Falcons’ Defense Faces Tough Test Against Burrow’s Bengals

WHO:

atlantafalcons.com - Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said his weekly meetings with James Pearce Jr. over the previous month were “eye-opening” and that he had gained “an appreciation for him as a man.”

bengals.com - British sports radio station talkSPORT’s Will Varney said Burrow was a “massive name” in Europe and that some people were coming to the game because of the Bengals and Burrow.

bengals.com - Bengals center Ted Karras took the locker previously used by Spanish soccer player Lamine Yamal; Tee Higgins praised Real Madrid player Kylian Mbappé.

atlantafalcons.com - Falcons wide receiver Drake London said the team was “as intentional as can be” in reviewing its performance and trying to improve.

atlantafalcons.com - The Falcons nominated former running back Jerious Norwood for the NFL Salute to Service Award.

Heavy NFL - Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said his team has the “capability” to win the Super Bowl but “right now we aren’t there.”

atlantafalcons.com - Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich praised Burrow’s accuracy, touch, timing, and ability to identify where the ball should go against coverage.

atlantafalcons.com - Falcons defensive players discussed include Billy Bowman Jr., Divine Deablo, rookie Kendal Daniels, Samson Ebukam, and James Pearce Jr.; head coach Kevin Stefanski said Pearce was in good football shape before a back issue flared up.

bengals.com - Burrow said the Bengals’ success comes from strong players and coaches, improved offensive-line protection, and young players getting better. He said the offensive line is playing its best since he joined the team.

bengals.com - Bengals offensive players mentioned include wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, tight end Mike Gesicki, and center Ted Karras.

WHAT:

bengals.com - Burrow said he had followed international sports and Real Madrid for a long time, watched Barcelona play Real Madrid, and played both teams in FIFA as a child.

bengals.com - Burrow said he took part in the NFL’s flag football initiative the previous spring and played in the final Pro Bowl after the prior season.

bengals.com - Burrow said he expected to go largely unrecognized abroad, but found that recognition was “a little more than that”; he said being abroad let him “feel like a normal person for a little bit.”

atlantafalcons.com - Pearce was permitted during his suspension to do individual work with the strength and conditioning staff and attend meetings with Ulbrich and position coaches.

bengals.com - Burrow said, “I love throwing the ball outside the numbers to the sideline.”

bengals.com - Burrow said he played piano, built Legos, played chess, and liked art and music.

bengals.com - Javier Carasco estimated that about 10% of the 83,000 people at the stadium would be watching an American football game for the first time; Pablo Escudero estimated 90–95% had previously seen a game on television or in person.

atlantafalcons.com - Brian Robinson Jr. was ruled out for the Falcons’ game.

Heavy NFL - Cincinnati is 5-2 and has won three consecutive games; its matchup is against the 3-5 Atlanta Falcons.

atlantafalcons.com - Cincinnati scored at least 30 points in each of its three games since Week 5. The Falcons have also faced Chicago and are scheduled to face Kansas City next week.

bengals.com - Burrow threw for 462 yards and five touchdowns against Tennessee and entered the matchup leading the NFL with 20 touchdown passes, a Bengals record for the first seven games of a season.

bengals.com - The Bengals have averaged 36.3 points per game during their three-game winning streak and 29.4 points per game overall. Their 52.9% third-down conversion rate is the highest since the 2011 New Orleans Saints.

atlantafalcons.com - Bowman returns after a hamstring injury. Deablo is questionable while recovering from a forearm injury; Daniels has taken the defensive “green dot” during Deablo’s absence.

atlantafalcons.com - Atlanta placed Ebukam on injured reserve after a hamstring injury aggravated against Tampa Bay. Pearce, who led the team with 10.5 sacks last season, could return from an eight-game suspension but was limited by a back issue.

WHERE:

bengals.com - Burrow visited Madrid’s Museo del Prado on Wednesday.

Heavy NFL - The Bengals-Falcons game is being played at Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.

bengals.com - Burrow spoke at La Ciudad del Futbol in Spain; he said he visited the Museo del Prado.

WHEN:

bengals.com - Bengals practice in Madrid and Burrow’s greeting with Real Madrid members took place Friday, November 6, 2026.

Heavy NFL - The Bengals-Falcons game is set for Sunday; the Bengals’ next trade deadline is Tuesday.

bengals.com - The game’s listed kickoff is 9:30 a.m. Cincinnati time.

WHY:

atlantafalcons.com - Norwood said his volunteer work with veterans honored service members and their families, adding, “Without those guys and without those ladies, as a former player, I wouldn't have been able to play the game.”

atlantafalcons.com - Ulbrich said Atlanta’s defense must play closer to its potential to contain Cincinnati’s offense.

bengals.com - Burrow said he wants to showcase the NFL abroad and help grow the sport.

HOW:

atlantafalcons.com - Pearce was expected to begin in a pass-rush role on a pitch count, with playing time potentially adjusted based on his performance.

Joe Burrow leads Cincinnati into Madrid against Atlanta, with the Bengals riding three straight wins. Burrow says Cincinnati can win the Super Bowl, but must keep improving across the team. He leads the NFL with twenty touchdown passes, while Atlanta works to contain the Bengals’ offense.