Live Blog from the Georgia
Dome By Don Stone - Football Atlanta
As the Falcons have squandered a 5-0 start, losing four of their last five,
they now find themselves hanging on to a Wild Card spot. The Carolina
Panthers have clearly locked in the NFC South at 11-0. So, now, Atlanta
has moved into a new division of sorts, the Wild Card contenders. Presently,
that consists of Minnesota (7-3), Green Bay who already lost on Thursday
(7-4), Atlanta (6-4, Seattle (5-5), Washington (4-6) Chicago (5-6), Tampa
Bay (5-5), New Orleans (4-6), St. Louis (4-6) and Detroit (4-7). Among the
Vikings, Packers and Bears, one will win the NFC Central. The (5-5) Giants
could falter but currently has a one game lead over the Redskins.
Arizona appears to have the West locked up at 8-2 leaving the Seahawks and
Rams to claw for a Wild Card berth.
That's where the Falcons find themselves. They hold tiebreakers against
only one of the teams (the Redskins). But, the Saints and Bucs have already
beaten them, which makes this game with the Vikings doubly important. Not
only does Atlanta desperately need a win to get things turned around, they
may be fighting the Vikings for the tiebreaker advantage.
Minnesota is clearly the best team the Falcons have faced this season.
Amazingly, virtually every team they have faced is struggling in some form,
either having lost their starting quarterback or muddling through with a
losing record. Those ten teams have a combined record of 40-69. And, they'll
playing with one hand tied behind their back missing Devonta Freeman,
Leonard Hankerson and Matt Bryant.
But the week opponent's record cuts both ways. Neither Atlanta or
Minnesota has beaten a team with a winning record. That will change today.
As with previous weeks, Atlanta needs to stop the turnovers and
penalties. Many of their losses can be attributed to those factors.
Virtually all have been close, (3 points to Indy, 1 point to San Francisco,
3 to Tampa Bay), accentuating even more the difference the turnovers made.
One key to watch. Atlanta is one of the best teams in the league with
defending the run. Adrian Peterson leads the league in rushing.
Unrelated, but just before kickoff, word spread through the press box
that UGA had fired Mark Richt. I speculated that FSU's Jimbo
Fisher might be lined up. But no confirmation on that.
Atlanta won the toss and deferred to the second half.
Peterson started things off with a first down run for
11 to the 31. A sack by Paul Soliai made it second and 11. WR
Stefon Diggs pulled a catch in for six but was stopped short by
Desmond Trufant on another pass. After the punt, Atlanta had the ball at
their 26.
Three straight Tevin Coleman carries came up a yard short with the
45 yard punt putting the ball at the 22.
A pass to Peterson picked up 18 to the 43 with Teddy Bridgewater
finding FB Zach Line at the AF46. Another complete for 12 to TE
Kyle Rudolph put it a the 44. Bridgewater continued the drive hitting
Charles Johnson for 16 yards on a third and eight but a taunting call
moved it back to the 31. The QB escaped a rush and found Rudolph for another
13 at the 17. A pass to Peterson was dropped on what looked like a sure six
points bringing up a third and nine. A crucial pass interference call on
Trufant at the one gave the Vikings a new set of downs and an easy call to
hand it to Peterson for the games' first points.
The Falcons got a great run by Coleman who took it 46 yards all the way
to the 21 before he coughed it up like he did in last week's game. The
rookie can be an effective runner but has had difficulty holding on to the
ball, his third fumble this season.
Bridgewater went back to his passing attack with a 23 yard reception by
TE Rhett Ellison. A handoff to RB Jerick McKinnon got another
first at the Atl24.
The second quarter began with a turn of events as Ricardo Allen
leaped high to pull in an interception in the end zone, bringing the all out
to the 20.
A false start made it first and 15. Matt Ryan hit Justin Hardy
for 10 yards for a third and five, then TE Jacob Tamme for 12 and a
first down at the 38. Coleman got the ball again, holding on tight, for
eight. They got another first with a 7 yard catch at the 48 by Julio
Jones, his first touch of the game. He got another first with a catch at
the Minnesota 38. An illegal use of hands to the face call on DT Tom
Johnson for a first down at the 33. A defensive holding call on CB
Captain Munnerlyn put it at the 27. Hardy caught one for another first
at the 14. An unnecessary roughness call on Atlanta made it second and 20 at
the 24. Nick Williams got his first catch for 11 to make it third and
nine at the 13. That's all they could get as new kicker Shayne Graham
was brought in connecting from 31 yards, the first field goal by someone
other than Bryant in years. It was an emotional kick for Graham, just signed
by the Falcons, five days after the death of his father.
