Atlanta Falcons Come Out Firing, Implode and Fall to Lions in London

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As homes around America woke up to football, the Falcons travelled to London looking for their third win of the season against a fierce Detroit Lions team. Needing a strong start to get the 2014 season back on track, the Falcons got WR Harry Douglas back from a long stint on the sideline. The offense had struggled recently, and the defense had tired late in games, and the NFC North leading Lions looked to be a brutal matchup for the Falcons. Receiving the ball first against the #1 ranked Detroit D, the story of the day was destined to be how well Matt Ryan would be protected, along with the play of UDFA James Stone in his first start of his rookie season.

Despite an early penalty, Ryan moved the team on a 3^rd and long, an area the team had struggled with mightily in recent times. Steven Jackson began the game running hard and with purpose, and another Ryan conversion to Roddy White had the Falcons in field goal range early. RB Antone Smith took the field and fooled everyone on a play action bootleg, and Levine Toilolo moved the Falcons into the 10. The Lions defense had not allowed a first quarter touchdown since week 3, but when rookie RB Devonta Freeman caught a one handed touchdown pass, the streak was over and the Falcons were on the board. The offense looked sharper than it had in weeks, and started exactly how they needed to in a game which could shape the season for Atlanta.

Oct 26, 2014; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) spikes the ball after scoring on a seven-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter against the Detroit Lions as Falcons tackle Ryan Schrader (73) watches in the NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 26, 2014; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) gets off a pass under pressure from Atlanta Falcons defensive end Osi Umenyiora (50) during the first half of the game between the Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports

The defense came out looking to make a statement, and nearly got to Matt Stafford early on after a great blitz from Paul Worrilow. Forcing a 3^rd and 13, the Falcons D was bending but not breaking, and Detroit were made to punt. A strong return from Hester gave Matt Ryan the ball at the Atlanta 42 yard line – the game had started as well as possible for the Falcons. Things only got better as Julio Jones blew up the Lions DB’s, and the Falcons were moving the ball at a rate unlike in previous weeks. LT Jake Matthews was penalised for the second time, but the Falcons were not to be deterred, converting a 3^rd and 8 for a big gain to returning WR Harry Douglas. On the next play, a deep pass to the endzone was broken up by Darius Slay, but a pass interference call spotted the ball at the 1. On playaction, Matt Ryan linked up with TE Bear Pascoe for his first reception and touchdown as a Falcon. After hitting 7 different receivers, Ryan was in control of the game, and the Falcons were up 14-0.

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Detroit came out on the back foot, and a first down fumble by Matt Stafford was recovered by Joique Bell, saving the Lions from an even bigger hole. A 3^rd and inches was converted by former Saints FB Jed Collins, but the Falcons D were looking to stop the big play that had hurt them so badly in recent weeks. A deep shot on 2^nd and 6 to Golden Tate was the exact type of play that had haunted Atlanta recently, but FS Dwight Lowery flew across the field to force him out of bounds and bring up 3^rd down. CB Josh Wilson broke up a pass to Tate on 3^rd down, and a Lions team that had gone through 3 kickers since the start of the year decided to punt from the 37 yard line. Falcons ball, 14-0, 90 yards from another score. The drive never got off the ground, but a 3^rd and 8 deep shot saw Julio Jones pull in a great catch just out of bounds. However, Detroit DT Nick Fairley came up injured on the play. The loss of Fairley would be huge for the remainder of the game, and things didn’t look good for the former 1^st round pick as he was taken straight to the sideline with the help of the trainers.

After hitting 7 different receivers, Ryan was in control of the game, and having not conceded a 1st quarter point in 5 weeks, the Lions found themseleves down 14-0.

The Lions offense again went 3 and out, and the script had been flipped for Falcons fans. The offense was dominating time of possession, and it was the Atlanta defense that was forcing stops all over the field. Another punt to the 10 returned possession to the Falcons, as they looked to build on their lead. A series of 10+ yard plays saw Atlanta driving again, and after Roddy White was brought down by his hair whilst out of bounds, the Falcons found themselves in the redzone for the third time. Matt Ryan dropped back and attempted to hit Julio Jones, but was picked off by Rashean Mathis, who somehow returned the ball 103 yards for a Detroit touchdown. However, the play was called back after Mathis was found to have pushed Jones away, and the Falcons faced 1^st and 10 from the 17 again. The huge penalty deflated the Lions D, and Steven Jackson pounded the rock for several decent gains, eventually finding the 1 yard line. 3^rd and goal saw the Falcons again run with Jackson, who went untouched into the endzone, giving the Falcons a 21-0 lead after a 90 yard drive. The interception penalty looked to be the play of the game, as a 14 point swing saw the 2-5 Falcons in the box seat headed into half time.

