FLOWERY BRANCH -- With a 10-point deficit and less than two minutes left in the third quarter, the Falcons were staring at the dreaded 0-2 start.
During the Falcons' 35-31 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, most of the Atlanta players were aware of what was at stake.
“We were sitting around looking at each other and saying, ‘Hey, when we get this ball back, we have to put a drive together and score,’’’ All-Pro side receiver Roddy White said. “We went out and did that.”
No sense of panic engulfed the Falcons’ bench area at the Georgia Dome, White said.
“But it was now or never time,” tight end Tony Gonzalez said.
Linebacker Curtis Lofton knew the Falcons had to somehow withstand Philadelphia’s 21-point third quarter.
“We didn’t want to go 0-2 to start the season," Lofton said. “It was a big game, big team and we were happy to get it.”
Since the playoffs were expanded to 12 teams in 1990, only 22 of the 177 teams that lost their first two games have made the postseason. None of the 17 teams in the last two seasons to start 0-2 have rallied to make the playoffs.
Last season, six NFC teams started 0-2, and each of them -- Dallas, Minnesota, Detroit, St. Louis, Washington and New York Giants – missed the playoffs.
In 2009, nine teams started off 0-2 and didn’t make the playoffs.
In 2007, the New York Giants upset the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl after starting the season 0-2.
Other successful 0-2 teams were the 1993 Cowboys, who went on to win the Super Bowl; the 1996 New England Patriots, who reached the Super Bowl despite losing their first two games; and the Patriots, won their first Super Bowl title in 2001 despite a 0-2 start.
The Falcons started 0-2 in 2002, but rebounded to reach the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Atlanta offensive line had a rough day against the Eagles, but, with the game on the line, it functioned well out of the no-huddle attack.
“Going to the no-huddle really helped us get a rhythm, throwing the ball and running the ball,” left tackle Sam Baker said. “That definitely helped down the stretch.”
With quarterback Matt Ryan calling the plays at the line of scrimmage, the Falcons put together two, 80-yard drives to pull out the victory. In the no-huddle offense, Ryan arrived at the line of scrimmage, read the defense and made the call. If the defense adjusted, he had enough time to change it.
The two drives consisted of 19 plays collectively, and the Falcons had only one negative play for a loss and two incompletions.
Ryan’s most intuitive call was the trap play that Michael Turner turned into a 61-yard gain.
“Matt saw the look and called a great play right there,” Baker said. “Tyson Clabo and Garrett Reynolds really blew open a huge hole. It was one of those plays you’ll always remember.”
Ryan liked the call so much he came right back with it, and Jacquizz Rodgers ripped off a 10-yard gain.
Despite the success of the no-huddle, Ryan was not looking for additional play-calling duties.
“No, no, no, no, no,” Ryan said, when asked if he should call all of the plays.
The Falcons' other touchdowns were scored off short fields on drives of 38, 24 and 49 yards.
“We knew it was going to be one of those tough games where there were going to be some drives that didn’t look pretty, but there are also going to be some drives where you make plays,” Ryan said.
The victory marked the 14th time that Ryan has led the Falcons on a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime.
“Our group is very confident,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “It’s a quiet confidence in terms of we know what we have to do and how we have to prepare. You don’t want to put yourself into too deep of a hole.”
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