The Falcons controlled the ball in the first quarter, holding possession for over 10 minutes of play, but didn’t find the end zone in a scoreless quarter. Atlanta got on the board first in the second quarter thanks to a 55-yard strike from Matt Ryan to Roddy White. The Eagles responded later in the quarter on a three-yard run from Donovan McNabb. David Akers closed the scoring with a 36-yarder as time expired in the half.
The Falcons are being tested in this game like never before, especially in the passing game. With the exception of the one deep pass to White, the Eagles have been well prepared for the Falcons’ leading receiver, with Asante Samuel jumping on a couple of quick comebacks and blanketing him on deep balls. If the Falcons want to have a little more success, then they’ll need to work Finneran, Jenkins and Douglas in the second half.
Defensively, the formula for success is clearly to blitz McNabb on passing downs. McNabb has been erratic today passing the football, and a big reason for that has been the steady dose of Abraham, Boley and Anderson in the backfield.
The second half will be a stiff test for Atlanta, and we should learn a lot about what this team is made of. The Eagles can’t afford to fall to 3-4 in the NFC East, and they will likely lay it all on the line in the second half in front of their home fans. It will be interesting to see how the youthful Falcons handle the pressure in the final 30 minutes.
Bagriansky can be reached at jbagriansky@scoreatl.com.
Loading ...
