Watching the Atlanta Falcons lose at the Los Angeles Rams 27-31 Sunday afternoon just made me think to myself… “What else is new.” The Falcons were not expected to win this game on the west coast, and they weren’t even suppose to compete according to a few sports media outlets. But this is the NFL and anything can happen. The game started as last week ended for the Falcons, with the opposing team scoring when they please.
During the preseason defensive coordinator Dean Pees said he was opening the playbook 100% and let the defensive players play. Not sure if the rest of the playbook has blank pages or not because this defense hasn’t changed since Dan Quinn era. Okay, enough of my soapbox, I’m suppose to write a story here, not complain.
Game Notes
The Falcons received the ball first and started fast as they drove down the field, but the drive stalled with right guard Chris Lindstom false start and quarterback Marcus Mariota sack. Sure footed kicker Younghoe Koo missed the field goal.
Rams first two drives resulted in touchdowns as the Falcons were down early 14-0. Being down two touchdowns is tough for any team to overcome, but especially the Falcons. The Falcons ended up settling for a first half field goad and the Rams scored seven more. Halftime came and the Rams were up 21-3 and they would receive the ball first when the second half began.
As the second half began it was the same ole, same ole. The Rams marched down the field and scored again to go up 28-3. I will leave that score right there, no other words can describe that score. The announcers loved talking about that score though. The Rams for the rest of the game could only must a field goal to top their scoring at 31 points.
Late Game Surge not Enough
At that point the Falcons were ready to take flight, but was it too little, too late? The Falcons put together two nice touchdown runs with wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus scoring his second of the year and rookie receiver Drake London storing his first touchdown of his career. London caught the two-point conversion after the LB Troy Andersen blocked the Rams punt and LB Lorenzo Carter ran it back for six points.
The next defensive drive for the Falcons found a stingy Falcons defense as CB Darren Hall knock the ball out of Rams receiver Cooper Kupp’s hands. But the Falcons couldn’t capitalize as Mariota throws an interception in double coverage. If he would have read the entire field he would have seen London was wide open at the back right of the endzone. But as goes with Falcons fans, that would have been too easy.
The Falcons have yet to put a full game together from start to finish on this young year. They have 15 more games in the regular season, and if they can play like they did the first three quarters of the Saints game and the second half of the Rams game, they can be a playoff team. But they have to put it all together, and get TE Kyle Pitts more involved. Yesterday he only caught two catches for 19 yards. Must get the man involved more.
Next Game: The Falcons fall to (0-2) and will stay on the west coast and travel north to the state of Washington to play the Seattle Seahawks (1-1) Sunday, September 25 at 4:05pm EST on FOX