By Don Stone - Football Atlanta
If the Falcons win this game
against the Oakland Raiders today at the Georgia Dome, they should
officially be crowned AFC Western Division Champions. On September 9, they
opened the season on the road with a convincing 40-24 win at Kansas City.
They returned home for a high profile Monday Night Football game against
Peyton Manning
and the Denver Broncos. Again, they came out on top 27-21. They stayed in
the division for game three by traveling on short rest to San Diego and
throttled Phillip Rivers and the
Chargers 27-3. After two more wins in the NFC against Carolina and
Washington, they now host the last remaining team that they have not faced
from the AFC West.
Its actually not totally unfamiliar territory. Up until ten years
ago, Atlanta was for some reason in the NFC West.
The Raiders have had a disappointing season despite a game three
34-31 win against the Steelers. Apart from that, they are winless with a
loss at home to San Diego and bad road losses at Miami (35-13) and Denver
(37-6). To their advantage, they have had a bye week to help prepare for the
game in Atlanta.
Falcons head coach Mike Smith
is 6-1 against teams from that division. Atlanta enters the contest with a
5-0 record for the first time in franchise history. Although, to be honest,
it has taken great come from behind efforts the last two weeks to achieve
that.
The game started unevenly for Atlanta. First Matt Ryan
hit Julio Jones for a 27 yard pass.
Next, a handoff to Michael Turner for
another nine yards into Oakland territory. But all of that success came to a
screeching halt with Joselio Hanson
picked off a pass intended for Harry Douglas
and ran it back 21 yards. The Raiders were moving the ball but shot
themselves in the foot with a pair of bad plays. A long run was nullified
with a holding penalty. On the next play, DT Jonathan Babineaux
forced a fumble with CB Robert McClain
running it back 13 yards. Atlanta had to settle for a field goal but had a
surprise when Matt Bryant missed his
first attempt in ten tries this season from 43 yards.
On the next drive, Carson Palmer
had the Raiders moving again when he hit WR Rod Streater
for 18 yards on third and 12 from the 44. Again, Oakland couldn't handle a
little success as their drive was stalled as Palmer was sacked by
John Abraham.
To start the next drive, Ryan hit Roddy White
for a long 26 yard reception with 15 more tacked on for roughing the passer.
Again, though, Ryan was intercepted by safety Michael Huff
at the two yard line on a pass to the end
zone intended for Jones.
Palmer immediately took a page from Ryan's playbook with a 49 yard
bomb to WR Denarius Moore to Atlanta's
49. The drive continued as Darrius Heyward-Bey
broke several tackles for 20 yards taking it
to the Atlanta 23. Another penalty forced a field goal. But, Oakland made
theirs as Sebastian Janikowski
connected for 52 yards. The Raiders lead 3-0 going into the second quarter.
But, its hard to put points on the board when you keep throwing the
all to the other team. The Falcons were fortunate to only be down by three
due. If not for the numerous miscues by the Raiders (5 penalties for 50
yards), it would have been much worse. Oakland held the ball 10:17 vs
Atlanta's 4:43.
Atlanta finally put a consistent drive together 10 plays and 80
yards in 5:33 built on steady large chunks of yards...nine yards plays to
White and Turner; Jones for ten, eight by Douglas, 14 more to White, 19 more
to Jones, culminating in a touchdown pass to White. Falcons were on top 7-3.
It was the Raiders' turn to run off a string of big plays as
Darren McFadden rushed for 14 to start the
drive at the 20. A missed tackle by Dunta Robinson
gave them 12 more on a pass to TE
David Ausberry. Seven more followed by
Streaker. But, the pattern of mistakes continued as a long was nullified by
a holding penalty moving the Raiders back to their 44. It didn't hurt when
RB Mike Goodson was wide open on the
left side and weaved his way 37 yards down to the Atlanta 19. Palmer reached
Moore for another 11 down to the 8. McFadden bruised his way for seven more
and had the Raiders at the one. But the defense held with Janikowski giving
Oakland just three bring the Atlanta lead to 7-6.
The next time the Falcons had the ball, the Raider defense stepped
up, first sacking Ryan, then forcing a bad throw that was picked off giving
Oakland the ball on Atlanta's 28. Their offense was just as effective. On
the next play, Carson had plenty of time and hit Moore who tossed several
attempted tacklers aside on his way for a 17 yard TD. The Raiders had the
lead back 13-7.
