New York
Giants
11-6
35
FINAL
56
Atlanta
Falcons
12-5
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Wildcard Round matchup, the Atlanta Falcons outlasted the New York Giants with a decisive 56-35 victory, securing their spot in the next round of the playoffs. The stakes were high, with both teams vying for a chance to advance further in the 2026 season, but it was the Falcons who rose to the occasion.
Atlanta's offense was electric, led by quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who threw for four touchdowns and kept the Giants' defense on their heels. Jaxson Dart of the Giants put up impressive numbers with 353 passing yards, while Cam Skattebo added a solid 116 rushing yards. Malik Nabers was a standout receiver for New York, racking up 148 receiving yards, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Falcons' firepower.
Defensively, the Falcons made crucial plays that shifted the momentum of the game. Jalon Walker recorded two sacks, putting pressure on Dart throughout the contest, while Sydney Brown's two interceptions proved pivotal in thwarting any Giants comeback attempts. The turning point came when Brown's second pick led to a quick touchdown, giving Atlanta a commanding lead that they would not relinquish.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaxson Dart | QB | 24 | 11 | 46% | 353 | 2 | 3 | 80.5 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 29 | 18 | 62% | 299 | 4 | 3 | 96.7 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cam Skattebo | HB | 11 | 116 | 10.5 | 55 | 1 | 45 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 12 | 101 | 8.4 | 43 | 2 | 72 | 0 |
| Jaxson Dart | QB | 3 | 10 | 3.3 | — | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Tyrone Tracy Jr | HB | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | — | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Darius Slayton | WR | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | — | 1 | 4 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Nabers | WR | 4 | 148 | 37.0 | 72 | 1 | 73 | 0 |
| Isaiah Likely | TE | 4 | 102 | 25.5 | 62 | 0 | 57 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 2 | 97 | 48.5 | 14 | 1 | 57 | 0 |
| Drake London | WR | 5 | 96 | 19.2 | 30 | 2 | 47 | 0 |
| Darius Slayton | WR | 1 | 75 | 75.0 | 47 | 1 | 75 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 6 | 45 | 7.5 | 41 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 4 | 44 | 11.0 | 31 | 1 | 23 | 0 |
| Tyrone Tracy Jr | HB | 2 | 28 | 14.0 | 23 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Jahan Dotson | WR | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 12 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Brown | SS | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jevon Holland | FS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jalon Walker | LEDG | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Harris | SAM | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Paulson Adebo | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Arvell Reese | WILL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pearce Jr | REDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Troy Andersen | MIKE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Da'Shawn Hand | DT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Billy Bowman Jr | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Colton Hood | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tyler Nubin | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Jessie Bates III | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A.J. Terrell Jr | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Watts | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jason Pinnock | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.J. Reader | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zach Harrison | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kayvon Thibodeaux | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brian Burns | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Channing Tindall | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Avieon Terrell | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deonte Banks | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Divine Deablo | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Sauls | K | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Nick Folk | K | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Jordan Stout | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

