Final
Surging Falcons brace for Broncos
Nov 11, 2008 - 9:13 PM DENVER (5-4) AT ATLANTA (6-3), 1:00 pm ESTATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Falcons were looking for a return to respectability this season. The goals are now considerably higher.
The surprising Falcons continue their push for a playoff berth when they host the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Rookie Matt Ryan has guided Atlanta to two straight wins and four victories in the last five games, including a 34-20 rout over the New Orleans Saints last weekend.
"I think everybody was excited with the win," Ryan said. "Anytime you play against a team of that caliber and walk away with the win, we're excited."
Expected to be in rebuilding mode following a disastrous 4-12 campaign in 2007, the Falcons trail the Carolina Panthers by just one game for the NFC South lead.
"There aren't any surprises in the NFL," Falcons veteran safety Lawyer Milloy said. "If you work hard and play hard, you have a chance in this league. Everybody was like, it's a rebuilding year, it's a rebuilding year. But I'm 35 years old. I don't have time to rebuild."
Ryan, the third overall pick in April's draft, threw for 248 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-23 passing against the Saints. He has not thrown a pick in three of the last four games and posted QB ratings of 138.4 and 134.0 in his last two outings.
But the rookie quarterback insisted his focus is not on the playoffs.
"We've gotten off to a good start," Ryan said. "The biggest thing for me is that I don't think that way. I try to think about it week in and week out and try to pull my weight out there."
Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler certainly has pulled his weight. The third-year quarterback threw for a career-high 447 yards to rally Denver to a 34-30 victory over the Cleveland Browns on November 6.
All three of Cutler's touchdown passes came in the fourth quarter, including an 11-yard scoring pass to Brandon Marshall with 1:14 to play.
The performance was even more impressive without the semblance of a running game. Rookie Ryan Torain and Selvin Young both were injured in the second quarter, leaving fullback Hillis Peyton as the only healthy member of the backfield.
"It was a big, big win for us," Cutler said. "To be down 13 and have an empty backfield and to come back like this, it means a lot."
The Broncos addressed the glaring lack of depth Tuesday, reportedly coming to terms with running back Tatum Bell, a second-round pick in 2004 who played three seasons in Denver.
- NFL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DENVER 7 0 7 10 24
ATLANTA 3 10 0 7 20 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: DEN - TD, PEYTON HILLIS 7 YD RUN (MATT PRATER
KICK), 5:34. Drive: 10 plays, 55
yards in 4:34. Key plays: Cutler
12-yard pass to Stokley on
3rd-and-9 to Atlanta 42; Cutler
10-yard pass to Sto
Nov 16 3:57 PM
TD DEN DANIEL GRAHAM 9 YD PASS FROM JAY CUTLER (MATT PRATER KICK)
Broncos 24, Falcons 20 4th - 5:35Nov 16 3:35 PM
TD DEN DANIEL GRAHAM 9 YD PASS FROM JAY CUTLER (MATT PRATER KICK)
Broncos 24, Falcons 20 4th - 5:35Nov 16 3:35 PM
TD DEN DANIEL GRAHAM 9 YD PASS FROM JAY CUTLER (MATT PRATER KICK)
Broncos 24, Falcons 20 4th - 5:35Nov 16 3:35 PM- NFL
TD DEN
DANIEL GRAHAM 9 YD PASS FROM JAY CUTLER
(MATT PRATER KICK)
DENVER 24
ATLANTA 20 5:35 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Broncos 24, Falcons 20 4th - 5:35Nov 16 3:35 PM - NFL
TD ATL
MICHAEL TURNER 28 YD RUN
(JASON ELAM KICK)
DENVER 17
ATLANTA 20 10:41 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Broncos 17, Falcons 20 4th - 10:41Nov 16 3:24 PM - NFL
FG DEN
MATT PRATER 20 YD
DENVER 17
ATLANTA 13 14:56 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Broncos 17, Falcons 13 4th - 14:56Nov 16 3:10 PM - NFL
END, 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DENVER 7 0 7 14
ATLANTA 3 10 0 13 END, 3RD QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: DEN - TD, PEYTON HILLIS 7 YD RUN (MATT PRATER
KICK), 5:34. Drive: 10 plays, 55
yards in 4:34. Key plays: Cutler
12-yard pass to Stokley on
3rd-and-9 to Atlanta 42; Cutler
10-yard pass
Nov 16 3:05 PM - NFL
TD DEN
PEYTON HILLIS 2 YD RUN
(MATT PRATER KICK)
DENVER 14
ATLANTA 13 9:59 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Broncos 14, Falcons 13 3rd - 9:59Nov 16 2:46 PM - NFL
HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DENVER 7 0 7
ATLANTA 3 10 13 HALFTIME
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: DEN - TD, PEYTON HILLIS 7 YD RUN (MATT PRATER
KICK), 5:34. Drive: 10 plays, 55
yards in 4:34. Key plays: Cutler
12-yard pass to Stokley on
3rd-and-9 to Atlanta 42; Cutler
10-yard pass to
Nov 16 2:24 PM - NFL
TD ATL
MICHAEL TURNER 9 YD RUN
(JASON ELAM KICK)
DENVER 7
ATLANTA 13 7:34 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Broncos 7, Falcons 13 2nd - 7:34Nov 16 2:03 PM - CORRECTION
NFL TD ATL
MICHAEL TURNER 9 YD RUN
(JASON ELAM KICK)
DENVER 7
ATLANTA 7 7:34 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Broncos 7, Falcons 7 2nd - 7:34Nov 16 2:03 PM - NFL
TD ATL
MICHAEL TURNER 9 YD RUN
(JASON ELAM KICK)
DENVER 0
ATLANTA 13 7:34 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Broncos 0, Falcons 13 2nd - 7:34Nov 16 1:59 PM - NFL
TD ATL
MICHAEL TURNER 9 YD RUN
(JASON ELAM KICK)
DENVER 7
ATLANTA 13 7:34 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Broncos 7, Falcons 13 2nd - 7:34Nov 16 1:59 PM
FG ATL JASON ELAM 46 YD
Ryan 8-yard pass to Finneran on 3rd-and-7 to Atlanta 42; Ryan 9-yard pass to White on 3rd-and-6 to Denver 45; Ryan 10-yard pass to Jenkins to Denver 34.
Broncos 7, Falcons 3 1st - 2:26Nov 16 1:46 PM- NFL
FG ATL
JASON ELAM 36 YD
DENVER 7
ATLANTA 6 12:33 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Broncos 7, Falcons 6 1st - 12:33Nov 16 1:46 PM - NFL
END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DENVER 7 7
ATLANTA 3 3 END, 1ST QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: DEN - TD, PEYTON HILLIS 7 YD RUN (MATT PRATER
KICK), 5:34. Drive: 10 plays, 55
yards in 4:34. Key plays: Cutler
12-yard pass to Stokley on
3rd-and-9 to Atlanta 42; Cutler
10-yard pass
Nov 16 1:36 PM - NFL
FG ATL
JASON ELAM 46 YD
DENVER 7
ATLANTA 3 2:26 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Broncos 7, Falcons 3 1st - 2:26Nov 16 1:27 PM - NFL
TD DEN
PEYTON HILLIS 6 YD RUN
(MATT PRATER KICK)
DENVER 7
ATLANTA 0 9:26 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Broncos 7, Falcons 0 1st - 9:26Nov 16 1:14 PM
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