Walker, Pearce collab on big-time play for Falcons
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Falcons were teetering on the edge of getting blown out.
They were trailing 21-7 and the Patriots were on the move in the final minute of the second quarter.
But the Falcons’ first-round draft picks, Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., collaborated on a big play to breathe some new life into the team in the 24-23 loss to the Patriots on Sunday.
Walker came on a blitz and had a sack of Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. He forced a fumble, and Pearce scooped it up and ran it down to the 6-yard line. Two plays later, the Falcons scored to make it 21-14.
“All I know is, me and the (defensive) line, we ran a game (stunt),” said Walker, who was taken with the 15th overall pick in the draft. “Got the sack. That’s it. I didn’t know the ball was out until I got up and saw James running with the ball.”
Walker had missed the past two games because of a groin injury.
“It was a great feeling,” Walker said. “It was a great turnover for us. That’s what we needed to go into the half.”
The Falcons wanted Pearce so badly, they traded away next season’s first-round pick to get back into the first-round and took him with the 26th overall pick.
“I was in the right place at the right time … picking up the ball,” said Pearce, who said he was happy to have Walker back on the field. “It was great. You see how much (Walker) means to the team just with his impact, his play and the energy and the plays he had out there today.”
The two will be linked because they were drafted to help the Falcons improve their pass rush. The Falcons ended up with six sacks, six quarterback hits and seven tackles for losses against the Patriots. The six sacks tied a season high they had against Minnesota on Sept. 14.
“Just make much more of them,” Pearce said of the play. “Just being consistent with this and finding our way. It’s our first year in the league.”
Walker finished with two sacks, two tackles for losses and two quarterbacks hits.
Pearce was glad to play a role in the turnover.
“It felt great,” Pearce said. “Just little plays like that give you confidence. It’s a welcome to the league, and you feel like you’re finally at the party. You know what I’m saying.”
Pearce said he held the ball out so that the defenders couldn’t knock it away from him.
Pearce has been active, but entered the game with half a sack on the season. Walker, Brandon Dorlus and LaCale London had two sacks each against the Patriots.
“Just trying to find a way to stay consistent and keep getting the rush down,” Pearce said. “Keep getting the results that we got today with getting the quarterback down. We have to find a way to do it on a more consistent level all throughout the game.”
Walker did not play in the past two games against the 49ers on Oct. 19 and the Dolphins on Oct. 26.
“It felt great to be back,” Walker said. “I’ve been aiming for this moment for about two weeks now. To get back on the field and get back playing.”
Walker knows that he and Pearce are a package deal.
“Oh yeah, most definitely,” Walker said. “For me and James to come in together, we already had the competitive spirit from playing in the SEC and then us coming together and being teammates, that’s what we did. That’s what we pondered on and thought about. We talk about (making plays together) still. Always. Just making plays and supporting each other.”
Walker is waiting for when Pearce can get the sack and he gets the fumble recovery.
“Like you saw, strip-sack and he got the fumble,” Walker said. “Vice versa, if that would have happened, I most definitely would have strained my butt off to get the fumble as well.”
The Falcons are clearly still a work in progress.
“I don’t feel like we’re in a somber moment,” Walker said. “I feel like we learn through every loss that we have. Today, close game. It just comes down to the minor details that we have to work on and just clean up. It’s just the little things that gets us.”
Walker believes this game could be a building block for he and Pearce.
“It’s a great league,” Walker said. “We play against other professional athletes.”
The offense appreciated the big play.
“The defense came up big, and we capitalized,” wide receiver Drake London said. “That’s the complementary football that we need to play.”
Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom was also pumped about Walker and Pearce.
“Unbelievable, those two,” Lindstrom said. “James’ ball security, we’ll have to talk about that another day. They made an incredible play. The two young guys have added so much to our team.
“We are happy to have them have success. They were a great spark for us. That was a huge game-turning play that gave us a chance to win.”
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
