This time, it was the Falcons defense that contributed to the team’s well-documented search for “explosive plays.” Game-changing moments by the defensive unit helped preserve Sunday night’s 35-31 victory over the Eagles.
“There were a lot of ebbs and flows,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “It wasn’t our best game but we did enough to get it down. On offense, we picked up the defense when we had to. On defense picked up the offense when they had to.”
Consider these moments from the defense:
With free-agent acquisition Ray Edwards chasing down Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, linebacker Curtis Lofton tipped a pass intended for tight end Brent Celek. The third-down incompletion forced the Eagles to kick a 22-yard field goal in the second quarter for a 10-7 lead.
Later in the second quarter, the Eagles were deep inside Falcons territory again. With a first-and-goal from the 4-yard line, defensive tackle Peria Jerry jumped a gap while Vick was attempting to hand the ball to LeSean McCoy. He stripped the ball free and Edwards picked up the loose ball and raced 64 yards beforehe was caught from behind. Instead of a 17-7 deficit, the Falcons scored four plays later for a 14-10 lead.
“My tackle, Peria, got the ball real quick and caused Vick to fumble; I scooped it. ... I was very fortunate to be in position to pick up the fumble and try to make a play for a touchdown," Edwards said. "Though I didn’t make it to the end zone, I gave it my best. All I remember is scooping the ball, but not too much after that. It all happened so very fast. As a defense, we try to make those plays all the time and give the offense a short field.”
On the Eagles ensuing drive, John Abraham stripped the ball from Vick and Stephen Nicolas recovered
Late in the third quarter, safety William Moore hit Vick and knocked him from the game with a neck injury. The Eagles turned the game over to backup quarterback Mike Kafka. A 10-point Eagles lead evaporated.
Finally, with the Eagles driving for the go-ahead score in the final two minutes, the Falcons defense made its biggest stop. On a third-and-five from the 21-yard line, defensive back Christopher Owens dropped Jeremy Maclin for a 1-yard loss on an attempted screen pass. On the next play Maclin dropped a sure first-down pass and the Falcons went into victory formation.
“Don’t give up a first down,” Owen said of the defensive mindset. “It was four-down territory. That was a big stop, but the next stop was even greater. The game was on us and that’s how we like it in the end.”
The Eagles finished with a 447-318 total yards advantage, 314 coming through the air. Maclin finished with a game-high 171 yards. However, that 1-yard loss was a game-changer.
The Falcons will take it. Thanks, in part, to a defense that stepped up when needed most.
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