Atlanta Falcons 26-13 Los Angeles Rams: NFC wild card playoffs – as it happened!

The offense was solid, not spectacular for Atlanta, but their defense gets the gold star tonight. Next week they’ll head to Philadelphia for a compelling divisional round game in a challenging stadium, licking their chops, knowing that the Eagles don’t have their top man in the quarterback position.

As for LA, it’s a disappointing climax to an encouraging, even breakthrough season. They’re a well coached outfit with a ton of upside: they’ll be back.

And so will we, tomorrow, for more live coverage of this wild card round. Until then, wherever you are, good morning, afternoon and goodnight.

The Rams offense fails to live up to its prolific regular season, while Atlanta buckle down and get a win on the road in a cozy, warm environment, which is very nice for a dome team.

Falcons 26-13 Rams, 1:08 4th quarter

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Goff throws a knuckleball towards Woods who can’t make the play and Atlanta take over on downs.

As they say…and that’ll do it.

Falcons 26-13 Rams, 1:12 4th quarter

LA call their final timeout facing a 4th & 6.

Falcons 26-13 Rams, 1:28 4th quarter

LA nearly block the punt, and Cooper nearly muffs the catch. The Rams are at the 50.

Now they sputter through two plays and face a 3rd & 10.

Falcons 26-13 Rams, 1:53 4th quarter

NBC TV in the US show that Watkins was clearly held on that play, which means they shold have had more shots at the endszone, but alas.

The Rams are about to get the ball back with one timeout left.

Freeman runs for three yards and we head to the warning. LA have three timeouts that will drag it this game on for a bit as Rams fans move from one parking lot to 110, which is another parking lot.

Falcons 26-13 Rams, 2:05 4th quarter

Goff throws to Watkins in the endzone, but it’s broken up! Deion Jones got his hand in and made the play! Falcons take over and put a bow on it.

So it’s 4th & goal on the five yard line.

Tight end Tyler Higbee made the catch in the middle of the endzone…but it doesn’t look like he kept control!

Big decision from the officials – if it’s overturned it will be 4th & goal.

Falcons 26-13 Rams, 2:16 4th quarter

Goff looking for Woods on the left side of the endzone – incomplete!

Falcons 26-13 Rams, 2:22 4th quarter

Big third down coming up. Goff has a man but he’s short and they have to go for it.

Goff finds Woods who juggles for a bit before grabbing the ball and getting out of bounds.

It’s 2nd & goal…

Falcons 26-13 Rams, 4:17 4th quarter

On 2nd & 10, Goff is in the shotgun: then we have whistles, a false start on LA.

So now it’s 2nd & 15, and bad mistakes here for the Rams…

Now Goff finds Higbee, who makes a series of moves that equal a big gain and a first down…except there’s a blindside block that costs them 15 yards. It was Woods, who jumped offsides on the prior play.

So, that’s a pity for LA, because it’s all piling up for the upstarts…until Goff finds Watkins for a first down! Big play there for LA. They’re on the Falcons 37.

Ryan, throwing off his back foot, and nearly slipping, airs out a floater to Jones who makes the catch! Touchdown Atlanta, who are in a great spot to advance now!

Falcons 19-13 Rams, 6:15 4th quarter

Ryan, a screen to Sanu, who runs, and RUNS! Even though one Falcon misses a block Sanu goes 52 yards through open sapce and that is an enormous play in LA!

1st & goal from the Rams 10!

Falcons 19-13 Rams, 7:45 4th quarter

Ryan moves left, pumps and throws complete to Hooper. Big play! Time ticks! Flacons on their 41.

Falcons 19-13 Rams, 8:54 4th quarter

Ryan finds Jones again, and a little head fake earns the wideout a first down. Super classy from Jones there. That’s his eighth catch of the night.

Now Ryan is rolling right and finds Coleman, who falls down making the catch, gets up and gets a few more yards. The turf has obviously been an issue in LA.

Coleman on 2nd & 2 loses a yard trying to find space on the outside.

Big 3rd & 3 here.

It’s good, and it’s a one score game again. So now LA needs to not let Atlanta hold onto the ball for a long possession, which has been the trend.

Falcons 19-10 Rams, 10:54 4th quarter

After Goff is sacked, it’s 3rd & 14 and another key down here for LA.

Goff waits for the snap, but they give it to Malcom Brown, who runs on an interesting call – 11 yards, setting up a 32-yard field goal attempt.

