Bills Central

Mistake on game's first snap puts Bills in early hole vs. Falcons in Atlanta

Buffalo Bills' defensive end Greg Rousseau lined up offside to negate a Falcons' fumble on the game's first play in Atlanta.

Richie Whitt

Bills' DT Ed Oliver
Bills' DT Ed Oliver / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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In the wake of an uncharacteristically sloppy game last week, the Buffalo Bills were committed all week to cleaning things up. Oops.

On the first snap of their Monday Night Football visit to the Atlanta Falcons, the Bills negated a forced fumble with a defensive penalty and ultimately gave up a touchdown drive.

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The Falcons started the game with hand-off to star running back Bijan Robinson to the left. After a three-yard gain he was tackled by linebackers Shaq Thompson and Dorian Williams. The sandwich tackle dislodged the ball and it bounded downfield where cornerback Christian Benford fell on it at Atlanta's 46-yard line.

Greg Rousseau (50)
Sep 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau (50) after the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium / Robert Deutsch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

But instead a turnover in plus-territory, the play was wiped up by defensive end Greg Rousseau lining up offside. After a couple of completions from quarterback Michael Penix to receiver Drake London, backup running back Tyler Allgeier scored on a 21-yard run in which he steamrolled Bills' safety Taylor Rapp at the goal line.

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The Bills overcame another penalty — offensive holding — to score a touchdown on their first drive to tie the score at 7-7 midway through the first quarter.

The Bills' run defense figured to get a boost from the return of Ed Oliver, but so far no such luck.

Falcons' RB Bijan Robinson
Falcons' RB Bijan Robinson / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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Richie Whitt
RICHIE WHITT

Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.