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Statement in the Benz: Falcons Upset the 49ers 29-20

Published

11 hours ago

October 25, 2026

For a quarter and a half on Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons looked like they were headed for a long afternoon. Then Michael Penix Jr. and the defense took the game over, and Atlanta finished off a 29-20 upset of the San Francisco 49ers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

San Francisco struck first behind Christian McCaffrey, who finished the opening drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. When McCaffrey limped off with a thigh injury in the second quarter, rookie Kaelon Black stepped in and broke a 30-yard touchdown run for a 14-3 lead. McCaffrey later returned after halftime, but the momentum had already started to turn.

Penix answered with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tanner Muse, and Nick Folk’s 33-yard field goal on the final play of the half cut the margin to 14-12. Atlanta took the lead for good on the opening drive of the third quarter, Penix rolling out to find Kyle Pitts for a 5-yard touchdown and a 19-14 edge. Jessie Bates protected it with a diving interception that killed a San Francisco scoring threat.

Penix struck again on the first play of the fourth quarter, hitting Drake London for a 21-yard touchdown to cap an 11-play, 90-yard drive and make it 26-14. San Francisco’s comeback chances kept dying on their own mistakes — two apparent touchdown passes were overturned on review, Za’Darius Smith sacked Brock Purdy on a fourth down, and four defensive penalties handed Atlanta first downs.

The 49ers finally closed to 26-20 on Purdy’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Juszczyk with 5:11 left, and a shanked Atlanta punt handed them the ball at their own 47 with 4:02 to play. One drive from stealing it, Purdy threw his second interception of the half — linebacker Kendal Daniels snagged it and returned it to the San Francisco 19. Folk’s 31-yard field goal with 2:00 left sealed the upset.

It is the kind of win that changes how a season feels: three touchdown passes from Penix, two takeaways from the defense, and a ranked visitor sent home from the Benz with a loss.

We Speak NFL

Smith-Njigba, Wilson Lead Seahawks Past Chiefs 20-3 on Sunday Night, Handing Kansas City Its First Loss

Published

3 hours ago

October 26, 2026

We Speak Media

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) scores a touchdown in front of Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Mansoor Delane (5) during the first half at Lumen Field in Seattle on Oct. 25, 2026. (Lindsey Wasson/AP)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught nine passes for 150 yards and a touchdown and Emanuel Wilson rushed for 100 yards and a score as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20-3 on Sunday night at Lumen Field, handing Kansas City its first loss of the season.

Sam Darnold completed 20 of 28 passes for 257 yards with one touchdown and one interception for Seattle (4-3), which snapped a two-game skid and outgained Kansas City 410-213. The Seahawks converted 11 of 16 third downs, while the Chiefs managed just 3 of 11 and never reached the red zone.

After a scoreless first quarter, Seattle opened the scoring on Jason Myers’ 25-yard field goal with 8:22 left in the second quarter, set up by a 33-yard Darnold completion to Smith-Njigba. On Kansas City’s next series, safety Ty Okada intercepted a Patrick Mahomes pass intended for Jalen Royals, and Darnold finished the ensuing drive with a 28-yard touchdown strike to Smith-Njigba down the left sideline with 1:44 left in the half. Smith-Njigba was originally ruled out of bounds inside the 1, but a video review determined the ball had crossed the goal line, giving Seattle a 10-0 lead.

Seattle threatened again in the closing seconds of the half, reaching the Kansas City 2, but cornerback Nohl Williams intercepted Darnold in the back of the end zone and returned it 64 yards. Harrison Butker’s 58-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the half fell short, leaving the score 10-0.

Myers added a 35-yard field goal on Seattle’s opening drive of the second half to make it 13-0. Kansas City’s lone score came on Butker’s 50-yard field goal with 1:42 left in the third quarter. Early in the fourth, Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for 19 yards to move into scoring range, but Butker missed a 45-yard attempt wide right. Seattle put the game away on Wilson’s 21-yard touchdown run around the left end with 3:47 remaining, capping a nine-play, 65-yard drive. Wilson finished with 24 carries.

Mahomes was 19 of 33 passing for 165 yards with an interception for the Chiefs (5-1), who played without wide receiver Rashee Rice. It was a quiet homecoming for running back Kenneth Walker III, the Super Bowl LX MVP for Seattle last season before signing with Kansas City. Walker, who entered the night as the NFL rushing leader averaging 133 yards per game, was limited to 36 yards on 14 carries. Kelce’s four catches for 44 yards gave him 1,104 receptions for his career, moving him past Marvin Harrison and Cris Carter into fifth place in NFL history.

Kansas City visits the Denver Broncos next Sunday in a matchup for the AFC West lead. Seattle hosts the Chicago Bears on Monday, Nov. 2.