Through eight games this season, the Falcons have won with all three phases of the game–offense, defense, and special teams. Sometimes they have won with one, sometimes with another, and sometimes with all three.
In yet another close game, Atlanta used its defense to break an NFC South tie with Tampa Bay and take an undisputed lead atop the division at 6-2. On a day when their special teams imploded and the offense cooled off following a hot start, the Falcons came up with a goal-line stand to cap off an impressive defensive performance and beat the Bucs 27-21 at the Georgia Dome.
Although Atlanta allowed 21 points, none came in the form of a sustained offensive drive. The Bucs’ final touchdown was a Michael Spurlock 89-yard kickoff return, their first scoring drive needed only 32 yards following a 66-yard Spurlock return, and their second touchdown was 58-yard pass from Josh Freeman to Mike Williams on a play in which defensive back Dunta Robinson lost his footing.
All in all, the Falcons surrendered only 278 yards of total offense and they held Tampa Bay to just 96 rushing yards on 27 carries. They also came away with two crucial interceptions (winning the turnover battle 0-2) from Jonathan Babineaux and Brent Grimes. But the play that will be remembered came after all the turnovers and special teams meltdowns.
As Atlanta’s offense continued to stall in the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay looked poised to take its first lead of the day having 1st-and-10 at the Falcons’ 11-yard line with less than four minutes remaining. Three unsuccessful plays later, the Bucs still had a 4th-and-1 opportunity at the 2. However, Atlanta’s defensive line blew up the ensuing running play and safety Thomas DeCoud stopped LeGarrette Blount for no gain.
“It was one of things where I’m man-to-man on the wing tight end,” DeCoud explained in his postgame interview. “It just all unfolded. They tried to challenge me a little bit. My number was called and I made the play. You can’t come in there soft and think you’re even tackle a 240-pound back especially being only 200 pounds.”
“We won the line of scrimmage,” head coach Mike Smith said during his press conference of the decisive play. “In our practice plans and practice preparation we work goal line every week on Thursday and Friday. But that was only the second snap that we’ve had. We had great penetration up front. DeCoud came off the edge. It was a play that had been scouted; something that we had worked on and he made a very good play.”
The Falcons made other very good plays to help hang onto the lead and prevent the Bucs from pulling ahead. With Tampa Bay trailing by just three to start the second half, Babineaux picked off a deflected pass at the Bucs’ 30-yard line and that led directly to a Michael Palmer touchdown catch. Grimes’ theft came with Tampa Bay behind 27-21 early in the fourth quarter and on the move following a 43-yard completion from its own 1-yard line.
That gave the Bucs only one more shot; one that ended just shy of the goal-line.
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