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By Don Stone - Football Atlanta
At least this game was in a dome. Rain has been drenching almost every
football team to play in the southeast over the last few days. From Athens
to Clemson, teams have been playing in a downpour. And for Bulldogs and
Yellow Jackets fans, the atmosphere was equally dreary on the field.
So, its up to the Falcons to salvage a lost weekend. And
losing is not something that has been in their vocabulary for the first
three weeks of the season, unless you're talking about the Eagles, Giants
and Cowboys.
There are many big differences in how the Falcons have been
playing, much of it in the second half. Last year, there was a stretch of
three or four games in a row where Atlanta didn't score a fourth quarter
point. Against New York and Dallas, they outscored their opponents by
fourteen points the final quarter of each. Another big change since last
year is their effectiveness in the red zone. In 2013 and 2014, both 4-12
seasons, a big reason for the bad records was constantly settling for field
goals instead of touchdowns. This season, Atlanta is one of the top teams in
the league in red zone efficiency.
The effectiveness of the offensive line, much of it put
together just before the season started. That gives Matt Ryan more
time and allows the running game to develop, as evidenced by Devonta
Freeman's 141 yard performance in Dallas. But they'll have their hands
full this week with RDE J.J. Watt, one of the top defenders in the
NFL.
But, even though its great to see your team fight to the end
and pull out come from behind wins, the other side of that is that you fell
behind in each game. Eventually, that will come back to bite you. So, the
team has concentrated on getting off to a better start.
Houston has lost two of their first three games but has a lot of
talent. Their only win has been against Tampa Bay. Playing for the first
time this season will be start RB Arian Foster, coming off of a groin
injury.
The Texans won the toss and deferred to the second half. Eric
Weems took the kickoff to the 29. But three short incomplete passes and
Atlanta had to punt. Cecil Shorts took it to the same spot on their
side. Ryan Mallett, who has been uneven, to say the least so far this
season, quickly got a first down on a 15 yard completion to Foster. But
Jonathan Babineaux grabbed a deflected pass intended for DeAndre
Hopkins to give Atlanta the first turnover of the game at their 46.
Roddy White pulled down a reception at the Houston 45
bringing up a 4th and one. Atlanta went for it and converted on a short
Freeman run to the 44. On a third and six, Ryan scrambled to his right and
hit Freeman 24 yards downfield for a new set of downs at the 16. Freeman got
the rest on the next play going in untouched to give Atlanta the first score
of the game 7-0.
Houston's second drive began at their 20. RB Alfred Blue
picked up 9 and a first down at the 31. But, that's all they got as the
defense held. The Falcons got the ball again at their 29.
A deflected pass by Watt was nullified by an illegal hands to
the face call on Jadeveon Clowney to give the Falcons a first down at
the 32. But a holding call made it first and 20 from the 22. Julio Jones
pulled one in for 10 yards. It was announced that Justin Durant had
an elbow injury with his return questionable.
A sack brought up a third and fifteen. But, the drive was saved by an
illegal contact call on the defense to bring up a first down at the 33. A
completion to White was brought back on an offensive pass interference call.
So, the back and forth drive was back again at the 23. A pass to Freeman
netted nine with 16 more to Leonard Hankerson to the 48. Jones was
open and pulled one in at the 33. With a defender in his face, Ryan elevated
a pass over the crowd into a leaping Freeman's hands. Nick Williams
got his first reception for a for 8 and another first down at the 23. End of
the first quarter.
In between quarters, a tribute to former Falcon Jessie Tuggle was
flashed on the board with his son, Justin, watching from the Texans'
defense.
Another Ryan sack was nullified by a Houston penalty making it first and
ten at the 23. On the next play, Freeman burst free again with just a few
outreached hands barely touching him to make it 14-0. The drive, extended by
several penalties, went 10 plays and 71 yards. So far, so good. Atlanta had
gotten its good start and now needed to sustain it for three more quarters.
The Texans began their drive at their 21 and went three and out.
Atlanta started at their 34. Watt took over the drive, first getting his
hands on another pass, then sacking Ryan for an 8 yard loss. Houston got the
ball at their 30. Then it was Desmond Trufant's turn to take over a
drive first swatting down a deep pass then scooping up a fumble and running
it back 24 yards for a third score, 21-0. Just like Georgia Tech, the day
before. Unfortunately for the Houston head coach Bill O'Brien's old
team, they were outscored 38-10 from that point forward. Atlanta wasn't
likely to let that happen.
On a third and six, WR Keith Mumphery caught a nine yard pass for
a first down. Then, it started going backward as Houston picked up an off
sides call to make it first and 15 at the 28. O'Brien called his first time
out. A nice 11 yard catch by Hopkins brought up a third and three but they
could get no more and had to punt with the 42 yard kick rolling out at the
18.
