In another thrilling divisional matchup, we held off the Atlanta Falcons for a hard-fought 42-35 victory. This game had everything—a high-octane passing display, key defensive stops when needed, and some late-game heroics. While there were some worrying trends defensively, especially against the pass, our offense continues to click, and Mayfield led the charge once again. Winning a shootout like this is never easy, but this was an important divisional game, and our ability to execute in critical moments made the difference.
Offense: Mayfield Steers the Ship
Baker Mayfield has been outstanding this season, and Week 5 was no different. He threw for 354 yards, completing 26 of 39 passes for 4 touchdowns with a 108.2 passer rating. What’s even more impressive is his ability to spread the ball around, making sure multiple receivers were involved in the game plan.
One of the standout performances came from Trey Palmer, who finished with 6 catches for 120 yards and 1 touchdown. Palmer continues to emerge as a deep threat in our passing game, and his 59-yard reception was crucial in turning the tide in our favor. Devin Culp, another rising contributor, caught 8 passes for 99 yards. The synergy between Mayfield and these younger receivers is growing stronger with each week, and it’s making our passing game dangerous.
Mike Evans showed up as usual, grabbing 7 receptions for 53 yards and 1 touchdown. His presence in the red zone was pivotal, and he continues to be a reliable target in clutch moments. Meanwhile, Chris Godwin also contributed a touchdown on 3 receptions for 38 yards, while Rachaad White added 5 catches for 31 yards in the short passing game. It’s clear that Mayfield trusts all of his weapons and has become adept at reading defenses and finding the open man.
Run Game Still Lagging Behind
One concerning aspect of this victory was our continued struggles in the run game. We only rushed for 81 yards as a team, and once again, Mayfield led the way on the ground with 9 yards on 2 scrambles. Rachaad White put in a good shift with 11 carries for 52 yards, but we struggled to get the running game going consistently, especially against a Falcons defense that did a good job bottling up running lanes.
While we’ve proven we can win through the air, a more balanced attack will be necessary as we head into the later stages of the season. Establishing the run and controlling the clock will be critical when we face tougher defenses down the stretch.
Defense: Air Raid Under Fire
We allowed 518 total yards, and most concerningly, 465 passing yards from Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr. Penix tore through our secondary, completing 21 of 41 passes for 5 touchdowns. Atlanta’s receivers made several big plays, with Drake London hauling in 8 catches for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns—an absolutely dominating performance. D.Mooney also added 6 catches for 89 yards, while Kyle Pitts and R.McCloud III each had touchdown receptions.
Our secondary struggled to keep up with their receivers, and the pass rush wasn’t able to get home enough. We recorded just 2 sacks (by T.Smith and Y.Diabiy), and while we managed to disrupt some plays, Penix consistently had time to find his targets downfield. Missed assignments and poor tackling allowed Atlanta to stretch plays and rack up yards after the catch, an issue we’ll need to address in practice this week.
While our defense gave up too many yards, there were key plays made when it mattered most. Yaya Diaby recorded 5 tackles and a sack, while Antoine Winfield Jr. was solid, adding 5 tackles and providing good coverage in critical moments. We’ll need more from our secondary if we’re going to clamp down on top-tier quarterbacks.
Special Teams: McLaughlin’s Dependability
Chase McLaughlin remained rock-solid in the kicking game, converting all 6 of his extra points. While he didn’t have a field goal attempt in this game, his consistency in converting extra points ensured we didn’t leave points on the field. Jake Camarda was called on to punt 4 times, averaging 35 yards per punt, including a long of 41 yards. Special teams didn’t have a massive role in this one, but Camarda’s directional punting helped us in terms of field position during key moments.
Key Takeaways as a Coach:
- Mayfield Continues to Shine – Baker is proving week after week that he’s the leader of this offense. His decision-making, poise, and ability to spread the ball to multiple receivers are major reasons why we’re winning these tight games.
- Palmer and Culp Step Up – Trey Palmer’s deep-ball ability and D.Culp’s possession skills are adding new dimensions to our offense. They complement veterans like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin well, and their development will be crucial moving forward.
- Defense Needs Work – There’s no way to sugarcoat it; allowing 465 passing yards is concerning. We need to improve our pass rush and tighten up our secondary if we want to stop giving up big plays. Drake London and the Falcons receivers exposed some holes, and we need to fix that quickly.
- Run Game Must Improve – While the aerial attack is clicking, the run game remains inconsistent. Rachaad White’s efforts are commendable, but we’ll need more production from the ground game to control the clock and keep our defense off the field.
- Grinding Out Wins – Winning these close games shows the team’s mental toughness, but we can’t rely on shootouts every week. We need to find balance, especially on defense, to avoid letting games come down to the final possession.
Moving Forward
This win puts us at 3-2, which keeps us in a strong position in the division, but there’s a lot of work to be done. Our offense is elite, but the defensive lapses are a cause for concern. Heading into Week 6, we’ll focus on shoring up the secondary and getting more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. We’re in a great position, but we need to stay sharp and keep improving if we want to make a deep run in the playoffs.
