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Mercedes-Benz was buzzing, and the Falcons fed off it early. Michael Penix Jr. stepped in like a point guard on a fast break, dealing a crisp 20/26 for 313 yards and 2 TDs, finding Drake London for a first-quarter score and later teeing up Kyle Pitts Sr. in the red zone. Washington, short-handed without Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin, still punched back — Marcus Mariota went 16/27 for 156 and 2 TDs, with a slick strike to Luke McCaffrey and a late heater to Deebo Samuel Sr. (6/6, 72 yards, TD) to keep it spicy. (Injuries noted pregame, per reports.) (sbnation.com)

The middle quarters were Bijan’s backyard. Bijan Robinson uncorked a back-breaking catch-and-run — part of a monster line: 17 rushes for 75 yards and a TD, plus 4 grabs for 106 — that set up the Pitts touchdown, and Tyler Allgeier (16 for 51, TD) bulldozed in for a 15-yarder to make it 31-16 late in the third. They even traded third-quarter picks before Washington cashed one in for three, but Atlanta kept the groove. And for all the midweek chatter about whether the Falcons were “doing enough” for Penix, the kid answered with a clean, efficient conductor’s performance. (bleacherreport.com)

Washington’s last stand had real juice: Mariota hit Deebo for a 24-yard TD and then zipped the two-pointer to Zach Ertz to make it a one-score game with 8:48 left. But when the Falcons needed a closer, Pitts shook free for 22 on a money down, the ground game bled the clock, and Parker Romo’s 26-yarder at the two-minute warning pushed it out of reach. Even Matt Gay’s four field goals (52, 43, 41, 42) couldn’t bridge the gap. Falcons 34, Washington 27 — cover secured, confidence restored.

Big Dill of the Game: Bijan Robinson — 181 scrimmage yards and a tone-setting highlight that flipped the third-quarter script. That’s a wrap from Big Dill Sports — where ballin’ is a big dill.