The main takeaways, moments and more that determined the outcome of Sunday's game between Falcons and Cardinals.

Terrin Waack

GLENDALE, Ariz. Cornerback C.J. Henderson secured the Atlanta Falcons' Week 16 victory against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at State Farm Stadium with a fourth-quarter interception that stopped the opposing offense from tying up the game in the final two minutes.

Final score:26-19

Why it's important:The Falcons won back-to-back games for the second time this season. It was the first time the wins were in consecutive weeks, though. Because the last time Atlanta won back-to-back games was in Weeks 4 and 6, sandwiching a Week 5 bye. Although the Falcons are eliminated from the playoffs, they want to end the season on a good note, which would include winning games they should, such as Sunday's against the Cardinals.

Key takeaway:No unit was perfect, but the Falcons put together a complete performance to defeat a rather equal team on paper. With the playoffs out of reach, stacking wins is the ultimate goal for this team, and they did that Sunday.

Key moment:The Falcons scored their second touchdown in the fourth quarter to take a two-possession lead for the first time. The defense then forced the Cardinals into their first three-and-out, which is the key moment, not the touchdown. Arizona had an incomplete pass and then a 5-yard pass on first and second downs. But on third-and-6, Falcons defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus sacked Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett for a loss of 10 yards, forcing Arizona to punt. It was the first punt of an otherwise back-and-forth scoring game or at least attempts at scoring; the Cardinals missed two field goals on their previous two possessions.

Standout performance: Bijan Robinson. The Falcons running back finished with 168 yards from scrimmage76 rushing and 92 receiving. He scored on a 13-yard reception in the second quarter. Robinson surpassed 2,000 yards from scrimmage this season with his 29-yard run in the third quarter. He is only the third player in Falcons history to do so, joining Williams Andrews, who did it in 1981 and 1983, and Jamal Anderson, who reached that mark in 1998.

Number to know:4. The number of passes the Falcons allowed Cardinals tight end Trey McBride to catch. He totaled only 27 yards. McBride led the entire NFL with 105 receptions entering Week 16. He remains the only tight end in the league with more than 1,000 yards receiving, too. The Falcons' own Kyle Pitts Sr. is No. 2 on that list.

Player milestones:

• Running back Bijan Robinson had a 41-yard reception in the second quarter, giving him four receptions of at least 40 yards this season, which is the most among all NFL running backs.
• Quarterback Kirk Cousins' 13-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter put him at 295 career passing touchdowns, which ranks 15th in NFL history.
• Tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. caught a 5-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, setting a new single-season career-high mark with five receiving touchdowns.

Injury updates:

• Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. went into the injury tent during the fourth quarter.
• The Cardinals had multiple players sustain injuries: linebacker Josh Sweat (ankle), cornerback Garrett Williams (carted off; Achilles), center Hjalte Froholdt (elbow; cleared), defensive lineman Walter Nolen III (carted off; knee) and safety Budda Baker (concussion; cleared).

A quick tweet:Tori McElhaney, Will McFadden and Terrin Waack share their gut reactions to Sunday's outcome in 280 characters or fewer.

• McElhaney: Kyle Pitts is working for that payday, and it could be a big one with the way he is playing these days. Bijan ain't too shabby, either.
• McFadden: I really wish Jake Matthews had caught that touchdown pass.
• Waack:Doppelgnger?DEFEATED. #iykyk

Setting the storylines:

• Week 16:Inactives|Practice squad elevation
• The Falcons placed wide receiver and special teamerKhaDarel Hodge on injured reserve. In turn, they signed safety Jammie Robinson.
• CornerbackCobee Bryant filled infor an injured Mike Hughes, marking the undrafted free agent's first career start.
• Defensive backDee Alford is thrivingin what he called his "redemption" season.
• Wide receiverDrake London wants to finishout the 2025 season regardless of the Falcons' playoff hopes.
• All but two of the 14NFL experts polled this weekpredicted the Falcons would beat the Cardinals.
• Catch up on all the news that came out in the lead-up to Sunday's gamehere.

Looking forward:The Falcons have a long week of preparation ahead, literally and figuratively, as the Los Angeles Rams (11-4) come to Atlanta next Monday for a Week 17 prime-time game inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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