Highlights From Outstanding Falcons First Half Against Rams

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Falcons have enjoyed a fantastic first half of action on Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams. Their high level of play was highlighted by this fantastic interception by Jessie Bates III, which he returned 34 yards for a touchdown.

.@jlbiii3 loves a pick six in the throwbacks 😈

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— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 30, 2025

This interception marked just the first defensive touchdown for the Falcons, and it pushed their first-half lead to 14 points over the Rams. Bates, who has 27 career interceptions (tied with Kevin Byard for second most in the NFL since entering the league in 2018), has now scored one defensive touchdown in all three of his seasons that he has been in Atlanta.

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Bates is the only player in the NFL with a pick-six in each of his last three seasons and the fourth Falcon all-time to record at least that total with the franchise, per the Falcons’ Tori McElhaney.

The interception is just the sixth for quarterback Matthew Stafford this season, but Xavier Watts recorded one of his own just two drives later, pushing that total to seven.

X FACTOR

🔥 @xavierwatts6

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— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 30, 2025

Watts now has four interceptions this season, joining Deion Sanders as the only Falcons rookie with four or more as a rookie.

Bijan Robinson scored a 93-yard touchdown on the very next play, snatching a 21-0 lead and putting an exclamation point on a tremendous first half.

BIJAN ROBINSON. 93 YARDS.

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— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 30, 2025

According to 92.9 The Game’s Mike Conti, that rush is the longest in franchise history and the longest run in the NFL since 2020.

As a team, the Falcons have had an outstanding first half against the league’s best offense in the Rams. Los Angeles entered tonight’s prime time game with the league’s best scoring offense (30.5 points per game) and EPA/play, while picking up the second-most yards (393.6 yards per game).

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Atlanta held this unit to just 102 yards of total offense (26 rushing, 76 passing for the MVP front-runner), four first downs, a sack, and shut them out in the first half. The 21-point deficit is the largest deficit the Rams have faced this season.

They will look to keep their outstanding performance going in the second half of this game on Monday Night Football.