By Itoro N. Umontuen | The Atlanta Voice
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley (18) makes the drawback against Washington Football Team cornerback Bobby McCain (20) during the 2nd fractional of an NFL shot game, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, successful Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Sunday afternoon, the Atlanta Falcons fell to 1-3 connected the play arsenic they were beaten by the Washington Football Team 34-30 successful a wildly unpredictable crippled astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Falcons led for 59 minutes and 27 seconds until The Football Team, led by Collins Hill High School alum Taylor Heinicke, traveled 76 yards connected 7 plays. J.D. McKissic took a abbreviated walk and ran it successful with 33 seconds remaining successful the game. Here are the 4 things we learned from this loss.
THIS PLAY IS LUDACRIS
📺 » FOX | #WASvsATL pic.twitter.com/6d6dGXeuaD
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) October 3, 2021
Cordarelle Patterson had a banner afternoon
The erstwhile Tennessee Volunteer led the Falcons successful rushing (6 carries, 34 yards), receiving (5 catches, 82 yards) and had 3 touchdowns. Patterson was the Swiss-Army Knife that the Falcons wanted erstwhile they signed him during the off-season.
”He’s been large for america the archetypal 4 weeks,” said Falcons backmost Matt Ryan of Patterson’s performance. “I deliberation he’s played highly well. Made plays for america successful the tally game, made plays for america successful the walk game. In the instrumentality crippled he’s done a large job. So I deliberation helium impacts the crippled successful truthful galore antithetic ways. I’m truly gladsome that we person him. I emotion playing with him. He’s a spot of a throwback successful presumption of shot players. He’s tough. He does a batch of antithetic things and goes retired determination and competes precise well”
Ryan had a mostly cleanable pocket
The Falcons backmost threw for 289 yards and 4 touchdowns. He was sacked erstwhile and hurried 4 times connected 42 dropbacks. For the bulk of the game, Ryan played well. Also, the violative enactment enactment distant a decent performance. Coming into the weekend, Washington had a shaky defence coming disconnected a lopsided nonaccomplishment to the Bills successful which they gave up 481 yards of full offense. Ryan was capable to prehend upon The Football Team’s struggles.
However, that’s wherever the positives end.
Washington Football Team moving backmost J.D. McKissic (41) dives toward the extremity portion for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the 2nd fractional of an NFL shot game, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, successful Atlanta. The Washington Football Team won 34-30. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Taylor Heinicke shines successful homecoming
The aforementioned Collins Hill High School alum and Suwanee autochthonal went 23-of-33 for 290 yards and threw 3 touchdown passes. There was 1 play successful peculiar which the Falcons defence could not get home. Heinicke was capable to evade the unreserved arsenic Dante Fowler was incapable bring him down, Heinicke was capable to wiggle escaped and find Terry McClaurin for a 17-yard touchdown strike. At that point, Washington was down 30-28 with 4:02 remaining successful the 4th quarter. Heinicke was astatine his champion erstwhile the Washington Football Team was down successful the last stanza. Five of the 10 longest plays for The Football Team happened successful the 4th quarter.
“It was bully to spot them bounce back,” Washington caput manager Ron Rivera said. “They fought hard. … With a feline similar Taylor, we ever person a chance.”
😱😱😱
📺 » FOX | #WASvsATL pic.twitter.com/sqTYPn740M
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) October 3, 2021
Falcons neglect to execute erstwhile it matters most
First, the Falcons were up 30-28 with 3:52 remaining successful the 4th fourth and went 3 and out. It was unacceptable and Ryan spoke to that during his station crippled presser. During the 4th quarter, Washington held the shot for 9:26 compared to 5:34 for Atlanta.
”If we privation to beryllium the benignant of shot squad we privation to beryllium and the benignant of discourtesy we’d similar to be, I think, you know, you get successful those situations, you privation to beryllium capable to determination the football, pain timepiece and get immoderate archetypal downs, and successful that shot crippled we didn’t bash it. That portion is disappointing and we’ve gotta amended there,” Ryan said.
Washington Football Team moving backmost J.D. McKissic (41) dives toward the extremity portion for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the 2nd fractional of an NFL shot game, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, successful Atlanta. The Washington Football Team won 34-30. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Secondly, the defence failed to get stops successful the 4th quarter. As McKissic leaped implicit the extremity line, Washington had 9 archetypal downs to Atlanta’s four.
“Obviously frustrating,” Falcons first-year manager Arthur Smith said. “We had aggregate opportunities to triumph that game. We didn’t.”
The Falcons volition question to North London adjacent week to instrumentality connected the New York Jets astatine Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Jets got their archetypal triumph of the play aft beating the Tennessee Titans 27-24 successful overtime. Kickoff is acceptable for 9:30 AM Eastern (2:30 PM GMT) connected NFL Network.
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