Falcons vs. Buccaneers recap: Atlanta sinks Tampa Bay with a fusillade of passing

The Atlanta Falcons don’t imagine in making issues simple, however they do imagine placing on one hell of a grand finale. For the second straight week in a row and the third time this 12 months, the Falcons had been seemingly left for useless earlier than a jaw-dropping final minute comeback sealed the win. By some means, this was the craziest one but.

Why? The Falcons allowed 24 factors within the first half, and had been down 24-17 at halftime. They had been down 27-20 in heading into the fourth quarter, threw an interception on a fourth and lengthy try, handled a number of missed or blocked Younghoe Koo area aim makes an attempt, and noticed penalties, drops, and execution errors crop up far too continuously. But they managed to drive into area aim vary, the place—regardless of an unreal delay of sport penalty that backed them up 5 yards—Koo drilled one from 52 yards out to ship the sport to additional time. A lucky coin flip, a few good passes, and a forty five yard KhaDarel Hodge landing catch-and-run later, that they had received 36-30.

This wasn’t simply the primary sport the place the Falcons allowed greater than 24 factors on the day; it was additionally the primary one the place they scored greater than 30. The truth that two issues occurred on the identical night time made for a extra anxious night, sure, however in addition they set the stage for the completely bonkers end to the sport. It additionally informed us one thing in regards to the adaptability and tenacity of this crew, one thing we noticed glimpses of within the Arthur Smith period and late Dan Quinn period, however by no means with any consistency.

This successful is changing into a development, although, and the way in which the Falcons had been in a position to shut down the Bucs offense after the half and hold the passing sport buzzing is a testomony to enchancment from gamers and coaches alike. The flexibility to hold in till the very finish when you have got playmakers like Drake London, Bijan Robinson, Darnell Mooney, Kyle Pitts, and heroic Hodge backed by a quarterback like Kirk Cousins isn’t any small factor. The flexibility to take an offense that’s bludgeoning you to dying and commerce their membership for a pillow midgame isn’t a small factor, both. It added as much as an inconceivable win towards the Saints every week in the past, and it created a possibility for a win towards the division-leading Buccaneers this week. First half defensive weak point and a weak floor sport put aside, this Falcons crew seemed a lot better than they did only a week in the past towards New Orleans, too.

A crew as mistake-prone because the Falcons isn’t going to win these sorts of video games on a regular basis—they tried to present this one away in a half-dozen fascinating and infuriating methods—however a crew that stops making these errors whereas enjoying like this might be among the many NFC’s greatest. I say that understanding full nicely that this crew’s largest points, from the shortage of cross rush to the regarding lack of ability to seek out constant success on the bottom, will not be simple or imminent fixes. There’s only a lot to love right here, and the Falcons popping out of an early stretch that options two AFC contenders and three NFC contenders at 3-2 underscores that they’ve one thing to construct on. The massive if is whether or not the Falcons can cease taking pictures themselves within the foot so continuously; if they’ll even make modest strides there and tinker with their lineup to reinforce the cross rush, optimism feels fairly warranted.

However I’m waiting for an unsure tomorrow, and actually, we should have fun right now. Now atop the NFC South with an undefeated 2-0 report towards the division and an opportunity to run that to 3-0 towards the Panthers subsequent week, Atlanta’s sitting in a great spot for the remainder of the season. That they did so towards a Bucs crew they’ve absorbed some tough losses towards lately makes it a little bit sweeter, and that they did that in such thrilling vogue is price its personal celebration. The Falcons are enjoyable once more, and the Falcons may even be good once more. That’s a thought that should put a spring in your step on this Friday morning.

On to the complete recap.

