Texans slow down Falcons’ playoff push, 17-10
Atlanta recovered the ball after a Falcons defensive tackle Vance Walker (99) grabbed the arm of Houston Texans quarterback T.J. Yates (13), causing a fumble, in first quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011, in Houston. AP
HOUSTON — The Falcons’ march to the NFL playoffs suffered a setback on Sunday.
Enlarge photo Dave Einsel, AP Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) is grabbed by Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith (94) in the second quarter.
T.J. Yates, who played his high school football at Pope High in Marietta, led the Texans to a 17-10 victory over the Falcons before 71,545 fans at Reliant Stadium.
Yates, who made his first NFL start, received ample help from a stout defense and running back Arian Foster. The Falcons chipped in with some overthrown passes, dropped footballs and untimely penalties that helped erase two touchdowns.
“That was not the kind of performance that we want to have, especially at this point in the season,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said.
Yates, a 24-year old rookie, out-played Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who was under duress from Houston’s blitzing 3-4 defense. Yates completed 12 of 25 passes for 188 yards and one touchdown. He had a passer rating of 86.8.
Ryan, who overthrew three long passes and was intercepted twice, has had much better days. He completed 20 of 47 passes for 267 yards and one touchdown. He had a passer rating of 50.6 points.
The Texans improved to 9-3. The Falcons dropped to 7-5, and could find themselves two games behind the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South if the Saints handled the Detroit Lions in the late Sunday night game.
With four games to play, the Falcons will need the Saints to partially collapse in order to defend their NFC South title. Realistically, the Falcons are in a battle for one of the two wildcard slots with Dallas, the New York Giants, Chicago, Detroit and Seattle.
The loss was difficult for the Falcons to accept.
“We feel like this was a game that we should have dominated,” cornerback Dunta Robinson said. “I can honestly say that the only team that beat us this year was the Chicago Bears. The rest of the games, we shot ourselves in the foot, on both sides of the ball.
“If we want to be a dominant football team, we can’t beat ourselves. We are too good of a team to make some of these mistakes.”
With the score tied 10-10, Robinson was one of the culprits.
Linebacker Mike Peterson had intercepted Yates and had an apparent 32-yard touchdown. But, on the other side of the field, Robinson was in a fierce battle for inside position with Houston wide receiver Kevin Walter. Robinson was called for a holding penalty to erase the touchdown.
With a new set of downs, the Texans put together a 19-play drive. Foster capped it with a 1-yard touchdown to put the Texans ahead with just over six minutes to play.
Instead of taking a 17-10 lead on Peterson’s “touchdown” the Falcons were down.
Earlier in the game, on third and 8 from the Falcons 15, Yates was hit by defensive tackle Vance Walker. Safety James Sanders picked up the fumble and returned it for a touchdown. Even though no whistle was blown, players from both teams thought it was an incomplete pass and wandered onto the field, anticipating a Texans’ field goal attempt.
“The ruling on the field was the ball was dislodged from his hand before his hand went forward, so the fumble was ruled,” referee Bill Levy said. None of the players who wandered onto the field interfered with the play. “It was what we call a double foul after a change. What we decided to do is offset those penalties at the spot where the Atlanta player came on the field.”
Defensive end Ray Edwards was announced at the Falcons player who came onto the field, but Levy later announced there were multiple players from each side on the field.
The play was called back and instead of a touchdown, the Falcons were given the ball on their 35. Ryan was intercepted three plays later.
The Falcons started off misfiring.
Ryan missed on deep passes to Roddy White and Julio Jones on their first and third plays from scrimmage. He also was intercepted later on a flea flicker when the Falcons tried to catch the Texans’ safeties creeping up to help in the run game.
Ryan was not pleased with his game. The Texans basically dared him to beat them with some deep passes and he didn’t pull it off.
Smith said the offense played in spurts.
“We had opportunities, specifically early,” Ryan said. “We had some shots designed that were really good. I just missed on them.”
The Texans came up to stop running back Michael Turner and then tried to blitz Ryan into throwing quickly. Turner was held to 44 yards on 14 carries.
White, who had two back-to-back 100-yard games, caught four passes for 51 yards and a touchdowns.
“Our rationale coming into the game was let’s try and hit some of those balls down the field,” Ryan said. “We designed them to get one-on-one matchups with our guys and kind of pushed those safeties off. We just didn’t make enough plays. We didn’t make the plays when we needed to.”
