Marcus Reyes: "Washington gave it away 4 times; Atlanta turned those into points. A team down 28 doesn't get there by doing anything right, but a team that forces 4 turnovers doesn't need to do much of anything else." Ethan Price: "Daniels threw 4 interceptions and still managed 60 yards on the ground—Washington's only competent half was the running game, which tells you everything about how thoroughly they've been broken at the skill positions."

Commanders had no answer. Falcons took it 35-7. Bijan Robinson did the work on the ground for Falcons — 7 carries, 114 yards, 1 TD. Jayden Daniels did the work on the ground for Commanders — 7 carries, 60 yards, 1 TD — in a losing effort. Jayden Daniels's high-water mark for the year. Total yards: Falcons 279, Commanders 214.

14 points between them. Falcons had the ones that mattered. Ty Okada was the problem for Falcons — 2 sacks. Jahmyr Gibbs carried the load for Lions — 8 carries, 79 yards — in a losing effort. 5 in the league in passing yards, at 77 overall. Marcel Reed is not supposed to be doing this. Total yards: Falcons 192, Lions 129.

Elise Carter: "New Orleans came apart at the seams—5 turnovers against a team that was going to punish them anyway—and Atlanta reminded everyone why they're the 1 seed, with Dalton throwing 5 touchdown passes in an afternoon most backups dream about."

Atlanta dismantled New Orleans 56-13 in Week 17, a 43-point rout that belonged entirely to the Falcons' offense. Andy Dalton threw 5 touchdown passes on 10 of 16 completions for 327 yards, while Bijan Robinson ran for 159 yards and 2 scores and Zachariah Branch caught 4 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown—a trio that made the Saints' defense look helpless. The Falcons dominated in total yardage 524 to 293 and turned the ball over zero times while New Orleans coughed it up 5 times, a disparity that tells the whole story. Atlanta moves to 12-4, New Orleans falls to 10-6, and nobody watching will forget what happens when one team has everything working and the other has nothing.

Jordan Hayes: "Tampa Bay managed only 30 rushing yards against Atlanta's defense, and when you can't establish anything on the ground, you're asking your passing game to do too much — the Bucs need to find a way to move the ball downhill or they won't compete with anyone." Daniel Keller: "Baker Mayfield went 16-for-33 for 217 yards and a touchdown in a 23-point loss — efficient enough to not embarrass himself, just not enough to matter when the guy across from him in 22-for-37 with 255 and 3 is running an offense that actually moves."

Buccaneers had no answer. Falcons took it 33-10. Andy Dalton did the damage for Falcons — 22/37, 255 yards, 3 TD. Baker Mayfield did the damage for Buccaneers — 16/33, 217 yards, 1 TD — in a losing effort. Sydney Brown is in form — 0 sacks a game over his last three, against a season average of 0. Total yards: Falcons 428, Buccaneers 247.

Jaylen Rivers: "Detroit had no answer for Atlanta's pace—Dalton threw 4 touchdowns and the Falcons scored 45, and even an 11-win team couldn't keep up with that kind of efficiency."