By Don Stone - Football Atlanta
It was the penultimate regular season game at the Georgia Dome
with the Falcons looking to hold onto its first place grip in the NFC South
and move toward a playoff berth.
They were tied with Tampa Bay at 7-5 with Atlanta holding the tie
breaker.
Another item on their minds had to be a bit of retribution for the
embarrassing 17-16 loss last year in San Francisco, a game they were heavily
favored to win.
But this is a different 49ers team with a whole new coaching staff.
They entered the game with just one win on opening day to an equally bad Los
Angeles Rams team.
The 49ers got the ball first at their 23 and went three and out.
Eric Weems took the 57 yard punt and brought it out 47 yards to the
SF47.
Devonta Freeman got things started with an 8 yard rush to
the 39. Mohamed Sanu, who missed last week’s game was back in and
caught an 18 yarder to the 21. Freeman added 8 more to the 13. LB Nick
Bellore sustained an elbow injury and was out for the game.
LB Eli Harald sacked Matt Ryan to make it third and
two from the 13. But, a short toss to TE Joshua Perkins made it first
and goal at the five. Freeman got the rest running straight ahead untouched
for a 7-0 lead. Six plays 47 yards in just 2:57.
JaCorey Shepherd returned the favor and brought the kick
back 41 yards to their 45. Colin Kaepernick scrambled for four before
Deion Jones forced a Carlos Hyde fumble at midfield, recovered
by Keanu Neal.
Atlanta again began a drive with half a field to go. Taylor Gabriel
was sitting open up the middle for a 20 yard catch. Another 20 followed
on the ground with Tevin Coleman rushing to the 9. Ryan hit Gabriel
running right to left across the back of the end zone to put his team up
14-0.
San Francisco’s third drive began at their 13 and went nowhere with
Atlanta getting the ball back again in great field position at their 45. A
pair of handoffs to Freeman got fourteen to the SF41. Sanu brought one down
for 16 to the 27. A nice catch by the underused Aldrick Robinson got
another first down at the 16. On a third and three at the 9, Ryan called his
team’s first time out. Kyle Shanahan called a short toss to Freeman
that worked to make it first and goal at the one. A false start on tackle
Tom Compton pushed it back to the six. Dan Quinn opted to go for
it on fourth and goal from the nine. A good call as Ryan hit tight end
Austin Hooper in the right corner of the end zone for a three score 21-0
lead. That set a new franchise record of 448 points set by their Super Bowl
team in 1998.
The 49ers got their second first down with a 12 yard catch at the
WR Quinton Patton at the 37 ending the first quarter. Patton
sustained a foot injury out for the game. It was also announced that Gabriel
had a shoulder injury with his return questionable. Kaepernick bought some
time and hit Blake Bell 45 yards downfield to the 22. The tight end
needed help walking off the field after the play with a shoulder injury, his
return questionable. Chris Harper made a six yard catch to the 14. On
the next play, the QB found another tight end, Garrett Celek
sprinting up the middle for their first points, 21-7. The drive went 75
yards in just 2:55 on six plays.
On the first play Robinson caught a pass for 10 yards and turned it into a
59 yard gain to the SF11. A pair of Freeman carries brought up a first and
goal at the one. Freeman fumbled at the goal line recovered by the 49ers.
It was suggested on a few talk shows that, if Atlanta got off to a
big start, that San Francisco would pack it in. Apparently, so far, there
was no rolling over.
Kaepernick got some breathing room with connecting with Harper for
8. Hyde got them even more with a 17 yard carry followed by 12 more to the
38. De’Vondre Campbell had to be walked off the field on the play.
The rookie was out for the game with a possible concussion. The drive
stalled at the 37 as the QB was run out of bounds by Vic Beasley
Weems 51 yard return to the SF39 was nullified by a holding call
giving them their worst starting field position at their 6. Another injury,
this one to the shoulder to DB Jimmy Ward, with his return in doubt.
An encroachment penalty put the ball at the 12 allowing Sanu to
make an easy first down catch at the 22. Robinson caught a 20 yard pass to
the 42 followed by a 29 yard Coleman run to the 18 with Freeman getting the
rest of two carries. Atlanta back up by 21, 28-7. 94 yards in just six plays
in 3:32.
