Another playoff failure for Atlanta Falcons – NFL Season Review (Part IV)
Continued from part III...
Falcons’ next three games were scheduled on their home field and they did considerably well in all the three games. After losing the first one against the New Orleans Saints, the managed to win the next two, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
Against New Orleans Saints
Saints snapped Falcons’ winning streak after winning the game in overtime in which Falcons almost won the game, but they fell short on fourth down and Saints capitalised on their opportunity.
In the first quarter, both teams tried many plays to score touchdown, but they were unable to do so and had to eventually settle for a field goal each.
Falcons got another field goal and took the lead in the second quarter, but Saints managed to score the first touchdown of the game in the same quarter and got the lead.
Both teams scored a touchdown each in the third quarter. Saints entered the final quarter with the lead and scored two field goals to increase the lead.
However, Falcons responded by scoring a touchdown and a field goal in the final five minutes of the game to level the score and force the game to the overtime in which Saints got a field goal and won. The final score settled at 26-23.
Against Tennessee Titans
After the defeat against the Saints, Falcons created some problems for themselves during the game against the Titans, but they somehow managed to clinch the victory.
The start was certainly good as Falcons scored a touchdown in the first quarter without giving away any point.
Falcons got two field goals in the second quarter before Titans got their first scoring move of the game in the form of a field goal.
In the third quarter, Falcons added a touchdown and a field goal, taking the score to 23-3. However, Titans scored a field goal in the same quarter and added another touchdown in the final and took the score to 23-17.
Both the teams were unable to provide more scoring moves and Falcons eventually won the game, but they had some issues to address. Falcons’ coach, Mike Smith, said after the game:
"We made it a little harder than it needed to be. There's a number of things we need to address, that we need to get fixed."
Against Minnesota Vikings
Falcons played their next game against the lowly Vikings and even though they dominated the first half of the game, they were sloppy in the next. However, they still won the game.
Falcons started by scoring a touchdown in the first quarter and they increased the lead by scoring another touchdown and a field goal in the second quarter. Vikings were yet to score.
After the halftime, Vikings scored a touchdown in the third quarter and added another in the final to reduce the deficit to just three points. Falcons somehow managed to score a touchdown in the end and took the decisive 10-point lead. The final score settled
at 24-14.
Falcons’ tight end, Tony Gonzalez, said after the game:
"We know we're a lot better than that. Sooner or later we're going to hit our stride."
Quarterback, Matt Ryan, however, was satisfied with the effort. He said:
“The most important thing is how we responded to that and played in the fourth quarter. We did a great job when we needed to score."
To be continued...
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