Bijan Robinson broke a 59-yard touchdown run on Atlanta’s third snap and the Falcons never trailed in a 45–24 rout of the New Orleans Saints at the Caesars Superdome on Monday night, October 5, scoring five times on the ground to match a franchise record.
The win lifted Atlanta to 2–2 and into a share of first place in the NFC South with Carolina. New Orleans fell to 1–3 on a night it had set aside to mark 20 years since the Superdome reopened after Hurricane Katrina, with members of its 2006 team on hand.
Two Robinsons, five rushing touchdowns
Bijan Robinson finished with 145 yards on 19 carries and scored twice; his second touchdown, from 4 yards, came with 48 seconds left in the first quarter. Brian Robinson Jr. handled the short-yardage work and scored three times on 14 carries for 62 yards, from 4, 8 and 11 yards. Atlanta outrushed New Orleans 205 yards to 50.
Falcons have five rushing touchdowns tonight, tying their franchise record. pic.twitter.com/6a4EvBrOYR
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 6, 2026
It was the third time the Falcons have run for five touchdowns in a game. Bijan Robinson also became the third player, after Eric Dickerson and Emmitt Smith, with four consecutive Monday night games of at least 125 rushing yards. “The most fun I’ve had in my career,” Brian Robinson Jr. said of Atlanta’s last two weeks.
Michael Penix Jr. needed only 20 attempts. He completed 15 for 223 yards, hit Jahan Dotson for a 31-yard score midway through the fourth quarter and did not throw an interception. Drake London had five catches for 96 yards and Kyle Pitts Sr. added 47 on three receptions. After totaling 16 points in the first two weeks of the season, Atlanta has now scored 80 in two games.
Where the Saints let it slip
New Orleans had a chance to answer the opening score, but Daniel Carlson missed from 52 yards. On the next Saints series, C.J. Henderson stripped Kendre Miller; the play was first ruled down by contact, and Atlanta won the challenge and took over deep in Saints territory. That turnover led to the 14–0 lead.
The Saints scored three more times before the closing minutes, twice on short Alvin Kamara runs and once on Carlson’s 27-yard field goal, but Atlanta answered each score with one of its own to reach 21–7, 31–10 and 38–17. Kamara’s two touchdowns gave him his 14th game with multiple rushing scores, equaling Deuce McAllister’s club record.
Tyler Shough threw for 286 yards on 30-of-48 attempts, with Chris Olave catching eight passes for 116 yards. Devaughn Vele’s toe-tap grab from 3 yards with 1:13 to play made the final margin 21.
This might be the most Mikhail Baryshnikov catch I’ve ever seen in the NFL. #DevaughnVele pic.twitter.com/pkoYUXU1dZ
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 6, 2026
“I’d boo, too,” Shough said of the fans who jeered the Saints, calling the defeat embarrassing.
Injuries
The victory was costly for Atlanta. Edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, the team leader with 2.5 sacks, was ruled out after a hit and entered the concussion protocol; he walked off the field after medical staff attended to him. Left tackle Jake Matthews, making his 200th career start, hurt his groin in the first half and was ruled out before the third quarter, with Michael Jerrell taking his place. There was no update on either player after the game.
New Orleans played without Carl Granderson (ankle), Kaden Elliss (calf) and Noah Fant (abdomen). Kamara briefly left in the third quarter with a knee problem but returned. Current designations are on our NFL injury report.
What comes next
The Falcons stay in prime time for a third straight week, hosting the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, October 11, at 8:20 p.m. EDT at Mercedes-Benz Stadium; Lamar Jackson’s status for that game is uncertain after an ankle injury. The Saints host the Minnesota Vikings the same day at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Full statistics are in the Falcons at Saints Game Center, with more on the Falcons and Saints team pages.
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