The Good

• Kirk Cousins was simply sharper than he had been to a jaw-dropping diploma, and all of the discuss of regular enchancment for the passing sport actually appears true after Week 5 in what can solely be described as a breakout sport. By the point the mud settled on his day, he had damaged the franchise report for passing yards in a single sport with 509 (Matt Ryan had 503 again in 2016 towards the Panthers, with 4 touchdowns towards a single interception on a 4th and lengthy. Cousins additionally managed to flee strain a few occasions, and even when he needed to throw it away, it was an excellent signal for his admittedly restricted mobility. Towards a lesser offense, Cousins’ effort would have been sufficient to assist the Falcons cruise to a victory; towards the Buccaneers, it was nonetheless sufficient to earn Atlanta the win. If Cousins goes to begin cooking like this on a weekly foundation, the Falcons at the moment are one of many NFL’s most harmful groups.
• Drake London is actually cooking, though he briefly exited the sport with a concussion scare after taking a name that earned an pointless roughness penalty for Tampa Bay and leaving the sport on the ultimate play with one other harm. His landing noticed him bowl over a number of defenders after the catch, and he was each sure-footed and sure-handed all night lengthy, serving as the massive, dependable goal Cousins wants. The variety of enormous catches he remodeled the center for first downs was not a small quantity, and he completed with a preposterous 154 yards and a landing on 12 grabs. That is the sort of manufacturing London has lengthy been able to, and he lastly has the quarterback and offense he wants to attain it.
• Kyle Pitts is alive and nicely. Working downfield and turning upfield with the ball, Pitts seemed extra assured and extra succesful towards the Buccaneers, and Cousins seemed his means continuously with high quality outcomes. He completed with 7 receptions for 88 yards, practically doubling his season complete in each marks, and must be extra concerned going ahead as this passing assault finds its footing.
• Darnell Mooney has been an ideal addition to this Falcons offense, although we’ll have to say him under, as nicely. Along with moonlighting as a defensive again within the third quarter, when he knocked out a would-be interception, Mooney made a spectacular landing seize early on, added a landing within the fourth quarter the place he put one defender within the filth and outran a few others, and persistently received unfastened to supply a downfield goal for Cousins. He even drew a serious cross interference flag within the ofurth quarter that stored the Falcons cooking. By way of the primary 5 weeks of the season, he has confirmed himself to be the sort of harmful downfield risk who can pop open seemingly at will, and extra monster video games are forward given his robust rapport with Cousins. He completed his night time with 9 grabs for 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns, serving because the second receiver this offense has lacked since Calvin Ridley left.
• Whereas these different receivers had been extra productive and Cousins’ stellar flip will earn headlines, KhaDarel Hodge is a hero for this sport. The core particular teamer has a knack for developing with huge catches on these uncommon events his quantity is known as, and he had a pleasant seize for 22 yards earlier on this one. It was the additional time seize that was legendary, although, as Hodge caught one, received unfastened from a lunging, overcommitted defender, and turned on the jets to run it in for the 45 yard, game-winning rating with a little bit assist from a pleasant Ray-Ray McCloud block. Once they wanted him final night time, Hodge got here up huge, and that’s the sort of A++ effort that Hodge has turn out to be identified for after additionally choosing up a muffed punt for a landing in Week 4.
• Jessie Bates had not one, however two pressured fumbles brought on by punching out the ball. The primary was a sideline knockout that gave the Falcons an opportunity to fall on the ball, however the Buccaneers recovered. The second was extra vital, as Bates knocked it out of Bucky Irving’s palms late within the fourth quarter and Kaden Elliss fell on it, giving the Falcons an opportunity to take the lead that they’d sadly squander. On a protection missing huge play potential, Bates continues to ship these alternatives for Atlanta.
• The second half noticed the Falcons really getting strain after a woeful first half, and it made an enormous distinction within the sport. Whereas David Onyemata was the one one to get a sack—and it’s good to see him ramping up—Matthew Judon received shut and swatted down a cross, Kaden Elliss had a few good rushes, and the Falcons had been in a position to hold Baker Mayfield from getting overly snug later within the sport.
• Younghoe Koo can be on the ugly listing under, on condition that he missed a area aim and had one blocked. It will probably’t be overstated how phenomenal he’s within the clutch, nonetheless, because the Falcons earned a delay of sport penalty that was nearly jaw-droppingly silly, backing up a 47 yard attempt with one second on the clock to a 52 yarder….and Koo simply nailed it in any case to ship the sport to additional time and provides the Falcons their likelihood to win. In a pressure-packed state of affairs on the finish of the sport, I’m placing my hopes and goals on his legs each day out.
• The way in which you possibly can see this crew adjusting and studying is placing. After a primary half the place Baker Mayfield carved them up and the Falcons actually received zero pressures, Jimmy Lake and Raheem Morris managed to prepare dinner up a successful sport plan within the second half that strangled the life out of the Bucs. They settled for a pair of area targets after that. On offense, Zac Robinson has spent the previous 4 weeks tinkering with issues with regularly improved outcomes, and whereas the bottom sport as soon as once more went nowhere, he had this passing assault rolling for Cousins. The shortage of in-game enchancment and enchancment over time was one thing we bemoaned with previous teaching staffs, so for all of the hiccups they nonetheless must do away with, I’ll give these coaches kudos for getting higher on the fly.
• The previous two weeks, the Falcons have overcome errors which may’ve sunk a special model of this crew, or certainly many groups across the NFL. Their potential to climb out of holes and switch hanging round late right into a last-second victory is now a behavior, as they’ve received all three of their video games in that vogue, and it’s price remembering they had been in it till practically the top towards the Chiefs. That augurs nicely for this crew’s future with the schedule lightening up within the coming weeks, and it suggests that when they clear up the errors which are so irritating within the second, they might be one thing particular.

