 65 | 5.9 | 0 | 22 | 2 |
| Corey Kiner | 6 | 32 | 5.3 | 0 | 9 | 2 |
| Emari Demercado | 5 | 30 | 6.0 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| Jacoby Brissett | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Team | 23 | 132 | 5.7 | 0 | 22 | 6 |
Atlanta ran 14 more plays on the ground than Arizona and outgained them 152 to 132. The Cardinals averaged more yards per carry (5.7 vs. 4.1), but Atlanta’s volume was the point — 37 rushing attempts fed a possession game that wore Arizona’s defense down across four quarters.
Bijan Robinson: 2,000 Yards
Robinson’s 29-yard carry in the third quarter was the run that pushed his 2025 season total past 2,000 scrimmage yards. He finished the game with 168 total yards and one touchdown, reaching a milestone only two other Falcons have ever hit.
“That’s a real-deal stat — doing 2,000 from scrimmage,” Kirk Cousins said. “It’s hard to do if you’re not healthy, so the fact that he’s durable enough to do it is a big deal.”
Robinson, who grew up in Tucson, 115 miles from the stadium: “It meant a lot to do this in front of Arizona, in front of people who supported me as a kid.”
Receiving Stats
Atlanta Falcons
| Player | Rec | Tgt | Yds | TD | Long | YPR | YAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijan Robinson | 7 | 11 | 92 | 1 | 41 | 13.1 | 109 |
| Kyle Pitts | 7 | 9 | 57 | 1 | 12 | 8.1 | 19 |
| Drake London | 3 | 8 | 27 | 0 | 12 | 9.0 | 4 |
| Darnell Mooney | 2 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 17 | 12.0 | 11 |
| Charlie Woerner | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3.0 | 5 |
| Tyler Allgeier | 1 | 1 | -6 | 0 | — | -6.0 | 1 |
| David Sills V | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Jake Matthews | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Team | 21 | 35 | 197 | 2 | 41 | 9.4 | 149 |
Arizona Cardinals
| Player | Rec | Tgt | Yds | TD | Long | YPR | YAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elijah Higgins | 7 | 8 | 91 | 0 | 25 | 13.0 | 66 |
| Michael Wilson | 2 | 3 | 52 | 1 | 32 | 26.0 | 7 |
| Trey McBride | 4 | 8 | 27 | 0 | 10 | 6.8 | 13 |
| Xavier Weaver | 2 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 13 | 9.5 | 6 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr. | 1 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 | 0 |
| Michael Carter | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Emari Demercado | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Steven Sims | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Josiah Deguara | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Team | 16 | 29 | 203 | 1 | 32 | 12.7 | 92 |
Tight end Elijah Higgins led Arizona with 91 yards on seven catches — his best game of the second half of the season. Rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. finished with one catch for 14 yards on three targets.
Trey McBride’s 16-game streak ends. McBride had set an NFL record for tight ends by recording at least five receptions in 16 consecutive games, surpassing Travis Kelce’s mark of 15 (set in 2018). Atlanta came in with a specific plan to limit him. He finished with four catches on eight targets for 27 yards.
“I thought they had a good plan for Trey,” coach Jonathan Gannon said. “They were obviously doing some things to take him away.”
McBride afterward: “I was mad at myself more than anything. That end-zone play in particular, I feel like I’ve caught much harder balls than that.”
Full Team Stats
| Stat | Atlanta | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 342 | 320 |
| Passing Yards (Net) | 190 | 188 |
| Rushing Yards | 152 | 132 |
| Total Plays | 73 | 56 |
| Yards Per Play | 4.7 | 5.7 |
| Total 1st Downs | 24 | 16 |
| Passing 1st Downs | 11 | 9 |
| Rushing 1st Downs | 10 | 6 |
| Penalty 1st Downs | 0 | 0 |
| 3rd Down Efficiency | 7/14 (50%) | 7/13 (54%) |
| 4th Down Efficiency | 2/5 (40%) | 0/0 |
| Red Zone (Made-Att) | 3/3 (100%) | 0/2 (0%) |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Fumbles Lost | 1 | 0 |
| Interceptions Thrown | 1 | 1 |
| Sacks-Yards Lost (Offense) | 1-7 | 2-15 |
| Penalties / Yards | 4-20 | 5-14 |
| Time of Possession | 35:34 | 24:26 |
| Total Drives | 9 | 9 |
| Avg. Yards Per Drive | 34.1 | 32.0 |
| Avg. Points Per Drive | 2.6 | 1.9 |
Red zone efficiency tells the story of this game. Atlanta converted all three red zone trips into touchdowns. Arizona converted neither of theirs, settling for field goals both times. Gannon acknowledged the difference plainly: “They converted some touchdowns. We had to settle for some field goals.”
