The Atlanta Falcons traveled to play the Philadelphia Eagles, and optimism was not working excessive forward of the sport on this fanbase after a dismal preliminary effort in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers. We hoped the Falcons would get off to a quick begin, they usually did…type of.
Defensively, the Falcons smothered the Eagles till Jalen Hurts took over on an announcement drive the place he ran for 50 yards within the second quarter, which resulted in Philly’s solely rating of the half. Offensively, the Falcons moved pretty nicely after the preliminary sluggish begin, and managed to complete the half with a pair of subject objectives and numerous spectacular working. They left the half down 7-6.
The second half noticed an Eagles subject aim pretty early the place the Falcons wanted a giant Jessie Bates play to stop a landing, however the larger story was the offense getting rolling ultimately. Large runs from Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier arrange a subject aim drive, after which Cousins threw some good balls en path to an extended landing to Darnell Mooney, one the place the prized free agent signing received freed from a defender and was in a position to home it. The great occasions have been in full swing, however they couldn’t final.
An extended, clock-grinding drive by the Eagles resulted in a rating and a profitable two level conversion, after which the Falcons had the prospect to reply and made a sequence of errors. Darnell Mooney didn’t run deep sufficient on a route, Kirk Cousins threw a bit of bit wanting the sticks on third down, and a fourth down run for Robinson was stuffed. That gave the Eagles the ball again, and inevitably, they didn’t relinquish it, squeaking out a hard-fought win in opposition to Atlanta. Proper?
That’s the story that we anticipated, and the story I had half-written. It’s the story these Falcons have penned time and again lately, one among a hard-fought effort that turns to bitter disappointment late. However they nonetheless had the pen of their palms, they usually wrote one thing totally different. On the subsequent drive, the Eagles performed off the ball in concern of the massive play and Cousins ate them alive beneath, with large catches from Darnell Mooney and Drake London organising the landing move to London with solely a bit of time remaining for the Eagles to attempt to come again. It was an eye-opening drive from Cousins and this offense, one which proved they’ve solutions they lacked in years previous, and it gave them a one level win.
There was nonetheless time to blow it, however they didn’t. As an alternative, Kaden Elliss pressured Jalen Hurts right into a barely off-kilter throw, and Jessie Bates homed in on it and intercepted it to seal the win. The Falcons received, on the highway, in opposition to Philadelphia after a hopeless Week 1 effort. They dug deep and located the resilience on offense and protection to tug it out in opposition to an NFC contender they’ve struggled with for years now. They did, in brief, the whole lot we might have requested in the long run, and their season is alive and nicely. It wasn’t all the time fairly, however in the long run, it was lovely.
On to the complete drive-by-drive recap.
1st Quarter
The Falcons received the toss and option to defer. A brief kick was taken by Will Shipley to the 33 yard line. A fast first down move from Jalen Hurts to Grant Calcaterra received the Eagles shifting, however an eight yard move on first down was referred to as again due to an unlawful man downfield. Hurts then rolled out to attempt to acquire a few yards and was tripped up earlier than the sideline by Mike Hughes for no acquire. Then Hurts hit Britain Covey for 5 yards, organising a third and 9, and Hurts tried to run it and was rapidly taken down by Troy Andersen. Punt, and the Falcons have been pinned deep.
Bijan Robinson took the primary carry and went for seven yards. On second down, he made a pleasant reduce and spin once more to select up six yards. Then Kirk Cousins threw a play motion move and had an open Darnell Mooney, however the ball was tipped on the line of scrimmage. On second down, he received Drake London for six yards on a ball he ripped into a good window. Cousins threw it to Bijan on third down and received it to him, but it surely bounced off his palms and to the turf. Punt.
Saquon Barkley received a gap and ran for an easy 9 yards. Jahan Dotson then received a primary down on a fast move from Hurts for six. Barkley received eight yards on the subsequent carry, too. The strain received nearer to Hurts on the subsequent play, however he was in a position to rifle one to Calcaterra for a primary down. Barkley then a primary down once more, with excellent blocking and a robust effort by means of contact. A missed sort out on the subsequent play led to a different Barkley first down, after which Kenneth Gainwell picked up 4 yards, and adopted that up with a two yard acquire. On third down, the Falcons dropped again, flushed Hurts out, and compelled a throw to the again of the tip zone that was damaged up by Richie Grant. Mike Hughes was on Dallas Goedert, and strain received there sufficient to power a mildly off-kilter throw from Hurts. Turnover on downs.
Robinson picked up two yards, but it surely was powerful sledding to even get that. On second down, although, a pleasant block by London sprang him for a primary down, and he did his half by placing a defender within the floor. He then picked up three yards on first down, after which Tyler Allgeier picked up three yards up the center with Josh Sweat hitting him early within the carry. On third down, Cousins pressured one to London that was almost picked off by Quinyon Mitchell. Punt, and Bradley Pinion received sufficient on it to pin the Eagles contained in the 30.
