The Atlanta Falcons took on the Los Angeles Rams in a home NFC showdown in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta wasn’t playing for much, as they were eliminated from playoff contention, and Los Angeles was looking to bounce back after an overtime defeat against Seattle in their last game. The Falcons demonstrated that they still had pride in victory, defeating the Rams 27-24. Here’s what went right and wrong for the Falcons.
First Half Domination
The Falcons dominated the Rams in the first half of their game, going up three scores to put themselves at 21-0. Their first drive started a bit rocky, but once they got going, they were tough to stop. Running back Bijan Robinson had a 93-yard run for a touchdown, which gave Atlanta a lot of momentum.
Kirk Cousins Made Minimal Mistakes
Falcons’ quarterback Kirk Cousins did well throughout, making minimal mistakes, although he did have a few missed throws. Cousins was able to make them count in crunch time. Cousins completed the game, going 13/20 with 126 passing yards and one touchdown with zero interceptions. Cousins didn’t have a flashy game with crazy numbers, but he protected the football and made the right plays. The run game was the major factor with Bijan Robinson rushing for 195 yards and a touchdown. Robinson also had five catches for 34 yards and a touchdown.
The Defense Shut The Rams Down
The Falcons’ defense played terrific during the game, sacking Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford three times and forcing three interceptions. One of which was a pick-six by Falcons’ safety Jessie Bates III. Another interception was thrown to Atlanta safety Xavier Watts, which was thought to be a touchdown, but he stepped out of bounds en route to the endzone. Watts had a terrific defensive performance with four total tackles in addition to his two interceptions.
Special Teams Blunder But Positives
Late in the third quarter, Falcons kicker Zane Gonzalez attempted a 37-yard field goal. Still, it was blocked by Rams’ defensive end Jared Verse and returned for a touchdown. Verse was able to break through the line fairly quickly before the ball had much air under it, and that allowed him to secure the block.
It wasn’t all bad for Gonzalez, though, as he did make all of his extra point attempts and two field goals. Both were from 50-plus yards out, and the last one was a 51-yarder that sealed the victory for Atlanta. The Falcons will take on the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
