Falcons vs Bengals preview: Who wins the battle of Madrid?
By Andy Davies
The Atlanta Falcons take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid tomorrow, as the two teams face off at the iconic Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
Their Week Nine clash will be just the second regular season game in history to take place in the Spanish capital, 357 days after the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders took to the field.
Whilst the Jayden Daniels injury put a dampener on the neutral fan excitement, NFL fans in the Bernabéu were treated to overtime. This year, those in attendance are going to see a game glittered with offensive talent.
Whilst the Falcons have Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts, the Bengals have Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
It is also an important day for the NFL standings. The Falcons may have a 3-5 record, but so do the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their division. A win tomorrow could see them end Week Nine top of the NFC South.
Meanwhile, the Bengals currently boast a 5-3 record and are just one win behind the Pittsburgh Steelers the AFC North, with the Browns on the same record. A victory in Madrid for Zac Taylor’s side could see them end the weekend as high as first place or as low as third place in the division.
With plenty at stake for both teams at the NFL’s official halfway stage in 2026, here is a preview of their upcoming matchup in Madrid.
Which Michael Penix will show up in Madrid?
No Atlanta player represents their 3-5 record more than quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
The eighth overall pick from 2024 has had a very up and down NFL career, whether this has been down to form or injuries. This season has been no different.
The first two weeks looked rough for the Falcons without Penix. Cooper Rush and Jack Strand struggled as they lost 20-13 to the Steelers and 34-3 to the Panthers.
Penix returned to the field and guided them to a Thursday Night Football 35-14 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The team then won 45-24 against the New Orleans Saints. An overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens was to follow, but Penix was not on the field in the extra quarter.
Two losses with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in each game were arguably the best performances from Penix this season, going 1-1 in this period. However, he then followed this up with a zero touchdown and four interception performance as they lost 16-0 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who did not record a single completed pass.
Penix can be good one week and in another, he can struggle on the field. He has yet to find consistency on the field, in a career where he is yet to record double-digit touchdowns in a season. He will need to find this soon, in an aforementioned NFC South that is there for the taking. If he plays like he did against the Buccaneers, then this Falcons team should be considered heavy underdogs. Should he perform like he did against the Packers or San Francisco 49ers, then they will have a chance. Being able to work alongside such great offensive weapons will give him the opportunity to cause problems for Cincinnati’s defense.
Will the Bengals defense be more frugal in Madrid?
Cincinnati rank seventh in the NFL this season for yards allowed per game, fourth for passing yards recorded and the seventh most points scored.
Burrow leads the league in passing touchdowns and is fourth for passing yards. Only Jaxon Smith-Njigba has more passing yards than Tee Higgins. Both Chase and tight end Mike Gesicki are tied for second the league for receiving touchdowns.
Despite all of this, the defense cannot stop allowing points. Whilst just six teams have allowed less points, they have also conceded 24 points or more in four of their seven games.
The Bengals allowed 36 points in an overtime win over the Tennessee Titans in Week Eight, who have just one win so far. They will need their defense to be more frugal when facing playoff chasing teams.
The offense that the Falcons boast can be dangerous on their day. They’ll look to take inspiration from the Buccaneers after their shutout win against Atlanta, albeit in testing rainy conditions.
Defensive end Dexter Lawrence is the main threat to the Falcons offense but did not participate on Friday’s practice. Safety Jordan Battle is tied for second in the league for interceptions and can neutralise the threat of London and Pitts but is one of several players on their defense that are questionable for the game.
Cornerback DJ Turner and defensive end Cedric Johnson were all listed as limited earlier this week before being full participants on Friday. Safety Kule Duggar has been ruled out, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen had limited participation, and Cashius Howell is on injury reserve.
This brings doubt as to whether the Bengals can withdraw the Falcons’ offensive threat, but we have also seen their opponents struggle on the offensive side of the ball.
Prediction
In conclusion, the Bengals defense needs to up their game as they head to an important period down the stretch. They have the talent at their disposal to spook Penix tomorrow, but the Falcons have also won their three games in suitable conditions.
This includes a non-winter clash at Lambeau, a dome in New Orleans and the warm west coast atmosphere in San Francisco. The roof will be closed for the game at the Bernabéu, giving Atlanta an atmosphere more reminiscent of their home field in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Bengals should still have enough, but it is likely to be a closer contest then their recent form suggests.
Prediction: Bengals win by 10
ANDY DAVIES
NFL ANALYST
ANDY IS A SPORTS JOURNALISM GRADUATE WITH OVER SIX YEARS EXPERIENCE OF NFL WRITING AND PODCASTING. ANDY HAS BEEN TO EVERY NFL STADIUM AND IS THE HOST OF THE ACROSS THE POD PODCAST. HE HAS PRESS PASS EXPERIENCE AT THE LONDON GAMES AND MANY OTHER NFL BASED EVENTS SUCH AS SUPER BOWL LIX AND LX, HAVING INTERVIEWED THE LIKES OF AARON RODGERS, JUSTIN JEFFERSON, JASON BELL, OSI UMENYIORA, PATRICK MAHOMES, TRAVIS KELCE, DERRICK HENRY, SAQUON BARKLEY AND JALEN HURTS.