An offensive pass interference call against the Falcons sabotaged
their final drive of the half as they had to punt with 54 second on the
clock.
At the half, Atlanta had closed the time of possession gap, but
still trailed 12:30-12:30, a reflection of the three turnovers. But Oakland
also led in net yards 213-165.
The Raiders' and Falcons' opening drives both went nowhere to start
the second half. After a 54 yard punt, Oakland had another holding penalty
on their return backing them up to their own 10. Palmer was at it again
hitting WR Derek Hagan for 21 yards to
the 40. That was all they could get Atlanta took their turn to catch up.
Another holding penalty on Oakland moved the start of the drive up to the
30.
Douglas grabbed a deflection off a Raider helmet as he laid on the
turf for a 20 yard gain into enemy territory. No more could be had by the
offense. This time Bryant put it through the uprights from 41 yards to bring
the Falcons to within 3.
The Falcons
were
quickly back in business as Abraham forced a Palmer fumble with DE
Ray Edwards scooping it up to the two yard
line. What happened next might be looked back upon as a key spot in the game
if Atlanta couldn't pull out the win. The offense couldn't move it the short
distance into the end zone and had to settle for a Bryant kick to tie it at
13.
Each team had self inflicted wounds on the next Raider drive. A
holding penalty by Atlanta's Akeem Dent
gave Oakland a third down conversion and the ball in good field position at
their 47. But, tackle Willie Smith got
his only chance to hold and did it well, backing the Raiders up to their 43.
Smith went for double or nothing and was called for holding again. But, it
was declined, turning the ball over to the Falcons at their ten with 14:36
left in the game.
On a third and ten, Jones came down with an 18 yard circus catch with two
defenders draped all over him to give Atlanta some breathing room at their
29. The Raiders challenged the play and won. A huge play in the game.
Instead of first and ten at the 29, the Falcons had to punt from their 11.
Oakland got the 57 yard kickoff at their 37. But, of course, they couldn't
take the prosperity and picked up a 15 yard penalty moving them back to the
17. But, the offense started moving again. On a third and ten, Carson hit
Moore for 17 yards to the 34. TE Brandon Myers
was open for another 18 to the 48. Another Abraham sack vanquished the drive
forcing a punt to the Falcons' 20.
Just to look at the 5-0 record and the final scores of the last two
games would make an objective observer think that these were easy wins. But,
their were more than a few nails being nibbled as both took 4th quarter come
back wins. The chewing was in progress here as the Falcons desperately
needed to start moving the ball on offense with just 8:40 left on the clock.
Ryan let his feet begin the process scampering out for 16 yards to the 36.
Turner bulled his way forward for 8 more. But, again they stalled and had to
punt with 6:28 left and Oakland needing only a field goal for the upset.
They started deep in their own territory on their ten. If the
defense could hold, they would have the ball in a great position to pull out
another 4th quarter come from behind victory.
Unfortunately, Woodson broke free for 43 yards putting the ball on
the Atlanta 46. Myers put them in field goal range with another 14 to the 32
with just over 3 minutes remaining. Then, the play of the game as the
defense rose up as Asante Samuel
jumped in front of a Palmer pass aimed at Moore and took it 79 yards all the
way for a touchdown. With 2:40 left, Atlanta was on top by a score 20-13.
Still time, though, for Palmer to catch up with all three time outs
remaining. The team was moving into Falcons' territory. So, true to form, it
was time for another costly penalty, negating a pass that would have them
inside the 40. Instead, they were backed up to their own 37 at the two
minute warning.
Carson started the locals chewing again as he hit Hagan for 38
putting the ball on the Falcons' five with 58 seconds left and still all of
their time outs. One more time, the defense had to make a stand. Overtime
suddenly looked likely as Oakland punched it in to tie it at 20 with 40
seconds remaining in regulation.
Most of the 69,000 on hand were still in the building to watch the
ending. Atlanta with a series of short passes got it down to the 37 with 6
seconds on the clock giving Bryant a chance to save a journey into OT. The
Raiders called a time out to try to Ice Bryant. But, he had said before the
game that he likes that because it gives him a practice kick, which he
missed. Another chance.
As with the Carolina game, the stadium erupted as the 55 yarder
sailed through the uprights to pull out another won. In one that maybe they
shouldn't have won, the Falcons scraped through to move to an unprecedented
6-0.
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