The Falcons held Barkley to a single yard on the subsequent carry, which was wonderful. DeVonta Smith was the goal on the subsequent play, and A.J. Terrell flew in and hit him after a 5 yard pickup. Hurts was pressured by David Onyemata on the subsequent play and needed to power a low throw on the run that was damaged up. Punt, and Avery Williams received 12 yards on the punt return.
Cousins threw a play motion move on the subsequent play, and although it was low Drake London managed to scoop it out of the grime for 19 yards.
2nd Quarter
Allgeier picked up 4 yards on first down. Cousins then hit Allgeier over the center for 12 yards, after which some good blocking and a few acquainted Allgeier burst received the Falcons 15 yards. On the subsequent carry, Bijan didn’t get the handoff and managed to fall on it for a lack of one. Robinson then tripped a bit of bit on second down and managed a few yards. On third down, the Falcons referred to as a timeout simply earlier than the snap. Cousins didn’t see anyplace to go along with the ball and managed to scramble for a yard. Younghoe Koo banged the sector aim house to make it Falcons 3, Eagles 0.
4 yards for Barkley on first down, however then Hurts was in a position to loft one to DeVonta Smith for 19 yards. Grady Jarrett then received freed from a block and compelled Hurts to throw it away. On second down, Matthew Judon blew into the backfield and took Barkley down for a lack of one. Goedert then caught on because the Falcons blitzed on third down, however he solely received seven yards. The Eagles elected to go for it, and Hurts was in a position to evade strain after which scramble for a giant acquire, however he was referred to as for a delay of sport which value the Eagles 5 yards however didn’t end in a lack of the primary down. A toss to Barkley was eaten alive by the Falcons protection for a lack of 5, however then Hurts was in a position to scramble for 9 yards. On the subsequent play, he received unfastened once more and the Falcons did not deliver him down for one more first down. Hurts’ move was incomplete on the subsequent play, and an ineligible man downfield penalty backed the Eagles up 5 yards. A fast move to Covey resulted in simply two yards, however then Hurts was in a position to hit Smith for a landing. Eagles 7, Falcons 3.
The Falcons solely received a brief return from Avery Williams, and a penalty backed them up additional. A handoff to Ray-Ray McCloud resulted in simply two yards. With a rusher in his face, Cousins removed the ball to Kyle Pitts, who solely managed two yards on the play. McCloud then caught a primary down over the center. Robinson then received a carry and rolled for 9 yards, after which Bijan took it for shut to fifteen yards and a possible holding name on Drew Dalman was picked up. Cousins then pump faked, seemingly seeing contact within the secondary, and received sacked by Brandon Graham. That was fortunately worn out by an unlawful contact name on Nakobe Dean, giving the Falcons a primary down and 5 yards. Then Cousins went to Mooney and there simply wasn’t sufficient zip on the ball, because it was low and damaged up. Then he completely zipped one on the subsequent play for a primary all the way down to McCloud over the center. Sadly, McCloud was then referred to as for an unsportsmanlike conduct name and that resulted in a 15 yard backup. Bijan received about seven yards on a fast move from Cousins, after which Robinson saved going by means of contact and picked up 14. Allgeier was in a position to take it about 5 yards on first down, after which Allgeier went proper up the center for seven yards and a primary down. Cousins hit Robinson for a fast acquire that went nowhere, but it surely went nowhere partly as a result of Brandon Graham received flagged for a facemask. Robinson went up the center and was bottomed up for a one yard loss on first and aim. Cousins tried for Mooney on second down, however threw it a bit of too far to the sideline for Mooney to get to. Cousins then needed to hearth it on third down out of the again of the tip zone for an absence of choices. Koo hit the sector aim to make it Eagles 7, Falcons 6.
The Eagles kneeled it out.
third Quarter
After the touchback, Cousins threw a low ball that Bijan was in a position to scoop it up for a seven yard acquire. Bijan then kicked it exterior for a 19 yard carry. Bijan then went up the center for one more 5 yards acquire on first down. Robinson then took a display screen move from Cousins, who was beneath strain, and good blocking helped him to get 14 yards. Allgeier took it 10 yards on first down on the very subsequent carry, after which picked up one other 5 yards on the subsequent play. The toss play was much less productive as Allgeier ran out of room, however he did decide up a yard. Cousins then dropped again to move, however received sacked rapidly by Milton Williams, who blew by means of Chris Lindstrom with alarming quickness. Koo hit the sector aim attempt, although. Falcons 9, Eagles 7.
