Recent history suggested the Jaguars’ high-scoring would have a big day on Sunday but the Falcons’ beleaguered defense stiffened after an embarrassing performance at Carolina last week.
The Falcons held the Jaguars to a field goal in the first half and no points in the fourth quarter, when they stopped Jacksonville’s final drive to preserve the victory. It was a redemptive effort for the Falcons’ defense after it surrendered 260 yards and three touchdowns in the first quarter of the 38-0 defeat at Carolina.
“That was tough,” Falcons linebacker Nate Stupar said. “We got back to the basics of football. We had some really good practices this week and it showed today. We were very crisp and organized and playing as a team.”
The Jaguars had scored 51 points against the Colts in the previous week and 29 against the Titans in the game before that. In those games quarterback Blake Bortles passed for a total of 572 yards and five touchdowns without an interception.
The Jaguars and Bortles had a much tougher time against the Falcons. Jacksonville was 0-for-8 on third down and Falcons safety Kemal Ishmael erased a scoring chance when he intercepted Bortles’ pass at the goal line near the end of the first half and returned it to the Jags’ 16-yard line.
The Jaguars made it past midfield on just three of their six first-half possessions, resulting in a 42-yard field goal, a punt and Ishmael’s interception. The Jaguars scored touchdowns on their first two drives of the second half, though the first TD was aided by a questionable pass interference penalty against Falcons linebacker O’Brien Schfield.
Schofield was penalized on third-and-goal at the four-yard line but it appeared wide receiver Allen Hurns initiated the contact and grabbed Schofield.Bortles ran for a one-yard TD on the next play.
The Falcons had to defend a short field on Jacksonville’s next possession after the Jags intercepted quarterback Matt Ryan’s pass and returned it to the Falcons’ 39-yard line. Bortles led a six-play touchdown drive capped by his 10-yard pass to Allen Robinson.
That was all the points Jags could manage the rest of the game. In the fourth quarter the Falcons forced two three-and-outs and then stopped Jacksonville on fourth down at the Jags’ 41-yard line.
It was a strong showing for the Falcons after an awful one at Carolina, tough Ishmael said that wasn’t the primary motivation for the defense.
“Just playing our style of football and what we are capable of doing,” he said. “When we are on our game and doing what we preach, nobody can stop us.”
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