Corey Peters credits the defensive play call.
Really, the big right hand of the Falcons defensive tackle had more to do with preserving a 31-17 victory over the Panthers Sunday.
Peters’ fourth-quarter interception, one of three picks of Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, came two plays after the Falcons took a seven-point lead. An eight-play, 39-yard drive for a touchdown followed to end any chance of a Panthers comeback. Peters reached out and tipped a would-be screen pass and then came down the ball.
“I kind of fell into it,” Peters said. “I turned around and saw the ball and did what I could to catch it.”
Peters said the defensive call was a fire-zone blitz. The defensive tackle stays to contain and the end drops into coverage.
“Once I went on to contain, I saw the offensive lineman go out on the screen so I just turned around and he threw the ball right to me,” Peters said.
A one-yard return, to the Panthers’ 39-yard line, was not exactly what Peters had in mind.
“It’s a lot different than you imagine in the sense that when you catch the ball you kind of freeze for a second ‘Oh, I got the ball,’ Peters said. “Then you have to figure out what to do with it.
“I was trying to take it to the house but it didn’t quite work out that way.”
He did take some ribbing from teammates about his attempt at being a ball carrier.
“I think he went five yards sideways,” defensive end Ray Edwards said.
Newton credited Peters on the play, an attempted screen pass to DeAngelo Williams.
“He just backed up,” a disgruntled Newton said. “It was an excellent play by him.”
Peters finished with one assist and one combined tackle. He has seven tackles and one sack through the Falcons’ first six games this season. He missed the season-opener with a knee injury but returned to the starting lineup.
“The one thing I was very pleased with was as the play continued, he finished with the position that you want a defensive lineman to have on the football, and that’s both hands on the ball,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “He did a great job. That was a great individual effort in reading the screen.”
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