FLOWERY BRANCH – Not all Hail Mary passes are answered.
While Bears defensive back Tyrique Stevenson was taunting the Commanders fans, in Tampa Falcons safety Jessie Bates was talking to Kevin King and Richie Grant about what to do. The Commanders’ Hail Mary pass was answered and folks on the post-game plane out of Tampa erupted with the Washington win.
Just a few hours before, the Bucs’ overthrown Hail Mary pass was caught by wide receiver Rakim Jarrett behind the end zone. Atlanta had won.
The Falcons (5-3) now sit alone in first-place in the NFC South after a gutsy 31-26 win over the Bucs on Sunday.
“Just making sure we are detailed on the last play,” Bates said when asked what he told Grant and King. “You see this Hail Mary play happen thousands of times. Just not taking for granted this is the last play of the game and it’s going to decide if we win or lose.”
The Falcons’ future is looking pretty bright.
There are nine games to play with tough road games at Denver (5-3), at Minnesota (5-3) and at Washington (6-2).
The Falcons have the Cowboys (3-4, on Sunday), at Saints (2-6, Nov. 10), at Denver (Nov. 17) before the bye week on Nov. 24
After the bye, they’ll close at Chargers (4-3, Dec. 1), at Vikings (Dec. 8) at Raiders (2-6, Dec. 16) Giants (2-5, Dec. 22) at Washington (Dec. 29) and against the Panthers (1-7, Jan. 5).
Barring a complete collapse, the Falcons’ streak of six consecutive losing seasons should be over and a return to the playoffs is on the horizon.
Here are the five things we learned from the win over the Buccaneers:
1. Cousins’ play, speech set the tone: Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins wanted to talk to the team. Coach Raheem Morris saved him a time slot during the Friday team meeting.
“Kirk is a hell of a leader,” Bates said. “He did a really good job of stepping up in a team meeting. He said, ‘Hey, we have four weeks before our bye week. We can really take over this middle part of our season and really be intentional about it.’”
Cousins noted that other teams are looking forward to the bye week. Some will fold or get close to folding.
“Just having that mindset and being able to talk about it as a team has been huge,” Bates said. “Kirk, his presence alone is just huge for us. We are right behind him.”
The Bucs are 4-4 after having won the NFC South in each of the past three seasons. The Saints have dropped six straight and the Panthers are 1-7.
“Huge win obviously,” Bates said. “When we win a divisional games it’s huge. We talked about out-running the south. This was another step of that. Being able to come in … and sweep them, take full control of this division has been huge for us.”
2. National Tight Ends day: Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts has had a difficult time finding his role in the new offense. He noted that the Falcons didn’t incorporate some of the plays he ran as a rookie with Matt Ryan.
He was remorseful after a near goal-line fumble.
“I won’t ever let that happen again,” Pitts said.
Pitts caught touchdown passes of 49 and 36 yards and averaged 22.8 yards on four catches against the Bucs.
Pitts was asked how he was getting so open. He laughed and said, “I don’t know. Just winning my matchup.”
Pitts has 29 catches for 419 yards and three touchdowns this season. He’s now on pace for 62 catches, 890 yards and six touchdowns.
“Definitely, just as an offense in general,” Pitts said when asked if he was improving. “That was just my way of trying to contribute to this offense.”
Pitts runs after the catch were dazzling. He said he feels bigger, stronger and faster.
“I am that and I just wanted to showcase it,” Pitts said.
It was Pitts’ first multiple TD game of his NFL career.
“I haven’t had one of those since college,” Pitts said. “So, that was pretty cool and it was National Tight Ends day.”
Pitts next TD catch would be a career-high. He notices a difference from last season.
“Yeah, definitely, having the kind of sore knee that I had last year,” Pitts said. “I was just ... it was just a long year. But now, this is a new team. A new year. Back to myself. It’s pretty cool to see what we are doing.”
3. Second-half defensive adjustments: In the 36-30 overtime victory on Oct. 3, the Falcons held the Bucs to six points in the second half. The Falcons, made their adjustments and held the Bucs to nine points in the second half in the rematch.
The Falcon led 24-17 at halftime, which included a 97-yard touchdown drive.
“Great job by our coaches,” linebacker Kaden Elliss said. “They are showing us what they are hitting us with and they are giving us some good adjustments. Mad props to (defensive coordinator) Jimmy (Lake) and the entire defensive staff for just getting us ready and showing us what is hurting us in the first half so that we can prepare. Making the corrections that we need to correct.”
Elliss said it’s on the players to accept the coaching.
“At the end of the day, guys just going out there and making plays,” Elliss said. “Guys are recognizing plays quicker. Just doing what we need to do. Another thing, too.”
The defense can attack with leads. The offense went up 31-17 in the third quarter.
“Mad respect to our offense because teams start to feel that pressure,” Elliss said. “Our offense puts pressure on people. Our offense is good. They are hard to stop. Whether if they run the ball, or passing the ball. They are something special. I think teams start to feel that pressure and we are able to feed off it.”
4. Turnover chain: The Falcons won the turnover margin 3-1 against the Bucs.
“Jessie had a punch out,” Elliss said. “Nate (Landman) had a punch out. Jessie had an interception. A.J. (Terrell) had an interception. Those are big-time.”
The forced fumble by Bates helped the Falcons get the lead early, 7-0. The interceptions in the second half were key.
“I always joke with Jessie and Nate,” Elliss said. “Anytime they get a punch-out for our team, it seems like we win. It’s awesome.”
5. Cousins on the move: Running back Bijan Robinson gave a critique of Kirk Cousin’s 13-yard scramble in the fourth quarter.
“I didn’t expect it,” Robinson said. “I was like, ‘Kirk, don’t run. Don’t run. Don’t run.’ Then he started running and he looked good. It looked like (the cornerback) didn’t know what to do. It was like if wanted to tackle him or not. But hey, as long as he keeps progressing and doing something good.”
Robinson was a big fan of the chunk plays for touchdowns.
“The defense will start backing off and then we can run the ball,” Robinson said. “Gash them on the run game. Then, you don’t know what to do. Stay back to (play the) pass or get gashed up.”
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