Another week, another historic collapse by the Falcons.
Quarterback Nick Foles came off the bench to rally the Bears to a 30-26 victory Sunday at Mercedes-Benz.
The Falcons blew a 16-point lead a week after they blew a 20-0 lead in a loss to Dallas.
“This last two-week stretch is about as tough as it can get,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “I do feel that way. When you have chances to go win it, and you come out on the other end, they definitely, they hurt.”
Foles tossed three touchdown passes in the span of 4 minutes, 27 seconds in the fourth quarter to sink the Falcons, who dropped to 0-3 for the first time since 2007. The Bears improved to 3-0.
The Falcons became the first team in NFL history to lose back-to-back games in which it led by 15 or more points in the final period, according to STATS. Last week, teams that scored 39 points and had zero turnovers were 440-0 going back to 1933 when turnovers were first recorded, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“It’s not OK,” Quinn said. “How do we find ways to finish better and that’s where our emphasis will be heading into this week.”
The psyche of the team is shaky. Defensive Dante Fowler spoked to the team in the locker room.
“Are we just going to go in the gutter and just quit,” Fowler said.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Here are five things we learned from the Falcons' 30-26 loss to the Bears:
1. Ridley started fast. With Julio Jones out with a hamstring injury, Calvin Ridley stepped into the role of the No. 1 wide receiver and turned in a big day. He had a 63-yard reception on the Falcons’ first play of the game and surpassed 100 yards in the third quarter.
Ridley went past the 300 yards receiving for the season. Julio Jones has had four seasons start like that. Other than Jones, no Falcons player has had 300-plus yards through Week 3 since Eric Metcalf back in 1995.
Jones had 329 in 2018; 440 in 2015; 365 in 2014; and 373 in 2013 through Week 3. Andre Rison had 388 through three games for Atlanta in 1994. Metcalf followed in 1995 with 339 receiving yards after three games.
Ridley finished with 5 catches for 110 yards. Russell Gage left the game after being evaluated for a head injury.
Ridley was seen shouting in the direction of Quinn, who said Ridley was just a competitor.
“I don’t remember,” Ridley said when asked about the sideline situation.
The Falcons had a last-ditch drive that ended on an interception by Chicago’s Tashaun Gipson on a pass intended for Ridley.
“Defensive guy just made a good play,” Ridley said. “I tried to knock it down or make a play on it. I have to make that play.”
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
2. Another strong start. The Falcons opened the game strong.
The defense forced Chicago to kick a field goal on their opening possession. Bears kicker Cairo Santos’ 46-yard attempt was wide left.
On the offense’s first play from the Atlanta 36, Ryan tossed a bomb to Ridley for a 63-yard gain to move the ball to the 1-yard line. After running back Todd Gurley was held for no gain, Ryan connected with tight end Hayden Hurst for a score.
Kicker Younghoe Koo missed the extra point wide left to leave the score at 6-0.
On the ensuing possession, the Bears put together a 12-play drive. Santos made a 35-yard field goal to make it 6-3.
After an exchange of punts, the Falcons put together a 12-play drive of their own that was capped by a 29-yard field goal by Koo to make it 9-3.
On Chicago’s next possession, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett came up with a sack on third down to force a punt.
The Falcons, who pride themselves in making big plays, got one from running back Brian Hill. He broke loose for a 35-yard touchdown run. Koo’s extra point put the Falcons up 16-3.
The Falcons had another double-digit lead.
The Bears answered with 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jimmy Graham to make it 16-10 at halftime.
The Falcons opened the third quarter with a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Gurley scored on a 10-yard touchdown to make it 23-10.
On the Bears’ next possession, nickel back Blidi Wreh-Wilson jumped in front of Graham and intercepted Mitchell Trubisky’s pass. The Falcons’ drive stalled and Koo added a 36-yard field goal to put the Falcons up 26-10.
The Bears pulled Trubisky for veteran quarterback and former Super Bowl MVP Foles, who was intercepted by Darqueze Dennard in the end zone.
The referees originally ruled Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson had caught a 21-yard touchdown pass. But after review, the play was overturned and ruled an interception and touchback.
3. Blocking Mack. Bears linebacker Khalil Mack, who was playing with a knee injury, did not take over the game. He was going against Matt Gono, who was making his first NFL start at right tackle.
Mack had a couple of roughing the passer penalties. He had half of a sack, three tackles and two quarterback hits heading into the fourth quarter.
Gono got some help with Mack, who entered the game with 62.5 career quarterback sacks, from a tight end Hurst and fullback Keith Smith on a few plays.
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
4. Running back depth. Hill and Gurley both had rushing touchdowns, but the Falcons failed to run the ball late when then need to run off some clock.
The Falcons rushed for 71 yards in the loss to Seattle and 125 in the loss to Dallas.
They rushed 25 times for a season-high 144 yards Sunday, but inexplicably elected to pass the ball late in the game when they needed to run out some clock.
Quinn was asked about the questionable clock management that didn’t protect a defense that was playing without five starters in the fourth quarter.
“We definitely communicated on those, if you move the chains, those are ones to go,” Quinn said. “Going in we were planning on converting some of the ones that are short, especially the shorter ones. When you do (make) those there are consequences for them. But we certainly expected to connect on a screen or other plays that would use the clock.”
Only 9 of the rushing yards came in the fourth quarter, when the Falcons need to run out the clock.
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
5. Foles rally. Foles threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Graham to make it 26-16 with 6:24 remaining. The Bears didn’t make the 2-point conversion.
The Falcons couldn’t move and the Bears got the ball back. The Falcons ran Gurley on first down and threw two in complete passes. The punted the ball and took only 55 seconds off the clock.
Foles tossed a short pass to Robinson that he turned into a 37-yard touchdown. Isaiah Oliver and Wreh-Wilson both missed tackles on the slippery Robinson.
The Falcons went three-and-out again with three incompletions. They took 22 seconds off the clock.
With the Falcons blitzing and a defender in his face, Foles tossed a 28-yard touchdown strike to Anthony Miller with 1:53 remaining.
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