It’s now crunch time for the Falcons. They have three regular season games left and need to finish strong to secure a playoff spot. Last Sunday when the Falcons faced the Carolina Panthers, the Falcons looked like a playoff team, at least in the second half.
With the Falcons down 23-7 at the half, they scored 24 unanswered points to win 31-24. Matt Ryan threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns while Julio Jones caught three passes for 104 yards and scored twice. After the game, players were happy to get the win, but couldn’t explain how or why they played so bad in the first half.
“It’s a win,” Todd McClure said to reporters after the game. “I don’t know what else to say.”
HEALTH SCARE
On the way back from Charlotte, head coach Mike Smith was feeling chest pains, and the Falcons medical staff sent him to a nearby hospital. The hospital staff ran tests on Smith which came back negative. Smith came back to Atlanta early Monday morning and talked about his status after a team walkthrough.
“I feel a whole lot better today than I did yesterday, Smith said. “I can assure you that.”
RIVALRY WEEK …
Regardless of tonight’s outcome, the Falcons have a huge game on Dec. 26 when they face the New Orleans Saints in the final Monday night game of the year.
The Saints (10-3) are the NFC South leaders and have won their last seven games. They play at Minnesota on Sunday, and if the Saints win, they will clinch a playoff spot and will be one game away from clinching the NFC South.
The last time the Falcons played the Saints was Nov. 13, when the Birds lost 26-23 in overtime. The play of the game was when the Falcons went for it on fourth-and-short deep in their own territory and failed to convert. Saints kicker John Kasay subsequently kicked the game-winning 26-yard field goal to polish off the Falcons.
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