Falcons 19-10 Rams, 12:53 4th quarter

We begin the 4th quarter, and on 2nd & 15, Goff misfires looking for Kupp.

Then, there’s life, and it’s Woods again, who has saved the Rams’ bacon on many occasion tonight. Goff kept steady in the pocket, found his man, and that’s a huge conversion on 3rd & long.

Now Gurley, with feeling! He bursts to his left, in between tackles for 14 yards, and…MORE GURLEY!

This time he runs left for 33 yards: huge swaths of space for the back to roam!

Rams at the 17!

Falcons 19-10 Rams, end of 3rd quarter

The Rams start out their second possession of this quarter, right after Cooper fumbled the kickoff again. Lucky for him the play was blown dead.

The quarter ends after Gurley makes a catch and is pushed back for five yards.

Is it right to say LA need to start making some plays? How is that for analysis!

Wow! It’s good! Three big points makes it a two score game.

Ryan is 4/4 on field goals tonight: that was his longest, and he has 13 of Atlanta’s 19 points tonight (you can check the math).

Falcons 16-10 Rams, 0:24 3rd quarter

Ryan, in the shotgun – throws, incomplete, broken up by Hill, looking for Sanu.

Ryan is on for a 54-yard attempt!

Falcons 16-10 Rams, 0:38 3rd quarter

Ryan, play-action, rolls right, throws and has a man. It’s Hardy for just three yards on a play that felt like a long journey.

It’s now a big 3rd & 6.

Falcons 16-10 Rams, 2:38 3rd quarter

Jones makes a catch over the middle and then wills himself for extra yards, dragging men with him. He’s up to 74 yards now, this catch is for 16, and Atlanta are on the move up to the Rams 40.

Falcons 16-10 Rams, 5:11 3rd quarter

On 3rd & long: Gurley drops a screen pass that ends the Ram drive.

That steam LA gathered towards the end of the first half has dissipated.

Hekker kicks it away and Atlanta start on their 19.

Falcons 16-10 Rams, 5:22 3rd quarter

Cooper manages to hang on to the kickoff return and LA start at their 26.

Goff looks for Kupp on the sideline, incomplete.

Now Goff is in the shotgun, and has boatloads of time, but still can’t find a receiver as he throws to no one over the middle.

It’s 3rd & 10. Shotgun again, Goff steps up in a busy pocket and somehow hits Woods on the sideline over the outstretched hands of Desmond Trufant. Fantastic play with zero margin for error.

That’s a huge play because it gives LA’s defense more time to rest.

Rams at the Falcons 46.

Bryant is good from 25, Atlanta extend their lead in a drive that kept LA’s diminished defense out there for some time.

Falcons 13-10 Rams, 6:48 3rd quarter

Play-action: Ryan fires to his left and has Jones but he is hit immediately by Countess! Great play.

It’s 3rd & goal.

Ryan, has time but throws off his back foot, incomplete towards the back of the endzone.

So 13 plays, 76 yards and 8:15 and no TD. Here’s comes Bryant.

Falcons 13-10 Rams, 7:54 3rd quarter

Coleman has a head of steam and a first down at LA’s nine-yard line.

Now Freeman tries to go wide on the near side but is pushed out of bounds for little gain.

Safety Lamarcus Joyner is banged up on the play, another key Rams player, this time in the secondary, is shaken up. Injury timeout.

Second and goal.

Falcons 13-10 Rams, 9:02 3rd quarter

Coleman has it, barrels forward, and is wrapped up! He’s short of a first down and Atlanta will go for it!

Ryan falls forward and converts, keeping the drive alive.

Good possession for Atlanta, they’re on nine plays so far.

Falcons 13-10 Rams, 10:50 3rd quarter

Atlanta, perhaps because is Broackers out, are starting to punish on the ground. Freeman, 10 yards, then again for four. The Falcons are moving and it’s 3rd & 1 on the Rams 21.

Falcons 13-10 Rams, 12:22 3rd quarter

On 3rd & 9, Coleman has a screen pass from Ryan, then Alec Ogletree has an opportunity to shut down the play and misses the tackle! Coleman streaks ahead for a first down, and the Falcons drive is alive as they operate from their own 41.

Brockers meanwhile, is out of this game, and that’s a substantial loss.

The Falcons have the ball and start from their 17.

Some quick numbers:

Ryan, 11/16 for 86 yards, Goff 10/19 127 TD.

