Michael Penix Jr. and a turnover-hungry Atlanta defense ended San Francisco's perfect start with a 29-20 win that snapped the Falcons' two-game skid.
The league's last unbeaten team has fallen. Atlanta beat the San Francisco 49ers 29-20, with Michael Penix Jr. throwing three touchdown passes and the Falcons defense forcing the mistakes that decided the game.
Penix found Nick Muse, Kyle Pitts and Drake London for scores, spreading the ball around as Atlanta ended a two-game losing streak. The Falcons turned four takeaways into 13 points, and that was the difference on the scoreboard.
San Francisco was already short-handed at wide receiver, and things got harder when Christian McCaffrey sat out much of the first half with a thigh injury. Brock Purdy then threw two interceptions, one of them to rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels. Daniels also recovered a George Kittle fumble, a big day for a first-year defender.
There was action across the rest of the league too. The Steelers came away with a win in Paris. Tampa Bay routed Carolina in Baker Mayfield's return, and Cleveland improved to 5-2 with a late victory over Tennessee.