Freeman got eight with Jones pulling down a six yard catch for a first at
the 32. On a third and five, Hankerson picked up 7 for another first at the
34. A wide open Freeman caught his pass for 10 yards, then added 34 before
he was brought down at the 12. Again, touchdowns, not field goals as Atlanta
hit Hankerson for their fourth of the game to go up 28-0.
More troubles for the Texans as TE C.J. Fiedorowicz caught a
pass and was popped by William Moore. Trufant was again Johnny on the Spot
and fell on it for another turnover. Atlanta had the ball at their 47 with
2:20 to go in the half but went three and out. The punt landed at the
Houston two where Dezmen Southward downed it with 1:50 to go.
Mallet found Mumphery at the 15 for a first down then to Foster for eight
more at the 23. Atlanta called their first time out. Another first on an off
sides call on the Falcons. Hopkins was open 25 yards downfield at the AF48
with 55 seconds. Another first to Hopkins at the 37. But, they could get no
more and tried a 53 yard field goal which sailed wide right. Score at the
half Atlanta 28, Houston 0. In the last four quarters of play, the Falcons
had outscored their two Texas opponents 53-0. Houston had done one good
thing right, holding Jones to just 38 yards on four catches. But, Freeman
had a combined 134 yards rushing and receiving.
The Texans started the second half at their 20. Ra' Shede
Hageman was called for a face mask making it first and 10 at the 35.
Mallett threw a laser to Mumphery for 26 to the ATL39. Desperate, the Texans
went for it on fourth and three at the 32 but failed to convert.
Atlanta went back to work with Ryan hitting Hankerson for a short pass up
the middle. The WR took it all the way to the six. Freeman was in on the
next play. 35-0.
As backup QB Brian Hoyer began warming up on the sidelines,
Mallett stayed in and again went three and out.
The Falcons offense was back in again at their 30. Terron Ward
picked up a first down with a nine yard carry to the 40. On a second and 19
Ryan dropped a short pass to Ward who broke free for 18 to midfield. Ryan
escaped a rush and hit for another first at the HOU40. A handoff to Ward
took it 13 closer. An unnecessary roughness call on Benardrick McKinney
moved it to the 13. Ward got six more to bring up a third and five from the
eight. The back carried a few defenders into the end zone for another TD,
his first career touchdown. 42-0.
An unusual site as the wave broke out in the Dome. Can't remember the
last time I saw that here.
Hoyer was brought in and seemed to breathe a bit of life into the Houston
offense as he hit Hopkins for 16 yards and a first down at the 36. Another
first at midfield. Mumphery got nine more to the 31 as the game moved into
its final quarter.
The Texans moved the ball to their deepest penetration at the five and
the shutout ended with a TD pass to Fiedorowicz. 42-7.
The backups continued to get some time for the Falcons as Sean Renfree
came in at QB and went three and out. Matt Bosher hit another good one for
55 yards to the 25.
Hoyer, of course, still in at QB and hit Shorts for 13 and a first
down at the 38. Shorts caught a pass in the backfield and found his way for
another 13. He then went to Shorts deep for a 43 yarder to the one. RB
Chris Polk ran it in for another score. 42-14.
With only a quarter of the crowd remaining, Atlanta went back on
offense. On a third and nine, Ward broke free to pick a first down but more
importantly more plays to eat up clock as it continued ticking past seven
minutes. This time, the defense held and Atlanta had to punt. With a holding
call added to the end of the kick, the Texans had the ball at their 36 with
4:32 to go. Again, Hoyer moved the ball hitting Hopkins for 18 and again for
26. Again to the for 12 to the eight. Shorts got them another score. The
42-21 score would make the game appear competitive. But all it proved was
that their backups could be ours when we were just trying to kill clock.
About five thousand fans remained in their seats waiting to cheer their
team at the end. But, to do that, they had to watch the final three minutes
of play. The last ten had not been very entertaining, large lead or not.
Houston used their final time out at 2:43 on a third and fourteen at the 16.
A three and out let the clock agonizingly move down to the two minute mark.
The visitors started their final drive at their 46. A deep ball to
Hopkins moved the ball 28 yards to the Atlanta 20 with less than a minute to
go. A sack cost them eight. The crowd was rewarded for their patience
when Nate Stupar picked up a fumble as time ran out and ran it back
the length of the field. The final seven points offset some of the
meaningless 21 that had been put up by the Texans. Final score 48-21.
Up next, the 2-2 Redskins who had just pulled out a last minute 23-20 win
over the Eagles.
