By Don Stone - Football
Atlanta
A lot of odd things about
this game. The last time two times the Falcons played here were September 18
when they blew out the Bucs 56-14 and went 2-1 and three weeks later when
they lost to the Bears and went 2-4. Since then, they have travelled to
Baltimore, London, Tampa Bay and Carolina and miraculously return home in
first place. An asterisk on that first place moniker. Its with a 4-6 record
and in one of the worst divisions in the NFL in memory. The other three
teams have a combined eleven wins between them over 31 games.
On the other end of the spectrum, Cleveland comes in with the
opposite record of 6-4 but find themselves in last place in the AFC North.
Fans must do a Larry David and curb
their enthusiasm on that two game winning streak they're on as well. It and
all of Atlanta's four wins have come within this week division. And, four of
the remaining six games on the schedule are against teams with a combined
record of 29-12, three of them against current first place teams. But, the
schedule finally turns Atlanta's way a bit with four of their remaining
games at home.
Carolina, on the other hand, has an easy schedule with only one game with
a winning record, and that's the Browns at 6-4. New Orleans has it tough
like Atlanta with games to go with the Ravens, Steelers and Bears mixed in
with three losing teams from the division.
So, first for the moment, but it appears the Panthers might have an edge
because of the schedules.
Two year ago at this time Johnny Manziel
was cheering his Texas A&M teammates on in this building in the SEC
Championship Game on the way to a Heisman Trophy. Now, he's on the other
sidelines waiting for his turn in the NFL. The guy who did the blocking for
him, Jake Matthews would be blocking
for Matt Ryan.
The Falcons and Browns each got off to slow starts punting after getting
a first down. Atlanta began the game at their 19 with Ryan
finding Roddy White
across the middle to the 42.
WR Miles Austin got things started
with an 11 yard reception to the 26. But, no more.
Atlanta began their second drive in better field position at their 43.
Again, Ryan hit White for nine to the Cleveland 45. Near disaster as SS
Dante Whitner had a pass hit him right
in the numbers with open field ahead only to have it fall to the ground.
Ryan could find no one open and took off for another first. A toss to RB
Devanta Freeman got another first at the 24.
Julio Jones, who had been well covered
finally broke free and pulled in a touchdown pass to put the Falcons up 7-0.
WR Josh Gordon got his first
catch of the season after returning from a 10 game suspension, getting a
first down at the 36. WR Andrew Hawkins
got 17 more to midfield. Cleveland went for
it on a fourth and one from the 38 and failed but got it anyway on a holding
call. Gordon made them pay with another catch taking it 22 yards all the way
to the 11. The costly penalty turned into points as exiled Georgia Bulldog
Isaiah Crowell found the end zone to
tie the game at seven.
The Falcons drive was nothing but bad news starting with Devin
Hester making the mistake of taking the
kickoff out of the end zone to the nine. Then Ryan was sacked at the two.
Jacquizz Rodgers bought a bit of
breathing room with seven to the 10 as the first quarter came to an end. But
Ryan was picked off at the 29 by LCB Joe Haden.
Fortunately for Atlanta, the Browns could only get three out of it on a
33 yard Billy Cundiff field goal. But,
they had the lead 10-7.
Bad news continued on the next drive as Ryan was sacked at the AF40
losing the ball in the process. Quickly a wide open Gordon had them at the
23. A bad snap brought up a third and 14 from the 27 and again the Browns
missed an opportunity to separate themselves, setting for a 37 yard field
goal to keep Atlanta just a score down, 13-7. So far, all of Cleveland's
point had come from Falcons mistakes.
More mistakes as a good 12 yard Freeman run was nullified with another
holding call moving Atlanta back to a first and 20 at their 12. Again, they
would have to begin a drive in the shadow of their own end zone. This time
they did it as White got open and pulled in a 32 yard pass at midfield.
After a four yard Freeman rushing loss, Ryan hit Steven Jackson
for a 10 yard gain but missed on third down
forcing a punt. At least the Browns weren't starting a drive in
Falcons' territory, instead from their 15.
No problem, a 17 yard reception by Hawkins had them at their 44. Crowell
had another first at the AF44. Then, a potential game changer as S
Kemal Ishmael picked Brian Hoyer
off at the Atlanta 36, running it back to the 50. Ryan completed a 21 yard
pass to Jones at the 21 and the two minute warning. The Falcons had a shot
at taking the lead into the half.
