The Falcons almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. This despite the Lions kicking a late field goal to pull within four points. You read that correctly. Trailing by a touchdown with less than three minutes remaining from the 5-yard line, the Lions kicked a field goal.
Maybe they knew something.
The Falcons couldn’t run out the clock and a very costly fumble gave the Lions life. However, Lions quarterback Tim Boyle found Falcons linebacker Foye Oluokun at the 1-yard line with 39 seconds remaining and this time the Falcons ran out the clock for a 20-16 victory.
Here are the highlights on Sunday’s game:
Play of the game: Why did Oluokun need to make a game-saving interception? Because Russell Gage fumbled as the Falcons were trying to run out the clock following the Lions mismanagement. The Falcons started a drive at their 25-yard line with 2:32 remaining. Cordarrelle Patterson ran for three yards. Mike Davis followed with no gain. Matt Ryan found Gage for a 4-yard gain, only to see Jalen Reeves-Maybin force a fumble, recovered by Dean Marlowe, at the 37-yard line with 2:18 remaining. The Lions drove 28 yards and had a first-and-goal before Oluokun’s heroics.
Offensive game ball: Kyle Pitts. The rookie tight end, headed to the Pro Bowl, had a stellar game with six catches for 102 yards. It was his third 100-yard receiving game of the season. Pitts surpassed Tony Gonzalez for the most receiving yards by a Falcons tight end in a single season. The mark now stands at 949 yards with two games to play.
Defensive game ball: Jaylinn Hawkins. The safety made what should have been the play of the game. Facing a third-and-2 from the 5-yard line, Hawkins stuffed Lions running back Craig Reynolds for a 3-yard loss. The Lions, who twice before converted fourth downs on the drive, elected for a 26-yard field goal with 2:38 remaining. The score, which came after a 17-play, 66-yard drive, took up 10:26 of the fourth quarter and put the Lions behind by four points, 20-16. They still needed to get the ball back and score a touchdown to win. They almost did.
Key stat: The Falcons won despite rushing for just 47 yards – 28 from Davis, 14 from Patterson and five from Ryan.
Biggest takeaway: Give the Falcons credit for a close win. Head coach Arthur Smith preaches that he and his staff are instilling a winning culture. Perhaps seven wins in one-score games is proof they are on the right track. There is still a lot to work on after needing late-game heroics to beat a two-win team missing several key players.
They said it: “We were talking on the sideline, expecting to go back out there and win it.” – Oluokun on game-winning defensive stop
Next up: The Falcons travel to Buffalo for their final road game of the regular season. The game at the Bills kicks off at 1 p.m.
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