Linebackers Highlight Dominant Showing in Falcons' Win

The Atlanta Falcons pulled off a huge 24-14 victory over the Buffalo Bills during primetime on Monday Night Football. The offense shone in the first half, putting up a season high of 21 points and the defense was stifling, holding the Bills starters to their fewest points in a game since Week 4 of the 2024 NFL season.

The highest graded player of the entire game was cornerback Dee Alford, who received a 91.1 score. Outside linebacker DeAngelo Malone (83.1), linebacker Divine Deablo (83.1), interior defender Zach Harrison (82.8) and linebacker Kaden Elliss (79.1) round out the Falcons' top five graded defenders. 

Alford played his best game of the season by far on Monday night. The corner had five total tackles, a sack, an interception, gave up just 18 yards total and Bills quarterback Josh Allen had a 10.8 passer rating when targeting Alford. His interception before the half was huge, holding the Bills to just seven first-half points, and nearly leading to a Falcons touchdown. 

Malone hauled in his first career interception, on an Allen ball that was batted into the air, to ice the Falcons' 10-point victory. That was one of Malone’s two snaps on the night. 

Deablo continues his stellar 2025 campaign, with his third game with an 80.0 or higher PFF grade. The linebacker had three quarterback hurries, five total tackles and gave up zero yards in coverage. Allen had a 39.6 passer rating when targeting Deablo. 

Harrison also had three hurries as well as two total tackles and a batted-down pass. Elliss forced two hurries, recorded a quarterback hit, had four total tackles and was targeted zero times in coverage.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Falcons set history. In Monday Night’s victory, it was the first time in franchise history that one player had 150+ rush yards in a game while another player had 150+ receiving yards. 

Wide receiver Drake London was Atlanta’s highest graded player on offense, and the second highest graded offensive player of either team, receiving an 85.6 grade. Right guard Chris Lindstrom (79.0), left tackle Jake Matthews (75.0), right tackle Elijah Wilkinson (74.5) and tight end Felipe Franks (70.8) round out the top five for Atlanta on offense. 

London balled out on primetime, hauling in 10 receptions for 158 yards and a touchdown. London was a yard away from having two touchdowns, nearly getting in for a score as time expired in the first half, but just barely stepping out of bounds. 

Lindstrom has been one of the best guards in the NFL over the past few seasons, and continued to show why on Monday. His 78.8 run blocking grade was the second highest in the game. In pass blocking, Lindstrom did give up four pressures; however, he surrendered zero quarterback hits or sacks.

Matthews did not play during the second half on Monday night; however, his 88.2 pass blocking grade was the highest in the game for either team. 

Wilkinson, who’s been filling in well for the injured Kaleb McGary, had a game-high 90.3 run blocking grade. Tight end Felipe Franks played three snaps on Monday, filling in as “quarterback” on Atlanta’s version of the tush push. He converted it once on third down and drew the Bills offside on another. 

Tackle Michael Jerrell, who was acquired from the Seattle Seahawks for a conditional late-round pick in 2027, was thrown into the fire with Jake Matthews' injury, and he was Atlanta’s lowest graded player on offense with a 24.2. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (51.5), wide receiver David Sills (51.6), wide receiver Casey Washington (52.9) and running back Tyler Allgeier (56.9) round out Atlanta’s bottom five on offense. 

Jerrell gave up four pressures, including a sack and a quarterback hit in a half of play. Penix made some mistakes in the second half, but still came in clutch on the final drive, hitting Bijan Robinson for a huge gain with pressure bearing down on him. He still had 250 passing yards, a touchdown and no turnovers down two of his top three receivers. 

Washington and Sills struggled attempting to fill in for Darnell Mooney and Ray Ray McCloud, combining for zero receptions on two targets. Surprising that Allgeier was graded so low; he had 32 yards on 10 carries and a nice 21-yard touchdown run. 

On the defensive side of the ball, the young guys struggled, after all showing out on Week 2 in their first primetime game. Interior defender Brandon Dorlus was the Falcons' lowest graded defender, receiving a 28.2 grade. Linebacker Jalon Walker (46.1), safety Xavier Watts (46.2), cornerback A.J. Terrell (49.3) and interior defender Ruke Orhorhoro (58.0) round out the bottom five for Atlanta. 

Dorlos had zero pressures and just one tackle in 16 defensive snaps. Walker forced five quarterback hurries, but was credited with two missed tackles as well as giving up receptions on 50% of his targets. Watts missed a tackle and was given a 41.0 coverage grade.

Terrell being given a 49.3 is shocking. He had two total tackles, a pressure and gave up just eight yards on the night; however, PFF gave him a 52.3 coverage grade. Orhorhoro’s grade is also confusing, as he had three total pressures and a sack. 

Other notable grades include: Kyle Pitts (60.1), Jessie Bates (61.3), Matthew Bergeron (62.5), Ryan Neuzil (69.9), Bijan Robinson (70.1), James Pearce Jr. (77.7) and David Onyemata (78.6).

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