The Atlanta Falcons were defeated by the New York Jets 27-24 at MetLife Stadium in their Week 13 matchup, witnessed by over 70,000 fans. This result puts the Falcons at a 4-7 record for the season as they prepare to face the Seattle Seahawks next week.
Falcons running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier each scored touchdowns during the game. Allgeier’s score came on a one-yard run in the second quarter, bringing his total to eight scrimmage touchdowns this season. Robinson added a five-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and now has seven touchdowns. The pair stands out as no other running back duo in the NFL has reached at least seven touchdowns each this season.
Robinson also accumulated 193 yards from scrimmage, marking his third game this year with at least 175 yards—a figure unmatched by any active player. He leads the NFL with four games of at least 150 yards from scrimmage and has surpassed 100 yards in eight games, tying him for second-most such performances this season.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 234 yards and one touchdown, making it his 132nd career game with more than 200 passing yards. This achievement ties him with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco for fourth-most among active players.
On defense, rookie edge rusher James Pearce Jr. recorded a sack in the fourth quarter—his fifth of the season—matching fellow rookie Jalon Walker’s tally. The Falcons are among only four teams in the past decade to have multiple rookies reach at least five sacks in a single season, joining recent examples like last year’s Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams.
The Falcons managed to keep their opponent scoreless in the first quarter for the sixth time this season but are now 3-3 when doing so. They held the Jets to just 71 total offensive yards in the first half—their best defensive showing in any half this year—but allowed another 198 yards after halftime.
Tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. led all Falcons receivers with 82 yards on seven catches. Historically, Atlanta is now 10-3 when Pitts records at least 70 receiving yards.
Punter Bradley Pinion placed a personal-best five punts inside the red zone and tied his single-game high for punts (six). However, special teams struggled overall with a muffed punt lost, a missed field goal from fifty yards out, and an allowed kickoff return of eighty-three yards—the longest since giving up a touchdown return against Washington during Week 4 of the 2021 season.
Addressing whether weather conditions affected play, head coach Raheem Morris said: “Nobody cares about the atmosphere. They played in the same atmosphere we played in.” On possible coaching staff changes following another loss, Morris stated: “We don’t make emotional decisions, we know that. We won’t talk about those things. We never do that. It’s not our code. It’s not our ethics. It’s not who we are. It’s not what we are. It’s not a decision, that’s not what we do today.”
Edge rusher James Pearce Jr., reflecting on frustration after another defeat, said: “There’s always a lot of would of, could of, should of. At the end of the day, we just want to win.”
Bradley Pinion commented on special teams issues: “Let’s go back to the basics. Come back to punting the ball well, kicking the ball well, covering well. Really, the basics…just keep going back to the basics…and not get tired of doing the mundane.”
From New York’s side, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn emphasized special teams’ impact: “We spend a lot of time making sure we get that part of our team on point because I believe that you need all three phases to be able to win…”
Jets quarterback Tyrod Taylor noted: “It wasn’t a perfect game by any means…all three phases…were able to put it together and finish.”
Game leaders included Cousins (21-of-33 for 234 yards), Robinson (23 carries for 142 rushing yards), Pitts Sr., and key contributors from both sides on defense and special teams.
Next Sunday’s home game against Seattle comes as Atlanta faces an opponent riding consecutive wins after shutting out Minnesota last week.
