Falcons linebacker Stephen Nicholas came off the bench to help stymie the Redskins on Sunday.
With linebacker Sean Weatherspoon knocked from the game with a knee injury, Nicholas, the former starter who has been relegated to special teams duties, took over in the third quarter.
The Falcons were up 24-20, but the Redskins were on the move at Atlanta’s 13-yard line when Nicholas forced a fumble, knocking the ball from running back Alfred Morris. Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux recovered and the Falcons’ lead was preserved.
“I felt (the ball) move,” Nicholas said. “I wasn’t sure if it came out, but I was trying to go ahead and finish the tackle. I felt it move and the next thing I knew, I saw Babes get up with that ball. I was excited.”
The Falcons offense couldn’t convert the turnover into points, but Nichols helped keep at least three points off the board.
“That was a very big play,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “Stephen went out there and when his opportunity arose, he made a big play. That was a big play, punching that ball out there in the second half.”
Nicholas has been a team player after starting 43 regular-season games from 2009-12 at strongside linebacker. He has not griped about his demotion and has been a willing special teamer.
“I went out and played football,” Nicholas said. “Whenever the opportunity presents itself, I have to go out and do my job. It’s critical. That’s what I try to go out and do.”
Nicholas may stay in the lineup, at least on running downs, if Weatherspoon is not able to come back from his knee injury. He did not return to the game and Smith did not have a post-game update on his condition.
If called upon, Nicholas plans to be ready.
“We are trying to get some momentum going,” Nicholas said. “It’s all positive in here. We are going to keep playing football.”
Secondary blues: The Falcons' secondary, featuring three rookie starters in cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford and safety Zeke Motta, was shredded for 381 yards and three touchdowns.
Safety William Moore and Trufant came up with key interceptions.
“We bent a little bit, but we didn’t break,” said Trufant, who was beaten by Pierre Garcon on a 53-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.
“I gave up that one and I was kind of mad about that,” Trufant said. “That is something that we usually don’t do. So I had to come back and make a lot of plays for it. That’s just the life of a corner. You can’t focus on the negatives.”
He did come back to take a ball away from Garcon in the fourth quarter.
“That’s only my second (interception), but I should have six,” Trufant said. “I’ve been dropping them. I’ve dropped about five. I’m just trying to continue to work and make the most of my opportunities.”
Trufant also had the game’s biggest pass breakup on Washington’s failed two-point conversion with 18 seconds left.
“I should have caught it, but they said it wouldn’t have counted as an interception,” Trufant said. “I’m just glad I made the play. They were confident and wanted to go and try to win the game. But we stepped up.”
Umenyiora out: The Falcons started defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi in favor of Osi Umenyiora against the run.
“We wanted to work Osi in our (nickel) package,” Smith said. “In the way they presented the formations early in the ball game, he was not out there. We wanted to put him on a pitch count and get him ramped up rushing the passer. I think it paid dividends.”
On Umenyiora’s first play of the game, he got a sack-strip of Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Gunn not shy: Right guard Harland Gunn, who had not been active for a game this season, got a lot of action against the Redskins, spelling starter Peter Konz.
“It felt good to be out there with my teammates, battling and contributing to the game,” Gunn said. “It was a lot of fun.”
The Falcons had some success running behind Gunn.
“I’m just out there blocking,” Gunn said. “I saw some big runs hit when I was in. My adrenaline was pumping and I just wanted to keep it going, keep it moving.”
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan welcomed Gunn to the huddle.
“He was in there and he had that kind of excited look on his face that you see from guys the first time they’re out there,” Ryan said. “I thought he played with great effort.”
Etc.: Right tackle Ryan Schrader, who struggled at times against Green Bay last weekend, started against the Redskins. … The Falcons have forced 11 turnovers in the past three games after just getting eight turnovers in their first 11 games. … The Falcons have given up more than 100 yards rushing 11th straight games. Washington rushed for 103 yards on 21 carries. … With five more catches Sunday, Roddy White has caught 23 passes for 270 yards over his last three games.
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