If Saquon Barkley catches the ball, or if Nick Sirianni chose to run the Brotherly Shove twice more, we’d be having a different conversation. But that’s the point. After years – OK, decades – of being the team that messed up at the end, the Falcons took what an opponent gave and exited laughing.
The Falcons went to Philadelphia searching for a reason to believe. They found many reasons. A new team with a new coach and a new quarterback won a down-to-the-wire game in a city where the Falcons were 1-9 this century, three of those losses coming in postseason.
From faithful reader David Johnson’s email sent at 11:17 p.m. Monday: “We NEVER win games like that.”
These Falcons did. They scored first and last. They took the lead four different times. They outgained an opponent that’s much better on offense than defense. They made nary a turnover. They allowed one sack. They averaged 5.4 yards per rush, 7.6 per pass. Those are winning numbers.
The Eagles could have killed the game but didn’t. What the Falcons did next would have seemed breathtaking if they hadn’t made it look easy. Kirk Cousins threw six passes. Five were completed, to four different receivers. On only one of those completions was a receiver closely covered. On none of the completions did the Eagles blitz Cousins.
The Falcons took possession with 1:39 remaining and no timeouts. If they erred in any way, it was that they scored too fast. Philly had 34 seconds and two timeouts to find a winning field goal. Fifteen seconds later, the visitors had the ball and the game.
Twenty-seven seconds left, ball at the Eagles’ 43. Fifteen more yards and kicker Jake Elliott – he has made two 61-yarders in his career – would have a shot. But no. Linebacker Kaden Elliss came late off the right side. (Note only rushing four for the Falcons.) Jalen Hurts’ frazzled pass was meant for DeVonta Smith, who didn’t move for the ball. Jessie Bates did. Game over.
Twice in nine months – in a divisional round game on Jan. 13, 2018, again on Sept. 6 in the season opener – a final Falcons’ drive fizzled inside the 5 at Lincoln Financial Field. Both times, the final throw was a Matt Ryan incompletion to Julio Jones. Those narrow losses marked the beginning of the end for Dan Quinn’s Brotherhood.
Does a one-point win in Philly mean anything more to Raheem Morris’ Falcons than the difference between 1-1 and 0-2? Given the way this team got to 0-1, any W would have sufficed, but this wasn’t just any W. This was a fight to the finish against an opponent that has made the playoffs six times in seven years.
Up next: home dates with the Chiefs, Saints and Buccaneers. All are 2-0. It’s possible that, come midnight on Oct. 3, the Falcons will be 1-4. I’d say 3-2 is more likely.
They broke camp thinking theirs is a playoff roster. The opening loss to Pittsburgh made us wonder if that roster had ever practiced. We know better now. For years, the Falcons have lacked something – coaching, defense, a quarterback. This edition appears to have all it needs.
The Falcons will lose more games. I’ll be surprised if they lose many more. (Remember, the schedule eases. Final three games: Giants, Commanders, Panthers.) This a playoff roster. This will be a playoff team.
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