ON THE FALCONS BEAT

The Bow Tie Chronicles: Falcons sink to 1-3 after blowing another fourth-quarter lead

Falcons are 0-6-1 in Pittsburgh

9/30/18 - Atlanta - Atlanta Falcons cornerback Isaiah Oliver (20) gets beat by Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) as Green got open in the end zone to score the winning touchdown for the Bengals. The Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 29, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan paces the sidelines as the Cincinnati Bengals go on a game-winning drive in the final minutes Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018, in Atlanta. The Bengals beat the Falcons 37-36.

September 30, 2018 Atlanta: Former president Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter give Falcons head coach Dan Quinn a thumbs up before playing the Bengals in a NFL football game on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

September 30, 2018 Atlanta: Former president Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter are on the sidelines for the Falcons and Bengals in a NFL football game on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

September 30, 2018 Atlanta: Falcons long time team photographer Jimmy Cribb is honored by owner Arthur Blank and former running back Warrick Dunn with a team jersey before playing the Bengals in a NFL football game on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

September 30, 2018 Atlanta: Falcons running back Ito Smith spikes the ball after scoring a touchdown for a 7-0 lead over the Bengals during the first quarter in a NFL football game on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

9/30/18 Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) pulls in a first down catch, to set up for a Falcons' touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

9/30/18 Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert goes uncovered for the touchdown in the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons, Sept 30, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

9/30/18 Atlanta Falcons running back Ito Smith (25) slips through to the Endzone, putting the Falcons on the scoreboard first in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Falcons played the Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

9/30/18 Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovani Bernard (25) runs to the endzone for touchdown in the first quarter against The Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

September 30, 2018 Atlanta: Falcons tight end Logan Paulsen catches a touchdown pass to tie the game 14-14 with the Bengals during the first half in a NFL football game on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

9/30/18 - Atlanta - Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver John Ross (15) beats Atlanta Falcons cornerback Damontae Kazee (27) to score Cincinnati's third touchdown.
The Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 29, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM

9/30/18 - Atlanta - Atlanta Falcons kicker Matt Bryant (3) points at the Bengals bench after he kicked a long field goal at the end of the half. The Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 29, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM

9/30/18 - Atlanta - Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) gets out of bounds to stop the clock on the Falcons final drive of the first half that ended up a field goal. The Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 29, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM

9/30/18 - Atlanta - Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) makes this catch for a 1st down to set up a Falcon's score. The Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 29, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM

September 30, 2018 Atlanta: Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones gets a pat on the back from Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick coming up short of the endzone on the final play of the game in a 37-36 loss to the Bengals in a NFL football game on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

September 30, 2018 Atlanta: Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones comes up short of the endzone on the final play of the game in a 37-36 loss to the Bengals in a NFL football game on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

September 30, 2018 Atlanta: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green catches the winning touchdown pass past Atlanta Falcons cornerback Isaiah Oliver for a 37-36 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the final seconds of a NFL football game on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

9/30/18 - Atlanta - Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) in the third quarter. The Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

9/30/18 - Atlanta - Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley (18) gets a third quarter touchdown on a pass from Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2). The Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

9/30/18 - Atlanta - Another first down for the Cincinnati Bengals with this catch by Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd (83) over Atlanta Falcons defensive back Desmond Trufant (21). The Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

9/30/18 - Atlanta - Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd (83) gets the first down in the third quarter. The Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

9/30/18 - Atlanta - Atlanta Falcons cornerback Brian Poole (34) gets a flag on this play for targeting Cincinnati Bengals running back Mark Walton (32). The Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

9/30/18 - Atlanta - Atlanta Falcons linebacker Vic Beasley (44) blocks a throw from Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) in the third quarter. The Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

September 30, 2018 Atlanta: Atlanta Falcons safety Damontae Kazee stiff arms Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Alex Erickson while intercepting quarterback Andy Dalton during the third quarter in a NFL football game on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

September 30, 2018 Atlanta: Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan during the first half in a NFL football game on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

September 30, 2018 Atlanta: Falcons defensive end Takkarist McKinley sacks Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton during the fourth quarter in a NFL football game on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

September 30, 2018 Atlanta: Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian (from left), head coach Dan Quinn, and quarterback Matt Ryan can only watch from the sidelines in the fourth quarter falling to the Bengals 37-36 in a NFL football game on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

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9/30/18 - Atlanta - Atlanta Falcons cornerback Isaiah Oliver (20) gets beat by Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) as Green got open in the end zone to score the winning touchdown for the Bengals. The Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept 29, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM

By D. Orlando Ledbetter

Oct 1, 2018

In the 79th episode of The Bow Tie Chronicles, we look at the offense, defense and special teams as the Falcons have fallen into the 1-3 sunken place after the first quarter of the season. Right tackle Ryan Schraeder stopped by to help discuss the current state of the team. The Falcons, who have never won in Pittsburgh, play in the Steel City on Sunday.

Subscribe to "The Bow Tie Chronicles" podcast with the AJC's D. Orlando Ledbetter on iTunes or on the new AJC sports podcasts page.

About the Author

D. Orlando Ledbetter

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.

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