Another playoff failure for Atlanta Falcons – NFL Season Review (Part VI)
Continued from part V...
The Atlanta Falcons had two more games to play and their playoff chances were very much prominent. It was expected that they would clinch the wildcard berth into the postseason, but it was not what they wanted. Falcons wanted to go beyond the playoffs and
were determined to get victories.
At New Orleans
Earlier in the season, the New Orleans Saints had already defeated the Falcons after a close encounter. Falcons were seeking revenge when they played their penultimate game of the regular season.
However, Saints were really very aggressive and they easily crushed the Falcons who had started the game well, but were unable to capitalise on their performance after the first quarter.
In the first quarter, Falcons scored a field goal and a touchdown while giving away a touchdown.
However, Saints managed to get the lead by scoring two touchdowns in the next quarter without conceding any point.
In the third quarter, Saints added another touchdown and a field goal while giving away only one field goal.
Falcons got one more field goal in the final quarter in which Saints got two more touchdowns.
The final score settled at 45-16.
Falcons’ coach, Mike Smith, clearly knew what was at stake and what the loss meant. He said after the game:
"We didn't really play well enough in any phase of the game to give ourselves a chance to win. There were some opportunities early on. And then it kind of got out of hand there at the end. ... It's not the type of effort that you want to have with so much
on the line with what the outcome could have meant to our team."
Against Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It was a do-or-die game for the Falcons. They needed to win this game to qualify for the playoffs and they did exactly that. However, there was something that still bothered them.
The victory could have come rather easily, but the Bucs made an aggressive attempt to come back in the game in the second half, leaving Falcons worried and anxious until the end of the game.
In the first quarter, Falcons scored three touchdowns and signalled vicious intentions for the opponents.
They added three more touchdowns in the second quarter and took the score to 42-0 before the Bucs got their first scoring move.
Tampa Bay scored a touchdown in the second quarter and added another touchdown along with a field goal in the third quarter.
The Bucs got another touchdown in the final quarter in which Falcons also scored a field goal.
Tampa Bay’s aggression towards the end certainly troubled the Falcons, but the latter still managed to win the game and earn a playoff spot. The final score settled at 45-24.
Falcons won 10 games in the regular season and lost six.
Playoff game against New York Giants
New York Giants had won nine games in the regular season to top the National Football Conference (NFC) East division and qualify for the playoffs. The record was comparatively less commendable, but the Giants had gained form towards the end of the season
and were looking more threatening.
Falcons started the game well and put pressure on the Giants after sacking their quarterback, Eli Manning, in his own end zone in the second quarter.
Falcons got two points for that move, but their offence struggled throughout the game and was not able to provide even a single scoring move.
Giants’ were so strong on defence and even though Falcons tried desperately hard to make scoring plays, they were unable to penetrate Giants’ defensive line.
Giants scored a touchdown in the second quarter and added another touchdown and a field goal in the third to increase the lead, which was further strengthened in the final quarter in which Giants got one more touchdown. The final score settled at 24-2.
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