The Atlanta Falcons defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20 in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Matt Ryan had over 300 yards passing and Julio Jones had over 100 yards receiving on the night.
Although the Falcons scored in every quarter, turnovers continued to plague any chance of gaining any type of rhythm.
Matt Ryan went 27 of 43 for 320 yards and three touchdowns. Which would’ve been stellar stats were it not for the three interceptions that were thrown, which inevitably helped the Eagles stay in the game.
Wide receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley were the main targets in the Falcons passing game. Ridley racked up 105 yards while Jones tallied 106. On the game-winning drive, Matt Ryan threw his 300th touchdown pass while Julio Jones passed Roddy White for the franchise record for most yards.
While neither team established a rushing game, Philadelphia’s Carson Wentz tried to keep his team in the game with a 231-yard outing. But the Falcons defense stepped up and nabbed two interceptions of their own, both from defensive back Desmond Trufant. Nelson Agholor was Wentz’s main target with 107 yards and a touchdown on the night.
The final drive of the game started badly for the Eagles after Vic Beasley was able to find his way past the O-line to get a much-needed sack. Fortunately for them, Agholor was able to bail them out on the very next play with a 43-yard pickup. But after the massive gain, the Eagles were unable to progress any further and ended up turning the ball over on downs.
This is what happens when you can’t find a rhythm. It seems like taking games down to the wire has become the M.O. for the Falcons. This game could’ve gone either way and various points of the game. If Philadelphia would’ve had a smoother fourth quarter or even established some semblance of a running game, it would’ve been a bad night for the Falcons.
The dirty birds will hit the road next Sunday, Sept. 29, and head to Indianapolis to face the Colts.
-Jon J.
Photo: Hakim Wright