Instead of keeping pace with the Saints and moving to the head of the playoff class, the Falcons find themselves back in the middle of the NFC pack.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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336 comments Add your comment
Hot Err
December 4th, 2011
5:16 pm
Matt Ryan = GAME MANAGER.
whodat1
December 4th, 2011
5:16 pm
Hot err, I think you hit the nail on the head. Very well said.
FalconGone
December 4th, 2011
5:17 pm
Aren’t we suppose to be past being happy just getting itno the playoffs, this team is still so far away from a super bowl it makes me laugh, and then our G.M. thinks were (1) explosive player away from the golden ring. LMAO.
kenny
December 4th, 2011
5:17 pm
Julio Jones WOULD have been better suited for the Chippendales{sp?), than the Falcons..What a bust…We now have Jones, Jerry… and 6 years team development wasted..Wake up, “Not Rise up” T.D.
IlliniDawg
December 4th, 2011
5:17 pm
I always get a kick out of the NOLA fans that love to come on AJC blogs and talk trash about the Dawgs and Falcons. Must be terribly insecure folks.
But what can you expect when you come from a giant septic tank of a city. My firsthand impressions of the place is that it is a mixture of vomit, urine, bums, and hos – often together – that reeks like an outhouse, but sprinkled with a few pretty good restaurants. More Katrinas are coming, but we spent billions to rebuild a city that is 20 feet below sealevel. We should have flushed the toiled instead.
Neutral Thoughts
December 4th, 2011
5:17 pm
Can’t win football games when receivers keep dropping passes, Falcons lead league in drop passes…no surprise there, but it’s surprising that this team is one of the most penalized teams in league and was least penalized team last year…Matt Ryan is horrible throwing the deep ball and he wasn’t accurate throwing the deep ball in college…falcons have talent on offense, but these guys haven’t raised their level to elite status and this is the time a team is suppose to be playing their best ball, just don’t see that yet with falcons…no momentum at all.
FedUp
December 4th, 2011
5:18 pm
Julio Jones is horrible. One interception was his fault and the last play of the game. Did anyone see the ball go straight through his hands. I think Julio is the Issiah Crowell of the Falcons. A time out had to be taken too because he didn’t know what to do. Horrible performance by the receivers and the O line was missing in action.
junejay
December 4th, 2011
5:19 pm
I blame the whole offense. No protection with all the tips and rushed passes. Delay of game penalties by ryan. DROPPED passes all game by every receiver. Had a good game plan but it was clearly not executed. We should end up at least 10-6 and I think that’ll be good enough for a wild card since we be det in a tie breaker. Doesn’t mean the playoff will be good because we’ll probably end up playing against green bay.
jlperry
December 4th, 2011
5:19 pm
people talking about the falcons as a wild card us as falcons fans will come out better watching a buzzy bunny and road runner cartoon. why because there offense is not very creative and there defense can”t stop a moving car and all you got to do is hit the break…
Dwayne C
December 4th, 2011
5:20 pm
The Falcons = lack of a consistent pass rush, a starting RB who takes too long to get out of the backfield after taking the hand off, a QB who overthrows his receivers now on a routine basis, a WR this team gave up numerous draft picks for who is injury prone and drops too many passes and untimely penalties every game that negate at least one huge play on offense or defense
The Atlanta Falcons will go, at best, 2-2 the rest of this season and finish at 9-7. The Falcons may, despite only nine wins, earn a wild card playoff seed but I can’t envision this team winning a road playoff game.
Let’s assume the Falcons don’t make the playoffs. How do they improve their roster? They won’t be able to do much in the next NFL draft since they gave up so many picks for WR Julio Jones. This, I think, dooms this team to another 8-8 or 9-7 finish next year in 2012.
whodat1
December 4th, 2011
5:21 pm
OK, falcons fans, it is obvious what needs to happen with the falcons and it needs to come from the GMs office. Your HC is one stubborn guy with not a clue of what it takes to win at the next level. It’s not only Houston. The birds have sneaked by some teams this year and better prepare for Cam next week, or you will be out of the playoff race. At a minimum you will have 7 losses at the end of the regular season and maybe more. 6 and 7 will be Carolina and the Saints.
lamac66
December 4th, 2011
5:22 pm
BAM rc35. But I will give Smith credit for trying to grow a pair and go for it on 4th down. This ho hum apple pie approach is not working…..
Mr. SaintsFan Jr.
December 4th, 2011
5:22 pm
Well the Falcants foiled again! Rats Batman!
Waffle House or Bust
December 4th, 2011
5:22 pm
BORING!!! Our offense is a joke and I will take Tebow over Ryan. Dude plays with heart and shows up to win. Ryan just shows up to play QB.
Why would anyone want this team to make the playoffs?