The Ugly

• Mike Evans ought to by no means be extensive open, but on the primary drive he had loads of room on three separate catches, together with one the place a number of defenders seemingly misplaced observe of him in the long run zone. If you’re probably the greatest receivers of your period and a constant bother spot to your opponent, it’s a nasty signal if you happen to’re getting unfastened that continuously. The Falcons repeatedly misplaced observe of each Evans and Chris Godwin within the first half, which allowed Mayfield to pop off for 3 touchdowns.
• That was only a signal of a dysfunctional protection, and that protection was horrendous within the first half on Thursday night time. The Falcons allowed 24 factors within the first half alone, which equaled their season excessive allowed in a whole sport, they usually suffered protection breakdowns, missed tackles, and 0 push up entrance towards the run alongside the way in which to make that attainable. The convenience with which the Bucs picked up first downs and scored was placing, and underscored the extent to which the Falcons should be excellent due to their lack of massive play and cross rush potential on that aspect of the ball. The second half enchancment rinsed away loads of that stink, however the Falcons should be higher on this aspect of the ball by means of 4 quarters to keep away from the sort of gap this offense received’t climb out of each single week.
• The run protection was an issue all sport, although clearly much less of 1 after the half. In complete, Atlanta allowed over 150 yards on the bottom, together with a frustratingly lengthy scamper for Rachaad White after he had been meh all 12 months and some uncontested Baker Mayfield runs. Whereas Ruke Orhorhoro was a optimistic addition on this sport, the run protection nonetheless wants assist, and the return of Troy Andersen and Nate Landman ought to present that.
• The Falcons had their first dangerous night time towards opposing returners, together with a doozy of a 53 yard return for Sean Tucker that gave the Bucs nice area place, organising a too-easy landing drive. That should enhance, however hey, it’s a blip till confirmed in any other case.
• Younghoe Koo hit a 50-plus yarder and a 48 yarder, so no one’s panicking, however on his first try of the sport he missed left…after which an offsides penalty moved him 5 yards nearer for a re-do that he missed in precisely the identical means. Koo was going to overlook one sooner or later this season, however why it has to proceed to be the Buccaneers he’s lacking towards I have no idea.
• Atlanta’s received to knock out the dumb errors, which hold proving expensive. On this one, the Falcons had been hit with a number of inopportune penalties that prolonged Tampa Bay drives or (extra fatally) killed their very own drives, forcing them to accept area targets once they might need had touchdowns. That, missed tackles, easy errors of execution from receivers (the Mooney drops, particularly the second), Cousins (lacking low and practically throwing a decide to a blanketed receiver that Mooney needed to knock down), and others mix with penalties to wipe out the nice work being completed by this crew as they drive down the sphere and provide you with hard-fought stops. It didn’t price them this sport and it didn’t price them the Saints sport, but when they hold the behavior up, sadly it will result in a loss down the road.
• A few of these errors come from the teaching workers, which made some nightmare selections on Thursday night time. The primary was going for it on 4th and a mile, the sort of extraordinarily unlikely to transform state of affairs within the fourth quarter that simply appears unwise. Certain sufficient, Cousins threw an interception, and whereas the Falcons received the cease after that, they needed to begin from their very own 20 relatively than, say, a lot nearer than that had they merely punted with three timeouts. Then, unbelievably, the Falcons received a delay of sport penalty on Younghoe Koo’s last kick of regulation, in some way anticipating a clock reset that didn’t come (Raheem Morris was clearly in search of a proof he didn’t get from the officiating crew) and backing Koo up 5 yards unnecessarily. He hit that attempt, so technically you can say each these conditions labored out alright, however that they had the potential to result in Atlanta shedding the sport. As we speak about this crew getting tighter throughout the board and making fewer errors, we have to embody a workers that also must get higher at decision-making and consciousness in vital conditions, though their in-game enhancements in different areas have been genuinely encouraging.

The Recap

Sport MVP

It’s Cousins, who broke a franchise report for passing yardage in a single sport, stored firing when the protection was falling aside, and was dealing at a better degree than at any level this 12 months.

One Takeaway

This crew is an unfinished product with loads of mess and stress, however they’re additionally very clearly good and getting higher. Chances are you’ll begin daydreaming about the place this season is headed now.

Subsequent Week

The Carolina Panthers are up after a longer-than-usual layoff for the Falcons, and Atlanta will hope to smoke them to earn one other NFC South win. Try Cat Scratch Reader for extra.

Remaining Phrase

Whatagame.