The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fourth-quarter leads evaporate regularly
Key interceptions seem to be a theme in four late losses.
FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons coach Dan Quinn’s frequent messaging about finishing games is very poignant in the NFL, where most games are decided by one score.
However, closing out games apparently is a learned skill. Or, perhaps, the luck of the draw.
It is well-documented that Detroit has won seven games this season after trailing in the fourth quarter. The Lions didn’t need any fourth-quarter magic beating the Saints by 15 on Sunday to move to 8-4.
But the Falcons? After Sunday’s fiasco with Kansas City, they have now blown four fourth-quarter leads.
“I don’t have a reason behind that,” Quinn said. “Those are the lessons that we’re learning.”
Instead of sitting pretty at 11-1 and talking about a playoff bye and a January NFC showdown with Dallas, the Falcons are in a 7-5 tie with Tampa Bay for first place in the NFC South. If both the Falcons and Buccaneers win out to finish 11-5, the Falcons would win the division by a tiebreaker.
An examination of the four blown leads reveals a variety of ways to botch leads with one common denominator: a Matt Ryan interception in all four losses. Ryan has only thrown seven interceptions this year, but four have come in the fourth quarter of games in which the team has blown a lead.
Here’s a look how the Falcons have done it:
Seattle 26, Atlanta 24: On Oct. 16, the Falcons took a 24-17 lead into the fourth quarter and maintained that lead by a point when Ra’Shede Hagemen blocked an extra point after a Christine Michael touchdown run.
Taking possession with 4:43 to play, a power running game should have been able to run out the clock. But instead of pounding the ball into Seattle’s eight-man front, the Falcons passed to Pat DiMarco (3 yards) and Devonta Freeman (11 yards) to pick up a first down.
But an first-and-10 from the Falcons’ 29, Ryan’s pass for Julio Jones was intercepted by Seattle safety Earl Thomas. Both Ryan and Jones tried to take blame, but the ball hit Jones in the hands. The Seahawks won it on a 44-yard field goal.
The Falcons’ last-ditch drive was stymied by a noncall on a rather obvious pass interference committed by Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman.
San Diego 33, Atlanta 30 (OT): On Oct. 23, the Falcons blew a 17-point lead but still led 30-20 with 13:23 to play in the fourth quarter.
After Chargers running back Melvin Gordon scored to make it 30-27, Ryan attempted to fit a pass into a closely defended Jones and was intercepted Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman with 3:41 left. The Chargers tied the game on a field goal and the game went to overtime after Matt Bryant’s 58-yard attempt hit the left upright.
In overtime, Perryman stuffed Freeman on a fourthand-1 from Atlanta’s 45. Five plays later, Josh Lambo made a 42-yard field goal for the victory.
Philadelphia 24, Atlanta 15: On Nov. 13, the Falcons took the lead 15-13 after Ryan connected with Taylor Gabriel on a 76-yard touchdown with 13:15 left to play.
But while the Falcons were being stopped over their next three possessions, the Eagles added a touchdown, a two-point conversation and a field goal for a 24-15 lead.
Needing two scores, Ryan was intercepted by Leodis McKelvin with 1:55 to play.
Kansas City 29, Atlanta 28: On Sunday, the Falcons scrambled back to take a short-lived 28-27 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Freeman with 4:32 to play.
The Falcons went for the two-point conversion, but Kansas City safety Eric Berry baited Ryan into throwing to tight end Austin Hooper. Berry circled back in front of Hooper, took away the ball and ran 100 yards for a pick-2.
“I saw man coverage in front of me, I beat my man and I just looked, knowing I was the primary target,” Hooper said.
“I am running and running, I am seeing the ball and I am going up to get it. Then the safety was just sitting in that part of the zone and just jumped it.”