Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid for 9:30 a.m. ET Kickoff Against Atlanta Falcons
The 5-2 Cincinnati Bengals head across the Atlantic this week for a 9:30 a.m. ET matchup in Madrid, Spain, where they will face the 3-5 Atlanta Falcons. While Atlanta holds a sub-.500 record, they have proven a resilient opponent nearly every week, highlighted by a victory over the San Francisco 49ers just two weeks ago.
Stopping Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson stands as the primary defensive hurdle for Cincinnati. Robinson enters the matchup on the verge of eclipsing 1,000 all-purpose yards on the season, combining elite rushing skills with dynamic pass-catching out of the backfield. Although he has been held under 80 rushing yards in each of his last three games, the Bengals defense must eliminate missed tackles to prevent him from breaking out on the international stage.
Establishing Balance Against a Dangerous Falcons Pass Rush
Offensively, the Bengals need to establish a balanced attack to neutralize an aggressive Atlanta pass rush. The Falcons rank second overall in the league with 179 pressures this season, a disruptive total they achieved even before the return of James Pearce Jr. from an eight-game suspension. Leaning on carries and short passes to Chase Brown and Samaje Perine will be crucial to avoid a heavy passing script against Atlanta.
That necessity was highlighted by Atlanta's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where Tampa Bay leaned entirely on a ground game that racked up over 300 rushing yards in a rainy, 16-0 shutout.
Applying Pressure on Michael Penix
Defensively, the Bengals plan to target Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix early and often. Penix enters the game completing 61% of his passes with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. Disrupting his rhythm falls largely to Boye Mafe, who ranks sixth in the league among defensive ends with 35 pressures this season.
Cincinnati also boasts a formidable interior pass rush. Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen rank inside the top 12 at their position with 24 and 23 pressures, respectively. With Cashius Howell sidelined this week, Myles Murphy will also be relied upon to generate pressure opposite Mafe, coming off a performance where he recorded five pressures for the second time in his last three games.