Touchback. Saquon Barkley picked up 9 yards on first down, after which plunged over the center for one more three or so yards and a primary down. The following play, Matthew Judon received house and took down Hurts for a sack and a 5 yard loss. Sadly, he had time and located DeVonta Smith for a primary down working in opposition to Dee Alford. A fast move to Barkley resulted in one more first down. Barkley received three yards on his subsequent carry, after which Hurts rolled out and was capable of finding Smith for a sideline first down. Barkley then received about 5 yards. A fast move to Covey received a few yards, after which an finish zone shot was damaged up by Jessie Bates flying in with physicality. The Eagles lined up for a subject aim after which tried a bit of motion-based trickery to power Atlanta offsides, however they didn’t chunk. Jake Elliott transformed the quick subject aim attempt, and it was Eagles 10, Falcons 9.
Touchback. Drake London caught the quick first down move and bullied his technique to near a primary down. Allgeier then picked up a few yards and the primary down. Strain got here for Cousins rapidly and he removed it, displaying a bit of motion ability alongside the best way. A fast display screen to Robinson went completely nowhere on second down. Pitts caught it for about an eight yard acquire, which left the Falcons about 4 yards wanting a primary down. The Falcons went for it on fourth down and managed to maintain Cousins clear lengthy sufficient for him to seek out Ray-Ray McCloud over the center for a primary down. On the very subsequent play, Cousins discovered Mooney over the center, and Gardner-Johnson couldn’t get him down as Mooney stayed alive and scored the landing. Falcons 15-10, they usually went for 2 factors and didn’t get it.
Touchback. Hurts scrambled for a few yards on first down, after which Covey received a giant pickup and a primary down…earlier than an ineligible man downfield name backed issues up. DeVonta Smith received 9 on the subsequent play to arrange a manageable third down.
4th Quarter
Hurts had all day, was in a position to roll away from a pursuing Judon, and accomplished it to Covey for a primary down. One other fast hit to Covey picked up three yards, after which Barkley received one other three by means of the air. Yet one more strike from Hurts to Smith was simply wanting a primary down, they usually received the fourth down attempt. Barkley received about 4, however the Falcons made him work for it. Covey received about three yards earlier than Terrell wrecked him, after which Hurts ran up the center for a simple first down. Barkley then took it eight yards on first down, and Hurts was in a position to evade one sort out and decide up a primary down once more. Barkley received away from a would-be sort out for a primary down, however a holding name backed it up 10 yards, fortunately. A giant run from Hurts received the Eagles shut but once more. Barkley received a yard to arrange third and three, after which Hurts swung out a move to Barkley and received a primary down simply shy of the tip zone. Inevitably, the Eagles and Hurts pushed it in. Eagles 16, Falcons 15 and the 2 level attempt was dominated good regardless of a despondent Jason Kelce “oh no” within the sales space, making it Eagles 18, Falcons 15.
The Falcons took the touchback. Bijan received a yard or so on first down working exterior, after which Cousins took a deep shot to Mooney, however he had stopped working full bore in some unspecified time in the future and the ball sailed method over his head. On third down, Cousins hit London simply wanting the sticks, and the fourth down attempt by Robinson was stuffed. Turnover on downs.
A primary down run by Barkley was referred to as again as a result of a holding penalty. Barkley was then hit by James Smith-Williams and Jessie Bates for a lack of a yard. Hurts then received Goedert for 16 yards, organising third and quick. A fast move to Barkley resulted in a primary down. Barkley was introduced down for no acquire by Grady Jarrett, after which powered by means of for what the officiating crew deemed a primary down. They wound up calling it, nonetheless, after which Hurts received a primary down on the tush push once more. A fast run to Barkley, one other run to Barkley, and the Falcons had burned their timeouts. On third down, Barkley one way or the other dropped the move in his palms, and the Eagles transformed the sector aim attempt to make it 21-15 Eagles.
Cousins hit Pitts for a primary down over the center on the beginning of the subsequent drive, after which he aired one out to Mooney for 21 yards. Mooney then caught one other one on the sideline for a giant chunk acquire and received out of bounds. Then London reeled one in for a 5 yard acquire with 43 seconds left on the clock. Cousins took an finish zone shot at McCloud, and the officiating crew declined to name a move interference on the Eagles nook, on condition that it was borderline, but it surely hardly mattered. Cousins dropped it in for Drake London and a landing on the very subsequent play to tie issues up, however a penalty for a celebration on London backed up the additional level attempt 15 yards. It didn’t matter, as a result of Koo knocked it house. Falcons 22, Eagles 21.
The Eagles had time and timeouts, they usually received a fast first down. However issues change straight away, and strain from Kaden Elliss received house as Hurts launched an off-kilter one to a ready Jessie Bates, who intercepted it to seal the win on the highway. The Atlanta Falcons are 1-1 with a surprising upset victory, and I couldn’t be happier.