Foles finds way in late rally
Bears backup steps in, throws 3 TDs in 4th as Falcons collapse again
ATLANTA — The Falcons suffered their second straight fourth-quarter collapse after leading by two TDs, this time to backup quarterback Nick Foles and the Bears, who rallied from a 16-point deficit for a 30-26 win on Sunday that could spell the end for Falcons coach Dan Quinn.
Foles replaced Mitch Trubisky and threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter for the Bears, who improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2013.
The Falcons (0-3) became the first team in NFL history lose back-to-back games in which it led by 15 or more points in the final period, according to STATS.
“These last two weeks have been nothing short of crushing,” Quinn said.
A week ago, the Falcons became a national laughingstock after failing to pounce on an onside kick, allowing the Cowboys to finish off their comeback from a 39-24 deficit to win 40-39 on a field goal as time expired.
“We found a way to lose these games,” defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. said. “It doesn’t get no worse than this. We probably found the two worst ways you can lose a football game.”
Under Quinn, the Falcons also blew a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl after the 2016 season and lost in overtime to the Patriots.
This time, it was Foles, the former Super Bowl MVP while with the Eagles, who guided the improbable comeback after relieving the erratic Trubisky in the third quarter.
Foles threw a 3-yard TD pass to Jimmy Graham to make it 26-16 with 6:24 left. The Falcons still appeared in good shape after the Bears failed on a 2-point attempt.
But the Bears got the ball back and moved quickly down the field. Foles connected with Allen Robinson on a short pass that turned into a 37-yard TD
After the Falcons went threeand-out on their third straight possession, Foles heaved one with a rusher in his face and connected with Anthony Miller for a 28-yard TD with 1:53 left.