Falcons: 3 keys to the victory over the Redskins

By D. Orlando Ledbetter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

1. The Falcons entered the game with the 31st-ranked pass defense in the league. They will rise in the rankings this week after the pass rush got to the Washington quarterback for a team-record five times in the first half. They knocked Jason Campbell out of the game with a chest contusion, but he returned later. Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux had 2.5 sacks, Kroy Biermann and cornerback Chevis Jackson had one each and defensive tackle John Abraham had a half of a sack.

2. Running back Michael Turner followed up his fine 151-yard showing against the New Orleans Saints with another hard-charging effort. He went over the 100-yard mark on a 58-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Turner jumped over Washington safety LaRon Landry and then broke free from a weak tackle attempt from Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall and kept rumbling on into the end zone. Turner finished with 166 yards rushing on 18 carries and two touchdowns. His rushing totals do not include a 37-yard run in the second quarter that was called back because of a holding penalty on right tackle Tyson Clabo. When Turner rushes for more than 100 yards, the Falcons are 10-1.

3. What an opening! For the third straight game, the Falcons opened the game with a touchdown drive. Matt Ryan tossed a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Gonzalez to cap a 10-play, 74-yard drive to give them a 7-0 lead. The Falcons also scored on their first drives against New Orleans and Dallas. Also for the third time, the Falcons were not able to sustain the good start. The Falcons did not score on their next two series. Turner scored on a 30-yard touchdown run on their fifth possession to give them a 21-3 lead.

By the numbers

• 9 -- Tight end Tony Gonzalez, with a 6-yard catch in the third quarter, moved into 19th place on the league's all-time receiving yardage list. He now has 11,374 career yards.

• 5 – Sacks the Falcons had in the first half against the Redskins.

• 2 – The yards Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall lost on a punt return in the third quarter.

• 2:15 --  The amount of time the Falcons held the ball in the third quarter as the Redskins dominated time of possession and held the ball for 12 minutes, 45 seconds.

• 81.1 -- Matt Ryan's quarterback rating after having three straight games with a sub-70 quarterback rating.

Etc.

• Kickoff returner Eric Weems had a scintillating 38-yard kickoff return in the second quarter.

• Will Svitek came in for left tackle Sam Baker when he left the game in the first half.

• Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux turned in a mega-game. He had 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He had three tackles for losses and three quarterback hits.

• Falcons cornerback Tye Hill's 62-yard interception return for a touchdown was his first career touchdown.

Injury report

• Wide receiver Brian Finneran (knee): Was injured in the first quarter and did not return.

• Left tackle Sam Baker (left ankle): Left the game in the second quarter.