A nice drive but continued problems in the red zone again netted just
three points.
A holding call started the Vikings drive putting it at the 25 followed by
Peterson's best run of the day for 10. The back had been held to just 18
yards in the first quarter. Bridgewater barely escaped another sack and
threw it away forcing a 52 yard punt with Eric Weeks just making it
to the 15 with 3:45 left in the half.
On a third and six, Roddy White drew a large cheer with his first
catch and a first down at the 28. An illegal contact call on Xavier
Rhodes got another first at the 33 at the two minute warning. He found
Roddy again for a first at midfield with 1:38 and ticking. Next a 7 yarder
to Tamme. But, another drive ended with a turnover as Munnerlyn picked Ryan
off at the 27.
The Vikings drove down field with former Georgia Bulldog Blair Walsh
uncharacteristically missing a 42 yard field goal to leave the score at 7-3
going into the half.
For the most part, the first half resembled a lot of what has been wrong
with Atlanta. The defense had again played well but the offense was nowhere
to be found. A pair of turnovers probably cost them points and definitely
gave the opponent's offense more time on the field. Penalties had been a
problem for both teams with four each. Peterson had been held to just 48
yards. It was still anybody's game.
Atlanta had the ball to start the second half at their 20. A pair of 20
yard catches by Jones and White put the ball at the Minnesota 37. A pass
interference call on safety Robert Blanton gave them the ball at the
34. Coleman got them another first on a rush to the 22. In the red zone
again, could the Falcons make it those difficult yards that separated them
from the end zone...and do it without turning the ball over?
Coleman got most of them on a nice 16 yard carry to the one putting him
over 100 yards for the first time in his short career. He crossed the goal
line but the touchdown was called back on a clipping call on Atlanta. Second
and goal from the 15 brought another flag, this time on the defense, illegal
use of hands to the face. A new set of downs at the 10. Points lost again as
Ryan was greeted by a thundering chorus of boos. The reason, he was picked
off again in the end zone by LCB Terence Newman. The baseball score
remained 7-3.
Bridgewater methodically moved his team downfield, but again could only
reach the 12. Walsh came in again, this time from 29 yards, this time making
it to put his team up 10-3. Still a very manageable deficit. But the way the
offense was playing, looking larger than it should be.
A very tense feeling could be sensed in the Dome as the Falcons began
their next drive with a 14 yard catch by Jones up the middle. The crowd had
learned to expect the worst. Their pessimism was rewarded with a sack for a
12 yard loss. More boos were heard. The game moved into the fourth quarter.
I'm sure many a fan was thinking, as they must have each week of the last
month, "how are we losing to these guys?"
The 53 yard Matt Bosher punt included a holding call on the
receiving team for a first and 10 at their 12.
Peterson broke free for 16 to the 30. They converted a third and four
with Jarius Wright's second reception at the 39. A stop here was
essential to keep the game within one score. But, Bridgewater completed a
pass for seven to Rudolph for another third down and two then called his
first time out. Peterson got them 11 and another first at the AF37.
The Falcons had held Peterson to just 48 yards in the first half. But,
eventually, the back got his way adding 110 more in the second. And, that
ability to run got the Vikings just enough to keep moving the chains, eat up
clock and get them into the end zone to put it out of reach. The Falcons
added a meaningless score but not nearly enough. Final score, Minnesota 21,
Atlanta 10.
Fortunately, virtually all of the teams we mentioned earlier who are
competing for the second Wild Care spot. The Redskins beat the Giants and
swapped spots. St. Louis, New Orleans, and next week's opponent, Tampa Bay
all lost. So, it was basically a tread water week. Five games remaining.
They still control their own destiny but time is running out. Of course Ryan
and head coach Dan Quinn will say the same things they've been saying for
the past month. "We have to fix some things and get better."
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