Falcons Michael Penix Jr. shares exclusive tips from Drake Maye on how to dismantle the Bills' defense

The Atlanta Falcons were one of a handful of teams to receive the earliest bye week of the 2025 season in Week 5. Now on deck for Atlanta is what could be one of their toughest tests of the year when the Buffalo Bills come to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Monday Night Football.

The Falcons are coming off a Week 4 win over the Washington Commanders to get back to .500 (2-2), while the Bills (4-1) were upset at home by the New England Patriots. Make no mistake, Atlanta will be watching plenty of film from that Patriots victory, hoping to find the edge to beat one of the AFC’s best.

Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. told reporters on October 9 that he paid close attention to how Drake Maye helped lead New England to the 23-20 win on Sunday Night Football against their AFC East rival.

Penix said “playing smart football and controlling the game” was the biggest takeaway he took from Maye’s performance.

“He [Penix] says taking care of the football will be important,” Falcons writer Will McFadden reported.

Maye arguably played the best game of his young career, sustaining drives and making key decisions despite not having a touchdown pass. He finished 22 of 30 for 273 yards with no turnovers and a passer rating of 101.1.

Falcons, Michael Penix Jr. Know All About Turnovers

Penix had a bounce-back game against Washington in Week 4, leading the Falcons to a 34-27 win. It was a career-best outing, as he completed 20 of 26 passes for 313 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also fumbled once, though it was recovered.

That performance was a complete turnaround from the previous week, when the Falcons were routed 30-0 by the Carolina Panthers. Penix threw for only 172 yards with two interceptions—one returned for a touchdown—and no scores, raising questions about whether veteran backup Kirk Cousins should get another chance.

Most of that came from Cousins entering the game to start the fourth quarter after Penix’s pick-six. However, head coach Raheem Morris quickly shut down any speculation leading up to the Commanders game.

“Kirk lost his job last year. We’re not even close to that with Mike [Penix],” Morris said. “He had a bad day. We had a bad day. Mike is our quarterback. We got a lot of confidence in Mike. We’re moving forward with Mike. Mike’s the guy.”

Josh Allen Comes Atlanta For First Time

Penix will have his work cut out for him Monday night against counterpart Josh Allen. The reigning MVP is once again having a terrific season, keeping Buffalo among the league’s best teams.

The one advantage for Penix will be playing in front of a home crowd in Atlanta, and it’s multi-faceted. It will be Allen’s first game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and only his second overall against the Falcons. His first came back in January 2022, when Buffalo won 29-15.

That day wasn’t Allen’s best, though. He went 11 of 26 for 120 yards with three interceptions, no touchdowns and a passer rating of just 17.0.

“It was bucket list to visit all 32 [NFL stadiums] as a kid,” Allen said. “So, I guess this is the way to do that.”

Lions Get Good News on Pivotal Defensive Lineman Before Chiefs Game

The Detroit Lions could finally see a key member of the defense back on the field, months after he suffered a major knee injury.

Defensive lineman Alim McNeill has been growing ever-closer to a return from the torn ACL that cut short his 2024 season, addressing what one analyst believes is a growing concern for the 4-1 Lions.

Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon noted that the string of early injuries has been the “biggest concern” for the Lions this season, including the absence of McNeill.

“The Lions are still without key defenders Alim McNeill (knee), Terrion Arnold (shoulder) and D.J. Reed (hamstring). And safety Kerby Joseph has been playing through a knee injury, while Brian Branch is dealing with an ankle injury,” Gagnon wrote.  “Unsurprisingly, that unit has had some spotty performances thus far. They’re giving up 22.4 points per game, up from 20.1 in 2024.”

Gagnon noted that the Lions have found ways to make up for the string of injuries, but could see a big boost when McNeill is able to return to the field — which could come as early as this week.

“The good news is they’re making up for it with takeaways and sacks, and McNeill may return just in time for a big Week 6 matchup with the Chiefs,” Gagnon wrote.

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Good Signs for Alim McNeill

It appeared that McNeill may have been able to return for last week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, with head coach Dan Campbell saying he was “50/50” to play. The Lions ultimately ruled McNeill out, though the coaching staff has been giving some hopeful signs about his ability to return and get back to his previous form.

Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said last week that McNeill has looked great while ramping up toward his return.

“I told Dan [Campbell] yesterday that it’s amazing when you watch those practice clips. It’s like he’s been at training camp. I mean he does not look like a player that hasn’t practiced, and that’s credit to him,” Sheppard said, 

via ESPN. “I know all this bone density and all these guru terms they throw out, but all I know is I see a very, very high caliber defensive tackle when I turned on the tape yesterday so I’m very excited to have him back out there.”

McNeill added that he is excited to get back on the field and help his teammates. The team has struggled at times to generate consistent pressure on quarterbacks — which was especially true after Aidan Hutchinson’s season-ending injury last year. McNeill has been one of the most consistent defensive linemen.

McNeill suffered a torn ACL in December, missing the team’s final stretch and early playoff exit. He finished the season with 25 total tackles and 3.5 sacks, adding a forced fumble and pass defensed.

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