Bryant’s kick with 8-seconds left helps Atlanta avoid disaster
Matt Bryant nailed a 49-yard field goal with 8 seconds left as a dejected Pete Carroll looked on in anguish, as the Atlanta Falcon’s rallied to beat the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC divisional playoff game on Sunday afternoon in the Georgia Dome.
The Falcons (14-3) will host the 49ers in the NFC Championship game next weekend in the Georgia Dome.
Bryant got his first attempt off which was wide right, but thanks to Seattle’s Coach Carroll’s desperation time out, Bryant made his second chance count splitting the goal post and Julio Jones’ interception iced the game with no time left.
Atlanta faced an uphill battle down 28-27 with 31 seconds left in regulation. However, just as it did for most of the day, moved the ball without much of a problem. On first down, Ryan connected with WR Harry Douglas, moving the ball to the 50 with 18 seconds to go. Two plays later, veteran tight end Tony Gonzales, who finished with 51 yards on six receptions and a TD, pulled in a reception at the 31 yard line to setup the game winning field goal.
Down 27-14, Seattle’s young quarterback Russell Wilson directed two scoring drives to give the Seahawks a late 28-27 lead. Tight end Zack Miller, Wilson’s favorite target on the evening, made a catch at the Falcon’s 20 yard line as time expired in the third quarter. Wilson did the rest, sneaking in from a yard out and closing the gap, 27-21 with 13:01 left.
Then the Seahawks (12-6) benefitted from an interception when free safety Earl Thomas picked off Matt Ryan’s pass at the Seattle 38.
Back in business, Wilson engineered a pair of big plays to spur the drive. His pass to Sidney Rice at the 38 of Atlanta and running back Robert Turbin turned a short pass into a huge gain down to the four yard line. Miller finished the drive with a four-yard TD pass from Wilson, and led 28-27 after Ryan Longwell’s extra point kick.
Atlanta led 3-0 on Bryant’s 39-yard field goal and used a stifling defense to keep the Seahawks out of the end zone.
Strong safety William Moore batted away a potential scoring pass intended for Golden Tate to keep the Seahawks off the board early in the first quarter. A great pass rush was the cause of Wilson’s late hesitation on tossing a timely pass.
Both teams traded turnovers before Ryan spotted Gonzales in the back of the end zone to increase the Falcon’s lead, 9-0. Gonzales went up for the ball, all while having awareness of coming down with both feet in bounds, assuring the Falcons of its first touchdown of the afternoon. The play was made possible after tight end Chase Coffman’s catch and run down to the one-yard line.
Atlanta’s defense played as well as a team could play in a half of football. Coming up with stop after stop.
Running back Jacquizz Rogers ripped off a 45 yard run, plowing through Thomas on his way to the Seattle 42 as time ended in the first quarter. Later, the Falcon’s would add a 47-yard field goal, pushing its lead, 12-0.
Just after, Seattle showed its best offensive output of the game to this point, when Wilson tossed a couple of passes that gave it possession at the Atlanta’s 20. Miller had catch to the 44 and Tate followed with a reception at the 20 before the drive came to a halt after Moore dropped Lynch in the backfield for a one-yard loss on fourth-and-one from the 11 yard line.
Atlanta continued its balanced attack. Deep in its territory at the 15, Turner sliced his way to the 47 which led to a 47-yard TD pass from Ryan to receiver Roddy White, giving the Falcon’s a 20-0 halftime lead.
Though Seattle out-scored Atlanta 28-10 in the second half, the Seahawks may have left too much time on the clock durning its last possession.
A nine-play, 80-yard drive opened the third quarter, giving the Seahawks its first points of the game.
The Falcon’s responded with an 80-yard drive of its own, before Seattle battled back with three consecutive scoring drives, to grab a 28-27 lead.
