Quarterback Joe Burrow and his defending AFC Champion Bengals are back on track, winning for the fourth time in their last five games with a 35-17 home triumph over the Atlanta Falcons. Burrow balled out, completing 34 of 42 passes for 481 passing yards and three passing touchdowns in addition to another touchdown on a quarterback sneak. He came 71 yards short of breaking Norm Van Brocklin's NFL all-time, single-game passing yards record of 551, which was set back in 1951. Burrow's 481 yards on Sunday rank as the third most in a single game in team history.
Week 7 is Burrow's second career game with over 400 yards passing, three or more passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown, making him the fourth player in NFL history to have multiple such games. The others who have accomplished this feat are Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.
Sunday marks the Falcons' first loss against the spread this season, and it also marks their 12th consecutive loss when entering a game with a .500 record (3-3 entering Sunday). That run of futility with a winning record on the line ties these Falcons (2018-2022) with the 2006-2012 Rams for the longest such streak since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger.
Despite falling behind 21-0 to begin the game, Atlanta opted for a run-heavy attack, rushing on 29 of their 42 offensive plays. Quarterback Marcus Mariota had 124 passing yards on 8 of 13 passing Sunday with 75 of those coming on his touchdown heave to Damiere Byrd at the end of the first half. The strategy made sense with the Falcons looking to keep their wounded defense on the sideline as their top cornerback A.J. Terrell left the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury. They entered Week 7 without their No. 2 cornerback Casey Hayward after he had a shoulder procedure earlier in the week.
The win improves the Bengals to 4-3, keeping them in the mix for the AFC North division lead. Atlanta's loss also keeps them in a tie for first in their division because Tom Brady and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers were stunned by the Carolina Panthers, 21-3. Both are 3-4 and tied for first in the NFC South.
Why the Bengals won
Burrow had whatever he wanted on the Bengals' first four drives, all of which resulted in touchdowns. Three of those were Burrow connecting with his receivers Tyler Boyd (a 60-yard deep ball over the middle on the opening possession) and Ja'Marr Chase (touchdowns of 32 and 41 yards). Boyd and Chase each finished the first half with over 100 receiving yards and a touchdown, making them the first wide receiver duo to do so in a single half since Hall of Famer Randy Moss and Wes Welker in the New England Patriots' snow-filled 59-0 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 6 of the 2009 season. Boyd, the seven-year veteran and longest-tenured Bengal, finished with a career-high 155 receiving yards on eight catches. Chase totaled his fifth career game with 130 or receiving yards, finishing with 130 on the nose and his two first-half touchdowns. Only Tyreek Hill and Justin Jefferson (six each) have more 130-yard games since Chase entered the NFL as the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Burrow poured it on early, finishing the first half with 345 of his 481 passing yards, marking the first half of his career with over 300 yards and three passing touchdowns. His gaudy first 30 minutes also led to the second perfect passer rating he's had in a first half after completing 19 of his first 21 passes. After a slow start to the season, Burrow is on fire with 12 passing touchdowns and only one interception in the last five games, four resulting in wins. He has averaged 312 passing yards per game during the five-game stretch. The Bengals haven't allowed a second-half touchdown in their last seven games, the longest such streak of games to do so since the Kansas City Chiefs in 1997.
Why the Falcons lost
The Falcons' secondary injuries were too much for them to overcome. Week 7 was their first game since Hayward was put on injured reserve after a shoulder procedure and Terrell left the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury. The Falcons played with backups Darren Hall, Isaiah Oliver and Cornell Armstrong for the bulk of the afternoon. Armstrong was promoted from the practice squad on Saturday. Atlanta safety Jaylinn Hawkins left the game to be checked for a concussion. All in all, Burrow's 481 passing yards add up to second-most against the team in their franchise's history. Only Jake Plummer, 499 passing yards against Atlanta in Week 8 of the 2004 season, has thrown for more against the Falcons than Burrow did in Week 7.
Turning point
Chase's second touchdown, a 41-yard catch and run, wasn't so much the turning point as it was the nail in Atlanta's coffin. The score came as Chase left Falcons defenders grasping at air as he put the Bengals back up 21 points for the second time in the contest, 28-7. With the way the Falcons were leaning on the ground game, that lead was insurmountable.
Play of the game
Rarely does a game's fourth play end up as its best play, but that was the case in Cincinnati in Week 7. Burrow's picture-perfect deep ball seamlessly fell right into Boyd's breadbasket. The only way Burrow could have more accurately delivered the football to Boyd is if he handed him the ball 60 yards down the field. The play was a display of Burrow's pinpoint accuracy when going deep, one of the best weapons in his arsenal.
What's next
From here, the Bengals will remain in Ohio, but they will hit the road and travel to Cleveland for their first of two matchups with the Browns this season. As for the Falcons, they return home to play the suddenly frisky Carolina Panthers, who are coming off a shockingly dominant 21-3 win against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their first game since trading Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers.