Falcons defensive tackle Timothy Horne, an undrafted rookie free agent from Kansas State, was the unsung hero of the 27-23 win over the Lions on Friday.
Horne, an agile 6-foot-5 and 321-pounder, split the left guard and center with a swim move and recovered a David Blough fumble with two minutes to play. The turnover led to the game-winning 21-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Desmond Ridder to wide receiver Jared Bernhardt.
“All night it just seemed like there were different tendencies with what the offense was doing,” Horne said after the practice Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “I knew I had him beat. I just swim-moved over him, saw the ball on the ground and went ahead and picked it up.”
Horne played 29 defensive snaps (37%) against the Lions and finished with two tackles. The Falcons need help along the defensive line, and Horne has been flashing.
“Every day is a new day, just an opportunity to put your best foot forward,” said Horne, who is from Wadesboro, N.C. “Every day you’re trying to make a first impression. Just go in and do your best. Do all that you can so that you don’t have any regrets. Make sure that you learn from your mistakes.”
Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett pointed out Horne’s swim-move postgame.
“It was a great feeling,” Horne said. “It was great to enjoy it with my teammates. To have fun at the end of the game because we came out with the win.”
Horne doesn’t plan to rest on his big play.
“That’s important,” Horne said. “You can’t get too high. You can’t get too low. Each day, it’s like a job interview. You want to put your best foot forward.”
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