Jackson got them another first to the 19. White pulled a short six yard
pass to the 13. Jones got them another first and goal at the 8 with a minute
remaining and two timeouts to use. A favorite play for Atlanta has been a
short forward toss to Rodgers who sneaks under the eyes of defenders. It
worked this time to let the Falcons go on top 14-13. I'm sure the question
was being asked through the stadium, "How do they have the lead?" Same
question could be asked about the division.
The Atlanta lead would not last long as the Browns got off to a good
start in the second half with a 40 yard Hawkins completion to the Falcons
25. Crowell got nine on the ground for a first and goal at the nine. But, as
the Cleveland offense had been doing all game, they moved the ball, but not
into the end zone. For the fourth time, they tried a field goal and for the
third time, they made it taking the lead back in the process 16-14.
With the help of a nine yard Hester catch, Atlanta started the second
half with a first down at the 31. The drive stalled on another Ryan sack for
a 12 yard loss making them just five of ten on third down conversions.
Cleveland took over at their 30.
Austin got the Browns' drive moving with a 13 yard third down catch at
the CB48. A Terrance West 9 yard
run followed by 9 more in the air to Gordon brought up another first down at
the AF30. Crowell got the rest on an amazing dart and dash TD run through a
half dozen missed tackles putting his team up by two scores, 23-14.
The Falcons defense, which had already sustained still another blow last
week when CB Robert Alford was lost
for 2-4 weeks with a wrist injury. Still another blow when It was announced
that his replacement, Robert McClain,
had sustained a calf injury with his return to the game questionable.
It was time for the Falcons' offense to get the team back into the game.
A good start as Hester pulled in a 16 yard reception to the 40. Another
catch by White got five to the 47. Harry Douglas
got them a first down at the CB46 with his
first action of the game. White got 10 more on a short right pass to the 30.
More diversity as TE Levine Toilolo
got nine more for another first. Then some help from the other guys on
holding call moving it to the 16. A chunk of the Browns' defense was shaken
up on the playas LCB Joe Haden had to
be walked off and FS Tashaun Gipson
needed a cart for a knee injury and would be out for the game. Haden would
return.
Jones got another first bringing up first and goal to go at the five.
Jackson pushed it over the goal line for a much needed score to make it a
two point game again, 23-21.
Atlanta seemed helpless to stop the Cleveland offense on the next drive,
first with still another holding call taking the ball to the 25. But their
guys gave it back with one of their own on the next play. Austin picked up
10 to the 25. Crowell made it out to the 43 then saw five added on for
another Falcon penalty. Gordon added a dozen more to the 40. Taylor
Gabriel got in on the action with 13 more to
the 26. West added 20 more to the six. Samuel L. Jackson
came on the board exhorting the Falcons to "Rise Up." On the next play, they
did as Desmond Trufant grabbed a
crucial interception in the back of the end zone to bring the drive to a
halt.
Going the other way, Hester picked up 12 to the AF32. The drive stopped
there on another near Ryan interception. Cleveland took over after the punt
at their 14.
But the Atlanta defense stepped up again with rookie Dezmen
Southward picking Hoyer off at the 50.
Atlanta had a shot at going ahead needing just a field goal to do that at
the two minute warning.
Jackson got them a first down into Browns' territory at the 43.
Matt Bryant came in to do what he's
done so many times before, kick a game winning field goal, this time from 53
yards. Atlanta 24, Browns 23 with just 44 seconds on the clock.
But the key part of that sentence was 44 seconds left. Cleveland also
just needed a field goal to win it back starting from the 20 with all three
time outs. Hoyer took their first time out after Hoyer connected with Austin
for 11 yards to the 30. Then another time out after another completion to
Gordon for 24 to the AF45. Gary Barnidge
got his first catch and a big one to put them
in field goal range at the 30 with 16 seconds left. Austin caught another at
the 20 and the clock was stopped at five seconds.
If you're playing the Carolina Panthers, they miss shots like this to
lose games. A team with a winning record doesn't and neither did Cundiff.
Final score in a thriller, Cleveland 26, Atlanta 24. |
