Rookie offensive tackle Sam Baker sat on the sidelines and gazed out at an offensive line that struggled with him, and even more without him. His fellow first-year starter Matt Ryan faced the most adversity of his young career. The end result: a 13-for-33, 158-yard, two-interception game that saw him display both unpreparedness and poise.
And as the Buccaneers dink and dunked their way down the field in their home opener, they did so with a methodical, short passing style that put them in first place in the NFC South. The division appears even more unpredictable than expected, with the New Orleans Saints losing late to Washington and the Carolina Panthers scoring another comeback win to start 2-0.
Where does that leave the Falcons? In terms of their record, right where pundits expected them to start the season. In terms of their play, better than expected.
First, the bad news. The Falcons offense came down from the stratospheric heights it reached against Detroit. Week 1’s record-setting duo of Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood was met with resistance by a Tampa front seven that would share no similarities with the porous Detroit unit that allowed Turner to break the Falcons’ single-game rushing record in his debut. The Falcons did rush for 105 yards, their sixth consecutive contest (counting preseason) in which they have eclipsed the century mark. At times, however, they were forced exclusively to the pass, partly because of their need to gain long yardage but mostly because of a Tampa Bay defense that limited the Falcons’ backs to 3.8 yards per carry. The Kansas City Chiefs (213.0 rushing yards conceded per game) could not come soon enough for Turner and Norwood.
The good news is that the Falcons can take solace in a much improved second half, led by a more relaxed Ryan. In the third and fourth quarters, Ryan settled down to convert more plays downfield against a Tampa 2 defense that in the first half made him look exactly like what he was: a rookie quarterback in his first road game. In the third quarter, Ryan was bailed out by a successful first-down challenge from head coach Mike Smith and a personal-foul call that allowed the Falcons to cap a 13-play, 75-yard drive with a field goal. The face of the franchise was flushed out of the pocket all night and made good with his mobility, connecting with the trio of Roddy White, Harry Douglas and Laurent Robinson for several big catches.
Buccaneers quarterback Brian Griese took advantage of what the Falcons presented over the middle of the field. The Falcons, however, were able to get more pressure on Griese in the second half, highlighted by a forced fumble from the previously silenced John Abraham. Collectively, the defense kept the Falcons in the game. Two drives that started within the 20 only yielded 10 points instead of 14 for the Buccaneers.
The Birds were dealt the crushing blow at the 3:08 mark of the fourth, courtesy of Earnest Graham’s 68-yard run for six. The defense, sans Grady Jackson, was worn down by the bullish Graham, whose mad dash ended the Falcons’ chances at a 2-0 start.
It could have been worse for the Falcons. Head coach Smith and his staff, however, can find positives in the defensive effort, Ryan’s perseverance and the continued consistency of the special-teams units. As two of the Falcons’ best linemen (Baker and Grady Jackson) looked on from the sidelines, one can’t help but think that, with them, the road will be much smoother against Kansas City next Sunday.
GAME NOTES
Former Falcons running back Warrick Dunn ran 12 times for 49 yards and a 17-yard touchdown for the Buccaneers. Dunn began his career with the Bucs, rushing for 4,198 yards in five seasons before joining the Falcons in 2002. … Run-stuffing DT Grady Jackson was inactive, but Jason Jefferson (fumble recovery) was a playmaker in the middle. … After starting 0-for-9, Ryan completed 13-of-24 passes. … The Falcons conceded more than 100 yards rushing for the first time in five games (Preseason Game 2 vs. Indianapolis).
Horne can be reached at ehorne@scoreatl.com.
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