Mako
December 4th, 2011
5:22 pm
Did the Falcons just resign Michael Jenkins and give him a new number (from # 14 to #1), I mean that was almost identical to some of his more greatest drops….is Jenkins back????????????? Heaven help us.
Ted
December 4th, 2011
5:22 pm
This is hilarious! The Falcants lose to a team with a third string quarterback! Still talking about a “playoff push”. They will make it to the playoffs because with the exception of the Aints, they are playing a bunch of teams with losing records from here on out. No one should take the Falcants seriously.
Cutty
December 4th, 2011
5:23 pm
Yates, a 24-year old rookie, arguably out-played Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who was under duress for most of the game from Houston’s blitzing 3-4 defense.
Really what else can be said. Yates made our “superstar” look like a rookie.
James
December 4th, 2011
5:23 pm
Why would any of you want to see the Falcons sneak in as a 6th seed. They would lose in the first round anyway. I mean what’s the point?
Hot Err
December 4th, 2011
5:23 pm
Ryan will make a great coach one day. I have no doubt he puts in the time @ Flowery Branch and that he knows the offense better than anyone in the organization. But that doesn’t change the fact that he couldn’t throw it in the ocean if he’s 26 yards away from the shoreline. He’d be a great backup to a real franchise QB.
Tom
December 4th, 2011
5:23 pm
Tough loss and I am tired of this team stressing me out every game. I am so over Dunta Robinson. That hold away from the play cost the birds, but the dropped passes were one right after another. Julio had a chance to be the hero, but not today.
Not down on the birds, still think a chance to make the playoffs, but one and out if they cant play like professionals. Carolina is licking their chops right now.
I agree with a previous post to start Snelling. He is just as strong, but doesnt dance behind the line of scrimmage. He makes a small hole bigger. On a huge positive note I thought Petersen played a great game at linebacker and should stay in the lineup.
Ryan has got to get better at the long ball….wasted opportunities today.
WTF?
December 4th, 2011
5:24 pm
Budeee, Budee, Budeee, That all Folks!
IlliniDawg
December 4th, 2011
5:24 pm
Folks keep bringing up the trade of draft picks for JJ. Thing is, this is a Free Agent league now, with the hard cap and short-term contracts. There is more upside than downside in the draft – the opportunity to grab someone special but the ability to dump someone who doesn’t work out and sign a FA replacement. I think the trade was worth the risk. The bigger issue for me is the recent oiff-season FA signings of Robsinson and Edwards – both seriously underperforming.
Eddie Long
December 4th, 2011
5:26 pm
Can someone tell me where I can find those pictures of Ray Edwards in his underwear?
Jizzlefromthedizzle
December 4th, 2011
5:27 pm
Not even a falcon fan….im from detroit,but watched this game with intrest.Texans did alot of blitzing and i’m not sure I ever saw one screen pass.Not one.That is one way to slow a pass rush,bad coaching,penaltes and too may dropped passes.The ATL needs to regroup fast,Detroit will win tonight(vegas special).
Mr. SaintsFan Jr.
December 4th, 2011
5:27 pm
Aww ILLDAWG…MUST BE ” THE SICKNESS” , FOR THE RECORD DAWG ITS OUT OF TOWN VOMIT AND PISS THATS LEFT HERE BY SCUM LIKE YOU WHO COME HERE TO LET YOUR HAIR DOWN AND COME OUT THE CLOSET AT THE SAME TIME.
whodat1
December 4th, 2011
5:28 pm
illinidawg, Until you get a ring, it aint no thing. Now on to your beloved puppy dawgs. Who did you beat this year? That’s right. Nobody. Welcome to competition in the SECW. So quit your demeaning of the great city of New Orleans.
Tom
December 4th, 2011
5:28 pm
Agree with the FA signings. Robinson is a total bust and they gave up on Bierman too soon and Sidbury is coming on big. Those two cost the birds big in cap room.
Hot Err
December 4th, 2011
5:28 pm
Don’t bring up Dunta Robinson’s name in here. His cap number is astronomical. Too bad the NFL doesn’t have Amnesty like the NBA.
IlliniDawg
December 4th, 2011
5:30 pm
@SaintsFan – actually I agree with you. But what can be said for a city where police just sit there and watch folks piss in the alley, puke in the gutter, and whip out their t!t!es? And these were the same cops who called in sick in the weeks after Katrina. Sorry, but your city is a s***hole.
Terry
December 4th, 2011
5:32 pm
I knew that Jones trade was a HUGE mistake. He literally had the game in his hands…and dropped it. The Falcons could find themselves out of the playoff picture here and to be honest, this team doesn’t deserve to be in that mix anyway.
