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Falcons lose season finale 21-20 at the Dome as Carolina clinches the NFC South.

By Don Stone - Football Atlanta

  
  The last game of the season for the Falcons is quite a bit different than their last one in 2012. In that one, they were one play away from going to the Super Bowl. But, now, they're making offseason plans, packing their lockers and going home to watch the playoffs on TV.
  
Tony Gonzalez would be playing his final game for real against a Panthers team that is unexpectedly playing to capture the NFC South title. Following their last minute win last week against the Saints, all they need is a victory against the Falcons and its theirs.
  Some Falcons fans would be rooting for Carolina to reach their goal because that would improve Atlanta's chances in the NFL Draft. They were sitting at #6 as the contest began.
  Carolina also wanted a bit of revenge for the way this game went last season when it appeared that they had won the game, pinning Atlanta on their own one yard line with 59 seconds remaining only to see
Matt Ryan pull out a miraculous finish to stun them 30-28. Finishes like that were many in 2012 but rare in 2013.
  Atlanta started the game with a series of passes featuring Gonzalez with catches of 5 and 23 yards.
Stephen Jackson also showed up big with a 17 yard catch and a 17 yard rush. The impressive drive was capped with a nine yard touchdown catch by Jason Snelling to spot the home team to a 7-0 lead. As Ryan went 7 for 7, it was the first time this season Carolina had allowed an opponent to score a touchdown in its opening drive.
  Their offense didn't start off well either going three and out on their first possession.
Robert McClain took a 55 yard punt and took it back 23 yards giving his team the ball at their 48 yard line.
  But the good position was wasted with a gain of only two yards. It did allow Atlanta to pin Carolina at their own eleven.
  The Panthers' offense could only muster one first down as
Cam Newton was under constant pressure. Again Atlanta got a good starting spot for their third drive at their 34.
  Atlanta got nothing again on offense giving the ball back to the Panthers as the game rolled into the second quarter.
  Newton jump started his offense with an amazing scramble taking him back to his four yard line, then eluding numerous defenders to make it all the way to the 38. But, Atlanta's defense would rise up and put a stop to that as
William Moore picked off a deflected pass at the Falcons' 45 yard line.
  On a second and ten,
Harry Douglas pulled in a 10 yarder. That, combined with an unnecessary roughness call gave Atlanta the ball at the Carolina 30. Completions to Douglas and Roddy White got them another first at the 20. But another Ryan sack combined with an ankle injury to LT Ryan Schraeder cut things short. Matt Bryant put it through from 42 extending the Atlanta lead to 10.
  RE
Stansly Maponga got banged up on the second play of the Panthers' drive and had to come out. Good news and bad for Carolina as RB DeAngelo Williams broke free for and appeared to be on his way for a long 59 yard touchdown run when the rookie cornerbacks got stepped in. Robert Alford caught up and knocked the ball free at the 15. Desmond Trufant dove on the ball at the four for a second Panther turnover. But, Carolina quickly turned their fortunes around as RCB Melvin White intercepted Ryan at the seven and crawled into the end zone to make it a 10-7 game.
  Big plays by Gonzalez (19 yards) and Snelling (16 yards) got the offense back in gear and into Carolina territory. But that's as far as they got. The 35 yard
Matt Bosher punt was downed at the four.
  A 12 yard pass to WR
Domenik Hixon got the Panthers a needed first down at the 16. The continued to move with 15 yards on the ground by Newton to their 41. Their #88, Greg Olsen, got six to midfield. A huge 21 yard pass interference call gave the Panthers new life at the AF 31. Newton kept it and went out of bounds at the 20. FB Mike Tolbert refused to go down until 17 yards later at the 4. Newton hit a wide open Ted Ginn for seven more to give Carolina their first lead at 14-10 at the half.
  Atlanta lead the first half in time of possession by a substantial margin of 18:09 to 11:51 and ran four more plays, but trailed in net yards 172-137 and, most importantly by four points.
  After a nice halftime going away ceremony for Gonzalez, those Falcons fans who actually wanting them to win had to be concerned about the dreaded third quarter. Many a game this season had Atlanta getting off to a good first half start only to see the game get away from them as the teams came out of the locker room. The third quarter point differential is mind boggling.
  Atlanta got off to a good start, though, with a nice 25 yard reception by Jackson to their 44. A roughing the passer penalty moved the ball to the Carolina 41. Douglas got them 15 more but had it brought back on a holding call. Ryan got the lead back with a 39 yard pass to White in the end zone. Score 17-14.
  Ginn had a 31 yard return to start the Panthers' drive at their 26. Newton would rush for a first down then get a personal foul call on an out of bounds late hit, moving the ball to the AF 43. Newton would dive for another first down at the 32. Williams got 24 more to the 8 helped by several missed tackles. Newton stood back and waited for for what seemed like ten seconds until he found Olsen for seven points. Virtually no pressure on him and the lead went back to the visitors, 21-17. A very entertaining game with four lead changes so far as things moved into the final quarter of the season for Atlanta.
  The Falcons tried to get the lead back and began moving the ball with a 13 yard catch by White to the 43 with another first down in Carolina territory on 12 more to Douglas. From the 24, the Falcons would roll the dice and go for it on fourth and one. Jackson made the risk worth it with five. Ryan went down for the seventh sack of the game, losing six. Snelling got the loss back to bring up a big third and ten from the thirteen. But, White dropped a sure touchdown right in his arms, at least his third drop of the day. The resulting field goal drew them to within one as the clock moved to 7:10 left in the game and season.
  For those watching, four of the five teams with worst records than the Falcons were losing. The only one not would undoubtedly do so as Oakland was waiting to play Denver later.
  Carolina had the ball moving on their turn with an eight yard catch by Olsen at the 35. But the defense held.
  The Falcons offensive line showed more evidence that their first draft choice should focus on an O-lineman instead of a pass rusher as Ryan was sacked two straight times at the two minute warning. A punt at this point was almost giving it away, but the odds of converting at your 12 on a 4th and 18 were slim.
  The Panthers were ready to put the nail in the coffin with their last drive starting at their 48 with 1:43 to go.
  The defense held and would give Ryan one more shot for a repeat of last season's game with a bit more time to work at 1:20, twenty more seconds that that game.
  Ryan got a first down at the 26 with 0:54 to go, then hit Douglas at the 43 with 0:35. Then, a flag football play as the center hiked the ball with no Ryan, moving it back to the 27. A false start made it second and 32 at the 22 with nine seconds. The big comeback of 2012 was not to be. That was then, this is now. The final drive was a microcosm of the difference in the two seasons.
  For some, we would go home and watch what should be a fascinating afternoon on Red Zone following by some pretty good matchups in the bowl games. Others would just wait until May when Atlanta would pick six and try to get better.

 
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