Already missing WR Torrey Smith, Kaepernick had to continue
without receivers Patton and Bell. Aaron Burbridge caught a short
pass up the middle for 14 yards to the SF 38. Nothing on the next two plays
for a third and 8 at the two minute warning on the 40. Harper caught enough
for a first down to the Atl48. The clock ticked to just over a minute as the
QB handed off to Hyde who got another first at the 35. Chip Kelly
took his second time out at 0:55.
Je’Ron Hamm caught a pair for 13 yards to the 22 when an
unnecessary roughness call on Paul Worrilow moved it to the 11 with
28 seconds to go. After Hyde caught a six yard pass, Kelly took his final
time out. Rod Streater completed the impressive drive with a five
yard TD catch with Phil Dawson missing the extra point. Halftime
score was Atlanta 28, San Francisco 13.
First half stats had Atlanta leading in net yards 319 to 187.
The Falcons started the second half at their 25 with Freeman
getting 8 in the air and six on the ground to the SF48. Coleman got seven to
the 42 with an off sides call giving Atlanta a first down at the 37. A
Coleman fumble was fallen on by T Ryan Schraeder for a 12 yard loss.
Atlanta had to punt with Jeremy Kerley fair catching at the seven.
The defense stopped them on another three and out with Weems fair
catching the punt at the Atl43. Ryan scrambled them hit Robinson for 21
yards into 49er territory at the 38. And that was all they could get Matt
Bryant connecting from 50 yards for a 31-13 lead.
The Niners would try to continue their late first half success
starting at their 25. Hyde got 14 on two carries for a first down at the 39.
Ra’Shede Hageman tripped up Kaepernick in the backfield for a sack.
But on the next play, the QB broke free for 17 but not enough to make up for
the lost yards. Atlanta took over after the 34 yard punt went out of bounds
at the 23.
Atlanta’s offense had slowed since their first quarter 21-0 lead
actually being outscored 13-10 since. A lot of that due to penalties and
turnovers. The speedy Gabriel caught a screen pass to the left and squirted
31 yards to the SF45. An illegal use of hands by Rashard Robinson
moved it to the 34. Coleman found an opening and got all of the 34 yards for
a 38-13 lead.
Another three and out for the 49ers’ offense as Atlanta took over at their
20 taking a 25 point lead into the final quarter. Normally a good quarter
for the Falcons, this was no different as they outscored the Niners 10-0
outgaining them 130-29.
Four injury updates were announced for San Francisco. Center Marcus
Martin out for the game with an ankle injury and shoulder injuries taking
out DL Glenn Dorsey, TE Bell and DB Jimmie Ward.
Moving to his right, Ryan hit an open Levine Toilolo for 30
to the SF37. But Matt Bosher had to punt with the fair catch made at the 13.
Hyde again got his team from the shadow of its goal line with a 12
yard carry to the 24.
Kaepernick converted again with a 15 yard toss to Burbridge to
their 45. Brian Poole got a sack to make it third and 10 with 7:08 left. A
short pass was not enough with Weems fair catching at the 9.
With the game in hand, Matt Schaub took over at QB.
Terron Ward took his turn at RB and broke free for 45 to the SF46.
Austin Hooper came off the field for the rest of the game with a knee
injury. On a third and seven, Shaub threw his first pass, completing to
Justin Hardy for 16 yards to the 27 with 3:36 to go.
It was third and 8 at the two minute warning with the ball on the
25. A short gain by Ward and Quinn let the clock tick down to 1:13 before
calling his first time out. That brought in Bryant who put it through from
41 for a 41-13 lead. Except for a nothing final minute attempt by San
Francisco, the game was over.
Freeman finished with 139 yards rushing including three TDs. The
560 points Atlanta has scored is the most by any NFC team and is just 46 shy
of the NFL record set by the 2013 Broncos.
Atlanta had improved to 9-5 and, with a loss later in the night by
the Buccaneers to the Cowboys, moved a game ahead with two remaining. A
short week with Christmas coming has the Falcons heading to Carolina, who,
is virtually eliminated.
“I think it’s great how the league has it set up for us to finish
with division games,” said Quinn after the game. He said that Campbell is
undergoing the concussion protocol and will be reevaluated Wednesday. “Good
news for Hooper,” he said, “so it’s not a long term situation for him.”
Now it becomes a wait and watch scenario seeing if they can get a
home playoff game and even a first round bye.
|