The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-17 on Sunday at Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, with Joe Burrow throwing for 271 yards and three touchdowns in the NFL‘s first regular-season game in Spain. The win pushed Cincinnati to 6-2, while Atlanta fell to 3-6.
Burrow connected with Ja’Marr Chase for a 47-yard score in the first quarter, then took over the second quarter with a rushing touchdown and a touchdown pass to Tee Higgins as the Bengals outscored the Falcons 17-0 in the period. Michael Penix Jr. finished 20 of 31 for 162 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Atlanta, whose top performer was Bijan Robinson with 100 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries.
Takeaways From Bengals’ Win Over Falcons
Burrow and Chase controlled the middle quarters
Cincinnati scored on five of its first six possessions after the Falcons opened the game with a touchdown drive. Burrow completed 24 of 29 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, posting a 140.1 passer rating. Chase caught 10 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets, giving the Bengals a vertical threat the Falcons could not slow down.
Atlanta’s offense moved the ball but couldn’t finish
The Falcons actually out-rushed Cincinnati 157-123 and matched the Bengals with 55 total plays, but they converted just 2 of 4 red-zone chances compared to Cincinnati’s 3 of 4. Penix’s interception, thrown to Bengals linebacker Barrett Carter, came at a cost Atlanta could not afford against a team that scored on nearly every trip inside the 20.
Penalties buried Atlanta’s chances
The Falcons were flagged 12 times for 88 yards, nearly double Cincinnati’s six penalties for 43 yards. Three of Atlanta’s first downs came via penalty, a sign the Bengals were able to win plays cleanly while the Falcons needed help from the officials just to stay on schedule.
Player Of The Game: Joe Burrow
Burrow completed 24 of 29 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns, adding a 1-yard rushing score in the second quarter. He did not throw an interception and finished with a 140.1 passer rating, directing scoring drives on five of Cincinnati’s nine possessions.
Bengals Vs. Falcons By The Numbers
Cincinnati finished with 388 total yards on 55 plays, a 7.1-yard average, compared to 319 yards for Atlanta. The Bengals converted 6 of 10 third downs while the Falcons went 5 of 10. Cincinnati’s offensive line allowed two sacks for six yards lost, while Atlanta did not allow a sack at all despite Penix throwing 31 times. Turnovers were the deciding factor on the stat sheet: Atlanta committed the game’s only giveaway, Penix’s interception, while Cincinnati played a clean game with zero turnovers.
What It Means
The win keeps Cincinnati tied with Pittsburgh atop the AFC North, with both teams at 6-2 and identical .750 winning percentages, though the Steelers hold the tiebreaker edge in points allowed. The Bengals have now won consecutive high-scoring games, following their 43-36 overtime win over Tennessee. Atlanta, now 3-6, sits third in the NFC South behind Carolina and Tampa Bay, as the Falcons’ playoff path grows tighter.
What’s Next
The Bengals return from Madrid to continue AFC North play, with Cincinnati looking to build on its share of first place in the division. The Falcons head back to Atlanta looking to snap a skid that has left them three games under .500 at the midpoint of the season.
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