Freeman, 10 carries for 42 yards, Gurley, eight carries for 45.

Woods, five catches for 80, Jones, four catches for 44.

Rams, two turnovers, or they might be up in this game!

Email

Travis Giblin writes:

“Hey David,

It looks like you’re in some serious need for companytonight.
Well, I’m here for you. Should we discuss our favourite Christmas present? Mine was a cigar from my mother in law.
Best Simpsons episode? Clearly it’s Homer the Great, also known as The Stonecutters. But we should probably discuss the feebleness of the Chiefs, shouldn’t we?…”

Oh Andy Reid. He deserves his own Simpsons episode, doesn’t he?

In case you missed it…

That’s Marcus Mariota throwing a block that helped his Titans ice their comeback victory over the Chiefs.

Not bad.

That’ll do it for a half that actually became interesting as the Rams found their feet, held onto the ball and rediscovered their offense.

That means we should have something to talk about when we resume, and that’s a good thing.

Stick with us.

So the kicker Ficken, who was apparently working at a brokerage firm a few weeks ago, at least according to NBC TV in the US, and I have no reason to not believe them, kicks the chip shot and the Rams are within three.

Falcons 13-7 Rams, 0:14 2nd quarter

So the pass to Gurley is ruled incomplete, which is actually good for LA. It pushes them to the seven but there’s 14 seconds on the clock now instead of five.

I know, I know.

So Goff rolls out and fires incomplete, but there’s offensive holding on the play. So now the Rams are probably going to kick a field goal and call it a half.

The play stands – it’s seven consecutive completions for the Rams QB, this one to Woods was for 38 yards. LA are operating from the Falcons seven.

Now Goff finds Gurley for a short gain but time is ticking. They stop the clock – there’s an offsides penalty on the defense.

But wait…was the Gurley catch actually a catch? Now they’re reviewing that play. This is really happening.

Oh boy. The NFL. Oh man.

There are five seconds left and if the play stands, the Rams are on the two.

Goff looks downfield, way downfield and links up with Woods – it’s a tremendous diving catch by the receiver….but was it a catch? To me it looks clean but who knows these days.

Falcons 13-7 Rams, 0:43 2nd quarter

Goff is looking for the tight end Everett, incomplete – he wants a flag and he gets it!

That puts the Rams on their 45 but they have no timeouts!

Falcons 13-7 Rams, 0:48 2nd quarter

Offensive holding on the punt backs up the Rams to their 14.

Meanwhile Ryan has a cut on the back of his head – a thigh pad to the back of his helmet. He’s being evaluated and we will watch that very closely.

Back on the field: Goff has the Rams on their 31.

Falcons 13-7 Rams, 1:15 2nd quarter

Freeman is hit hard by linebacker Mark Barron on a four-yard gain, but then the Falcons go backwards.

Ryan slips on the turf: an ugly, awkward fall that could have ended much worse for Atlanta after taking a hit by Fox.

3rd & 16 and Ryan is on the run again – Fox, playing in place of Brockers has the second sack on this drive and that’s a huge shut down possession for the Rams defense.

And this is what we call a momentum swing.

We’re at the two minute warning. It’s 1st & 10 at Atlanta’s 23 for the Falcons.

Brockers

The defensive tackle hurt his knee, which is better than his head for sure. But NBC TV here in the US say he’s got an ice pack on it, and his teammates are patting him on the back, which could mean anything. If he doesn’t return, that smarts for LA’s defense.

Goff finds Kupp streaking to the corner of the endzone, has Goff’s offering and the Rams are on the board!

The Rams finally have some fluidity on offense: seven plays, 79 yards in 3:05 if you’re keeping score at home.

Game on.

Falcons 13-0 Rams, 2:56 2nd quarter

Brown powers ahead on second down, it’s for around three yards, and it sets up a huge 3rd & 5.

Falcons 13-0 Rams, 3:36 2nd quarter

Goff, steps back, makes coffee, reads the paper, watches a film and then finds Kupp over the middle for 15 down to the 19 of Atlanta. Here come the Rams!

Falcons 13-0 Rams, 4:36 2nd quarter

Gurley is away, he springs free down the near sideline! It’s a 26-yard gain, by fair his biggest of the night. And there’s gravy for LA: a personal foul by Kazee! All in it is a 41-yard haul and it puts LA on Atlanta 34!