For the Atlanta Falcons, the ending couldn’t have been more fitting.
With two minutes remaining in their Sunday Week 9 game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid, Spain, the lights went out.
Like, all the lights.
Playing at the home stadium of world football powerhouse Real Madrid, the Falcons and Bengals apparently went past the timer of how long they thought the game would go.
The Falcons lost 34-17, and the lights dimmed on their season in the process.
What Happened to Lights?
While it’s not clear why the lights went out, it was very obvious that it happened.
Joe Burrow was under center and had just taken the snap to hand off to running back Semaje Perine, and the whole building went dark.
Perine appeared to take the carry for six-plus yards, which was going to get a first down.
Only some small light fixtures looked like they remained on in the stadium, and after just a few seconds, the hosts got the lights back on.
The officials ruled that the down needed to be replayed — it wasn’t a problem for Perine, who ran further on the next play for a first down before sliding down to allow the Bengals to kneel out the rest of the clock.
Falcons’ Loss Not Impacted By Lights
The Falcons were already going to lose this game before the lights went out.
Ja’Marr Chase crushed them in the first half, and that was ironic simply because in the 2021 NFL Draft, Chase was the No. 5 overall pick — and the Falcons had drafted TE Kyle Pitts at No. 4 overall, right before him.
Chase’s running mate, Tee Higgins, got rolling in the second half. The Bengals are tough to stop when they’re working like that.
Meanwhile, after a strong opening quarter for Bijan Robinson, he was slowed by the Bengals in the middle 30 minutes of the game, and Atlanta’s offense couldn’t move the ball enough through the air.
It was more or less over when Nick Folk yanked a 38-yard field goal wide left in the second half. He had made 107 consecutive field goals of 40 yards or less, but that streak ended.
The Falcons have now fallen to 3-6. In the NFC South Division, you’re really never out of it.
But on this day, the lights shut down. The Falcons weren’t good enough. They couldn’t keep up with Burrow. And in this case, it didn’t matter for Atlanta whether the lights were shining bright or not shining at all — the Falcons lost, again, and their season is slowly getting dimmer.
Lights Go Out on Falcons-Bengals in Spain