Falcons hold on to defeat Titans
A quarter-by-quarter look at the Falcons’ 31-24 victory over Tennessee on Friday night at the Georgia Dome.
FIRST QUARTER
Big play: On the second play of the game, Matt Ryan, after a play-action fake, found wide receiver Julio Jones open over the middle. Jones nearly broke free for a touchdown, but stumbled after a 26-yard gain.
Turning point: Lightning-quick linebacker Justin Durant sniffed out a screen play and baited rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota. Once the pass left Mariota's hand, Durant swooped in for the interception and returned it 21 yards.
The takeaway: The offense need to work on the rushing attack.The defense created two turnovers and flashed a pass rush against a rookie quarterback making his NFL debut.
Score: Falcons 17, Titans 0
SECOND QUARTER
Big play: The Falcons elected to go for a fourth-and-1 after getting a 5-yard penalty with 3:17 left. Backup quarterback T.J. Yates found wide receiver Nick Williams for an 8-yard gain to keep the drive alive.
Turning point: After giving up two touchdowns, the second-team defense made an interception to slow down the Titans. Rookie cornerback Jalen Collins, who'd given up a touchdown pass earlier, tipped a Zach Mettenberger pass that was intended for Josh Stewart. Robenson Therezie came over from safety and made the interception.
The takeaway: Yates settled down and started to move the ball after a shaky start that included some errant passes. He drove the second-unit 80 yards over 11 plays for a touchdown. Antone Smith capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.
Halftime score: Falcons 24, Titans 13
THIRD QUARTER
Big play: Titans running back Antonio Andrews scored on 1-yard run to make the score 24-19, then added a two-point conversion run to move the Titans within a field goal.
Turning point: After giving up a long drive, the defense needed a break. But center Peter Konz sailed a shotgun snap over Yates' head on third down. Yates recovered it for a loss of 20 yards, and the Falcons were forced to punt.
The takeaway: The Falcons must continue to develop depth on defense. The reserves were pushed around as the Titans put together two long drives. Mettenberger opened with a 13-play, 89-yard touchdown drive that took 7:19 off the clock to open the quarter. Then Charlie Whitehurst led a 10-play, 44-yard drive that ended with a field goal.
Score: Falcons 24, Titans 24
FOURTH QUARTER
Big play: Third-string quarterback Sean Renfree converted a third-and-10 from Tennessee's 38 to keep a 16-play touchdown drive alive. He completed a pass to Marquez Clark for a 13-yard gain.
Turning point: With the score tied, Renfree directed the offense on a 16-play, 86-yard touchdown drive that took 7:41 off the clock. Running back Michael Ford sored on a 2-yard run to put the Falcons up 31-24.
The takeaway: Renfree may have leaped ahead of T.J. Yates in the backup quarterback derby.
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.