Lions WR Jeremy Ross hurdled the Falcons defense, converting a 3^rd down as the 2 minute warning loomed. A Falcons stop would give them all the momentum to begin the second half, but the Lions were driving. On 3^rd down, nearing field goal range with one minute left, Matt Stafford forced a ball into double coverage, and was picked off by CB Robert Alford. It was all Atlanta, and with the half coming to an end Atlanta found themselves in a better position than they could have ever imagined. After keeping the ball clean, the Falcons went into the break up three scores to none, with an offense that was firing and a defense doing enough.

0. 50. 21. 44. Final

The Lions took possession to begin the second half, and moved the ball with more purpose than in the first. A dedication to the ground game softened up the Falcons defense, who allowed their first big play of the game on a 3^rd down, with Golden Tate leading the Lions into the redzone. Another 3^rd down conversion, this time to Ryan Broyles, had the Lions knocking on the door of their first points of the game. On 2^nd and goal, Matt Stafford attempted a checkdown to Joique Bell in the flat, but Tyson Jackson pushed the pocket and deflected the ball. Jackson came agonisingly close to an interception, but the Falcons defense left the field the following play, again generating pressure and forcing an incompletion on 3^rd down. Matt Prater converted the 22 yard chip shot, and the Falcons lead was cut to 21-3.

Matt Ryan was blindsided on 1^st and 10, and fumbled the ball deep inside Lions territory. However, newly starting RT Ryan Schraeder fell on the ball, and Atlanta lived to fight another day on 3^rd and 14, DE Jason Jones stormed through the weakend Falcons offensive line, forcing Ryan to get rid of the ball as the Falcons went 3 and out. The tide was turning towards the Lions, and punter Matt Bosher mishit his kick, giving the Lions excellent field position. The game was still very much up for grabs. As the Lions offense retook the field, former Falcon Garrett Reynolds put the Lions in a tough 2^nd and 20 following a holding penalty. The following play saw Matt Stafford dance in the pocket for a good 10 seconds, before throwing a deep incompletion. Reynolds was again called for a flag, forcing the Lions into 2^nd and 35. If the Falcons D was to get anything going, now would be the best chance they’d have. A short pickup saw the Lions face 3^rd and 25, and a busted coverage saw Stafford sling a 59 yard touchdown to Golden Tate. The Falcons defense had buckled when all signs pointed to a stop. 21-10.

Ryan and the Falcons were backed up, and when Ndamukong Suh got his first sack of the day it looked like the Falcons were due to punt. However, a flag on the defense on Rashean Mathis saved the day yet again for Atlanta, and an automatic 1^st down moved the Falcons to the 20. Ryan again connected with Roddy White who, whilst fighting for extra yards, fumbled and recovered the ball with nothing but white jerseys around him. The turnover didn’t matter though, as Matt Ryan threw what can only be described as a brutal interception on the next play. As Ryan was flushed to the left, he decided to sling it off his back foot across the field. The terrible mistake was picked off, and the Lions had the ball inside the 10. Matt Ryan has built a career by making smart decisions and balancing gun slinging with a high football IQ. The crucial interception embodied the worst of the worst you will see from an NFL quarterback, and the Falcons had gone from 21-0 up to having no momentum or leverage in the game.

Not to be outdone by Ryan, Matt Stafford managed to overthrow Golden Tate in the endzone by a mile. The Falcons defense had held from inside the 10, and the goalline stand was the only thing keeping the Falcons in a game they seemed determined to blow. The field goal was converted, and the Falcons lead was cut to 21-13. Matt Ryan took the field and immediately found Roddy White on a huge gain, but was soon sacked yet again. A third fumble was recovered by Atlanta, and all the bounces were going Atlanta’s way, despite the poor performance of the team in the second half. Another punt saw Matthew Stafford take the field down 8, looking for a game tying drive with 11 minutes left in the game.

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Another punt saw Matthew Stafford take the field down 8, looking for a game tying drive with 11 minutes left in the game. The drive began with a series of 10 yard pickups and, despite a big hit by Dwight Lowery on Lions RB Theo Riddick, the Lions offense was having its way with a lacklustre Falcons D. As the Lions moved inside the red zone, the Falcons defense was entering do or die time. Atlanta had done well in the red zone during the game, forcing turnovers and several goalline stops, and with 6 minutes left to tie the Lions were looking to execute where they’d failed to earlier in the game. A Joique Bell screen led to a 1^st and goal from the 5, but a negligible gain on 1^st down brought up another chance for the Falcons to get a stop. The positivity would stop there though, as Theo Riddick caught a short TD to bring the score to 21-19, pending a 2 point conversion. The Falcons defense held, and an incompletion left the score at 21-19, with the Falcons needing to hold on for the final 4 minutes.