ON THE FALCONS BEAT
ON THE FALCONS BEAT

Falcons hold 7-0 lead after first quarter

12/31/2017 -- Atlanta, GA, - Atlanta Falcons cheer for Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) as he heads into the tunnel before the start of the game against the Carolina Panthers at Mercedes Benz Stadium, Sunday, December 31, 2017. ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM

Credit: ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJ

Credit: ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJ

12/31/2017 -- Atlanta, GA, - Atlanta Falcons cheer for Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) as he heads into the tunnel before the start of the game against the Carolina Panthers at Mercedes Benz Stadium, Sunday, December 31, 2017. ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM
By
Dec 31, 2017

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan connected with running back Devonta Freeman for a 19-yard touchdown pass on the teams’ first possession against the Panther Sunday.

The Falcons led the Panthers, 7-0, at the end of the first quarter.

The Falcons can wrap up a playoff berth with a victory over the Panthers.

It was the just the fourth time this season the Falcons scored a touchdown on their opening possession. The 10-play drive covered 75 yards and took 4 minutes, 28 seconds off the clock.

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.

Follow D. Orlando Ledbetter on facebookFollow D. Orlando Ledbetter on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Falcons offensive lineman Mike Kenn, pictured watching the clock tick down in 1994 against the Cardinals, played for Atlanta from 1978 to 1994. (AJC file 1994)

Credit: DAVID TULIS

Former Falcons nominated for Pro Football Hall of Fame in seniors category

Eight Falcons stars from the 1960s through the 1990s were nominated. Four former UGA stars who played in the NFL, plus one from Tech, were also nominated.

Falcons’ Raheem Morris: ‘Those two young rushers set us off with a bunch of energy’

"I can’t say enough about those young guys. I can’t say enough about what they’ve done. They want to know how to play football every single day, says Coach Morris.

What the Falcons had to say after the 22-6 win over the Vikings

Atlanta players sound off on getting their first win, their new kicker’s spectacular debut, the success of their offensive line and running game and more.

The Latest

After rushing for 24 yards on 12 carries in the season-opening loss to the Buccaneers, Falcons running back Bijan Robinson ran for 143 yards on 22 carries against the Vikings on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Minneapolis. (Mike Stewart/AP)

Credit: AP

What the Falcons had to say after the 22-6 win over the Vikings

Falcons’ Raheem Morris: ‘Those two young rushers set us off with a bunch of energy’

Falcons’ Michael Penix on Bijan Robinson: ‘He’s the best running back in this league’

Featured

Fulton DA Fani Willis (center) with Nathan J. Wade (right), the special prosecutor she hired to manage the Trump case and had a romantic relationship with, at a news conference announcing charges against President-elect Donald Trump and others in Atlanta, Aug. 14, 2023. Georgia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, upheld an appeals court's decision to disqualify Willis from the election interference case against Trump and his allies. (Kenny Holston/New York Times)

Credit: NYT

Fani Willis loses last chance to stay at the helm of Trump Georgia election interference case

Georgia's top court declines to hear Fani Willis appeal in Trump case, meaning she can no longer pursue the election interference case.

Investigator: Ex-APD officer raped woman on duty, returned when she called 911

Fulton County Magistrate Judge Todd Ashley ruled there was enough evidence for the case to proceed against former officer Muhammad Muhammad.

Cobb County agency green lights tax break for Home Depot’s $140M project

The Development Authority of Cobb County voted 6-0 to give initial approval for Home Depot's request Tuesday but didn't disclose the property tax savings the company sought.

21m ago