Kicking
Atlanta Falcons — Zane Gonzalez
| Attempt | Distance | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 FG | 49 yds | Good |
| Q2 PAT (Robinson TD) | — | Good |
| Q2 PAT (Pitts TD) | — | Blocked — Calais Campbell |
| Q3 FG | 40 yds | Good |
| Q4 PAT (Cousins rush TD) | — | Good |
FG: 2/2 (100%) | Long: 49 yds | XP: 2/3 | Points: 8
Arizona Cardinals — Chad Ryland
| Attempt | Distance | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 FG | 50 yds | Good |
| Q2 FG | 51 yds | Good |
| Q2 FG | 25 yds | Good |
| Q2 FG (pre-halftime) | 50 yds | No Good — hit right upright |
| Q3 FG | 44 yds | No Good — wide right |
| Q4 FG | 34 yds | Good |
FG: 4/6 (66.7%) | Long: 51 yds | XP: 1/1 | Points: 13
Ryland’s two misses both came at moments where Arizona had a chance to change the score. The upright before halftime and the wide-right attempt in the third quarter left six points on the field.
Defensive Stats
Atlanta Falcons
| Player | Pos | Tot | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divine Deablo | LB | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Xavier Watts | S | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| David Onyemata | DI | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dee Alford | CB | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| CJ Henderson | CB | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Kaden Elliss | LB | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Woods | LB | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates III | S | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| A.J. Terrell | CB | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ruke Orhorhoro | DI | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kentavius Street | DI | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ronnie Harrison Jr. | LB | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Khalid Kareem | ED | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cobee Bryant | CB | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pearce Jr. | ED | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Arnold Ebiketie | ED | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| LaCale London | DI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalon Walker | ED | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leonard Floyd | ED | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Dorlus | DI | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elijah Wilkinson | T | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Lindstrom | G | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charlie Woerner | TE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Team | 56 | 33 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 1 |
Arizona Cardinals
| Player | Pos | Tot | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akeem Davis-Gaither | LB | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dadrion Taylor-Demerson | S | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Budda Baker | S | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cody Simon | LB | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Darius Robinson | DI | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Zaven Collins | ED | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Baron Browning | ED | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Garrett Williams | CB | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Johnson | CB | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Dalvin Tomlinson | DI | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BJ Ojulari | ED | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaden Davis | CB | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denzel Burke | CB | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Calais Campbell | DI | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kitan Crawford | S | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Owen Pappoe | LB | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Sweat | ED | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PJ Mustipher | DI | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Walter Nolen III | DI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Team | 74 | 33 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
PFF Initial Grades
| Player | Pos | Team | Grade | Snaps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Neuzil | C | ATL | 87.4 | 77 |
| Hayden Conner (R) | G | ARI | 85.3 | 11 |
| CJ Henderson | CB | ATL | 81.3 | 37 |
| Kyle Pitts | TE | ATL | 80.5 | 67 |
| Josh Fryar (R) | T | ARI | 76.7 | 43 |
| Elijah Higgins | TE | ARI | 76.5 | 36 |
| Darius Robinson | DI | ARI | 74.7 | 43 |
| Will Johnson (R) | CB | ARI | 73.8 | 77 |
| Denzel Burke | CB | ARI | 73.5 | 70 |
| Ronnie Harrison Jr. | LB | ATL | 73.4 | 23 |
(R) = Rookie. All grades are initial and subject to PFF review.
Return Stats
Arizona Cardinals — Kick Returns
| Player | No | Yds | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Brooks | 2 | 56 | 28.0 | 32 | 0 |
| Steven Sims | 2 | 55 | 27.5 | 30 | 0 |
| Team | 4 | 111 | 27.8 | 32 | 0 |
Atlanta Falcons — Punt Returns
| Player | No | Yds | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deven Thompkins | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 8 | 0 |
Arizona Cardinals — Punting
| Player | No | Yds | Avg | TB | In 20 | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Haack | 1 | 51 | 51.0 | 0 | 0 | 51 |
Injuries
Arizona came in already short. CB Max Melton (heel), LT Paris Johnson Jr. (knee), and S Jalen Thompson (hamstring) were among six inactives. The in-game losses made things worse:
- CB Garrett Williams — carted off the field in the first quarter after a non-contact Achilles tendon injury
- DL Walter Nolen III — carted off in the third quarter with a knee injury; had recorded five pressures before leaving
- DL Josh Sweat — injured in the first quarter, ruled out in the third (ankle)
Where Both Teams Stood
Atlanta went into this game at 5-9 with nothing left to play for in the standings. They had just dropped five in a row before the previous week’s win at Tampa Bay. Two straight road wins to close out a lost season is a footnote, but Raheem Morris made sure his players understood what it meant for the future.
“It shows guys what this team should look like on a consistent basis, every time we’re out there,” Morris said.
Arizona fell to 3-12, losing their 12th game in their last 13 after starting the year 2-0. Brissett went 1-9 as the starter across that run. Gannon found something to hold onto: “I loved the resilience. I thought we battled in there, but ultimately fell a little short.”
The 2025 Falcons season will not be remembered for its record. But Robinson’s place in the franchise history book is permanent. Only three players have cleared 2,000 scrimmage yards in a single season wearing an Atlanta uniform. Jamal Anderson did it in 1998, the year the Falcons went to the Super Bowl. William Andrews did it twice in the early 1980s. Robinson joined them in Glendale, on a December afternoon, in front of 200 people who made the drive from Tucson to watch.
Cousins said it plainly: “That’s a real-deal stat — doing 2,000 from scrimmage. It’s hard to do if you’re not healthy, so the fact that he’s durable enough to do it is a big deal.”
Stats sourced from ESPN, NFL.com, Associated Press, and Pro Football Focus. PFF grades are initial and subject to review.
