Atlanta Falcons beat Baltimore Ravens - Part Three
Baltimore’s offense had felt lifeless and benign for most part of Thursday’s game against Atlanta Falcons. Until third quarter, Ravens had put no points on the board. As the quarter opened, the offense allowed an interception which Falcons were able to convert
into a field goal. Atlanta had created a 13 points spread by the fourth minute of third quarter.
After the field goal, Ravens showed first signs of a possible comeback. Joe Flacco had been having a slow day so Baltimore started the drive on foot. Running back Ray Rice rushed 17 yards in three plays before Flacco even attempted the pass. The pass couldn’t
be completed so in the next play, the desperate quarterback ran the ball himself. Flacco rushed 13 yards before cornerback Brent Grimes stopped him.
Donte Stallworth continued the running game for Baltimore following Flacco and Rice. On Atlanta’s 35 yard line, Stallworth picked up the ball and ran right. He ran out to the edge of the field and into Atlanta’s red zone where Falcons’ safety William Moore
stopped the running back for a 19 yard gain. With a 13 yard pass to tight end Todd Heap, Ravens were set for touchdown. They were just a yard short of a new set of down and needed just 7 yards for touchdown. Flacco ended the drive with a 5 yard touchdown pass
to wide receiver Anquin Boldin.
Boldin went into the end zone behind Brent Grimes for the pass. Flacco threw the ball flat over Grimes and Boldin. Grimes leaped into the air but had misjudged the pass, Boldin jumped up behind him and caught the ball for touchdown. In the end, it was an
almost flawless pass that scored the touchdown but the drive overall was held together entirely by the running game. With the extra point, Baltimore closed in on Atlanta’s lead.
Ravens’ defence stopped Atlanta’s offense after the touchdown. The drive ended on the 49 yard line after Matt Ryan was sacked for 4 yards on 3rd and 3. Flacco’s passes were still not connecting. When Ravens returned on the offense, Flacco threw
5 passes but was able to complete only one of them.
The 3rd quarter ended while Atlanta had possession and led with 13 points against 7. Into the fourth quarter, Atlanta turned that quarter’s last drive into a touchdown. Matt Ryan passed 9 and 17 yards in the first two plays of the quarter but
then was unable to complete the next two passes. Atlanta were only able to make the next down thanks to a 13 yard penalty which took the Falcons into red zone.
Ryan finished off the drive with a 4 yard touchdown pass to Roddy White. On the 4 yard line and third down, Falcons needed to gain one yard but had greater ambitions. Ryan took the ball right and waited for White in the end zone. White cleared the coverage
and Ryan threw a straight pass for Atlanta’s second touchdown of the game and White’s sixth of the season.
With the touchdown and extra point, Atlanta moved up to 20 points against Baltimore’s 7 with less than 12 minutes remaining in the game.
It was now or never for the Ravens and Flacco rose to the occasion. Ravens started their offense on the 25. Flacco threw 54 yards in 6 passes, completing all but one. Baltimore’s running backs chipped in with 15 yards to take the Ravens into red zone and
set up the touchdown. Derrick Mason received the 6 yards touchdown pass and the extra point was good.
Flacco wasn’t done yet. In their next drive, the Ravens scored their third touchdown of the game. Flacco started that drive with a 22 yard pass to Mason. After two incomplete passes, the quarterback threw consecutive 6, 9 and 24 yard passes between Ray Rice
and Boldin to take the Ravens up to the 11 yard line. Todd Heap received the 9 yard touchdown pass and put Baltimore in the lead with 21 points against 20.
Atlanta needed just one more point and had 65 seconds to score it. Ryan was in a hurry and didn’t bother with short passes. He started with a 24 yard pass and followed it up with another 15 yards. An 8 yard penalty put Atlanta on the 33 yard line where Ryan
threw a 33 yard pass to Roddy White for touchdown.
The touchdown put Atlanta back in the lead with just 20 seconds remaining on the clock. Falcons attempted the two point conversion but the attempt was unsuccessful. Flacco got the ball back with just 16 seconds remaining to score a touchdown. Their desperate
effort didn’t lead to a touchdown but ended up injuring Todd Heap. Ravens fought till the last second but ultimately lost the game with 21 points against Atlanta’s 26.
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