Certain aspects of the Falcons' collapse in the NFC championship game were nothing new.
The missed tackles were familiar. So was the sight of a tight end running free in Atlanta’s secondary.
But the Falcons had some out-of-character mistakes while fading to 28-24 defeat to the 49ers Sunday at the Georgia Dome.
The Falcons had just 18 turnovers through 16 regular-season games yet had two giveaways against San Francisco to end promising drives. The Falcons were by far the least-penalized team this season but had a pair of costly personal-foul penalties. And Atlanta’s normally-solid punt coverage unit had a letdown at the worst time.
Those relatively rare miscues, plus the recurring mistakes, added up to the Falcons blowing a 17-0 lead a week after they couldn’t hold a 20-point advantage against the Seahawks.
“We did some ‘unordinary’ things, (like) turning the ball over,” Falcons wide receiver Roddy White said. “We kind of stopped ourselves and did some things we don’t normally do, and it was costly.”
Atlanta’s offense, defense and special teams all had a part in the mishaps.
The Falcons led 17-0 after Matt Ryan’s 20-yard touchdown pass to Julio Jones to open the second quarter. The 49ers trimmed the lead to 17-14 on a drive in which Falcons linebacker Stephen Nicholas was called for unnecessary roughness after the whistle.
The Falcons still led 24-14 at halftime but their mistakes caught up with them in the second half.
Atlanta quickly moved to San Francisco’s 47-yard line on its first drive of the second half. But on second down cornerback Chris Culliver intercepted quarterback Matt Ryan’s pass intended for White, who had stumbled.
“I fell down on the cut,” White said. “That one is all on me.”
Atlanta’s offense got another chance when the defense held San Francisco to a missed field goal. The Falcons botched that opportunity with another turnover.
On second down at San Francisco’s 29-yard line, Ryan mishandled a shotgun snap from center Todd McClure. The 49ers recovered the fumble.
“It was just kind a freak play,” Ryan said. “I took my eye off the ball for a quick second and it ended up on the ground.”
It looked like the Falcons would at least hold the 49ers to a three-and-out when Colin Kaepernick’s pass fell incomplete. But Atlanta defensive end Cliff Matthews was penalized for roughing the passer after he made contact with Kaepernick’s head while trying to bat down the pass.
“I just slightly hit him in the face mask,” Matthews said. “But I’ve just got to be smarter and not do dumb stuff like that anymore. I hurt the team.”
The Falcons mitigated that mistake when they forced a fumble at the one-yard line and recovered it. But it didn’t take long for the 49ers to get back in scoring position thanks to a Falcons three-and-out that was followed by a sub par punt by Matt Bosher.
Bosher’s 48-yard punt didn’t have much hang time. Ted Ginn Jr. had plenty of room to run when he fielded the ball and he returned it 20 yards to Atlanta’s 38-yard line.
The 49ers took the lead for good when Frank Gore finished that drive with a nine-yard touchdown run. Atlanta’s rally came up short, leaving the Falcons to lament their self-inflicted wounds.
“You don’t like having this taste in your mouth to know you had the opportunities to win the game,” Falcons wide receiver Harry Douglas said. “You have got to give San Francisco credit but we had opportunities.”