Eddie Long
December 4th, 2011
5:32 pm
Ray Edwards is a good looking man.
WTF?
December 4th, 2011
5:32 pm
I guees it will take another 3 years of rebuilding, since we don’t have a first round pick to get back to the playoffs. Maybe in 2015 we can win a game in the playoffs. That would be nice.
Hot Err
December 4th, 2011
5:34 pm
What we have learned so far this season:
1. Matt Ryan = GAME MANAGER
2. If dimitroff’s biggest moves have been hiring mike Smith, drafting Ryan, and mortgaging the house for Julio, his competence needs to be called into question.
3. We may have “high character” players but we have played like the dumbest team in the NFL this year.
4. Matt Ryan = GAME MANAGER
Flubbed Falcon
December 4th, 2011
5:36 pm
I’ll never watch this crew of dumbazzed , underachieving, morons play another game this year! The idiots can always be counted on to find dumb ways to lose.
IlliniDawg
December 4th, 2011
5:36 pm
@WTF: no, it will take TD realizing his FA mistakes, cut a few key players, get creative to work under the cap space, and sign some better players – preferably younger, hungrier guys who will really want to get after it on Sundays. As opposed to the handful of preening, gesturing, self-indulgent prima donnas we have who can’t seem to pull their head out of their a**es and focus on the game.
texasbird
December 4th, 2011
5:37 pm
Wow I actually pay good money for NFL Sunday ticket so I can see idiotic games such as this in Texas. You guys who believe in Ryan are idiots. The guy misses 2 wide open receivers for touchdowns, throws 2 picks, goes 20/47 and you say it is not his fault? We give up the futrue for “WHO”lio Jones. I guarantee they lose next week to a true quarterback and miss the playoffs this year.
MTSeats
December 4th, 2011
5:39 pm
Turner has had his day and did well, but time to move on. Santa, all I want for Christmas is a real Offensive Coordinator.
p.l. bridges
December 4th, 2011
5:39 pm
Enter your comments here
marc
December 4th, 2011
5:40 pm
lol..Falcons play their typical weak game that always looks for ways to lose……..they have the heart of a termite.
William
December 4th, 2011
5:40 pm
LMAO … can’t decide who was more inept, the Dogs or the Falcons. Nice job against a 3rd string QB!
If the coaching staff and the defense is the same next year … same result…. bye, bye playoffs.
DMF1120
December 4th, 2011
5:41 pm
Found a new play that might help our offense avoid that brutal pass rush: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_pass. It would also help to get an offensive line that can punch a hole at the goal line/fourth and short.
WTF?
December 4th, 2011
5:41 pm
@Whodat1 what freakin, city you livin in? Narlins’ is the biggest s!@#hole in the US. It reminds me of some third world countries I’ve been to. They should have just burried it and moved on after Katrina but then where would all the trashiest people in the U.S. live? So I guees ya it was worth rebuilding so the rest of the country didn’t have to suffer.
Juggernaut
December 4th, 2011
5:41 pm
falcons are garbage they got embarrased by a rookie qb on his first start int he nfl, and ur supposed to be playoff bound,? you guys in ATL are so bad
Juggernaut
December 4th, 2011
5:46 pm
ATL fans are biggest sore losers in the world. They lost to a rookie now they start trash talking about saints and katrina and the city.
TALK FOOTBALL people…ADMIT YOU LOST. Thats it.
Lamar
December 4th, 2011
5:46 pm
They had an interception late in the 4th quarter yet THAT NO TALENT BUM ROBINSON, who by the way is the worst NFL CB I have ever seen, got caught HOLDING A GUY BECAUSE HE CAN NOT COVER THEM! This got the TD called back and they march down the field for the winning score. How can a NFL team PLAY THE SORRY NO TALENT BUM ROBINSON? To think he even gets paid is beyond me! WORST CB I HAVE EVER SEEN PLAYING IN THE NFL! PATHETIC!
DMF1120
December 4th, 2011
5:46 pm
On a good note, I must say Bosher has developed into a very good punter. I believe two over 50 yds today with hang time. Kick offs are still a little short but again that might be by design because we stopped the returns inside the twenty for the most part.
junejay
December 4th, 2011
5:46 pm
turner probably needs to go to. Snelling looks decent and deserves a start next season. But yeah looks like next season is our time. Not now. Just not playing well this year. Ryan needs to work hard on the long ball and receivers on catching balls right to them. Defense looks good overall. We may make the playoffs but it’ll be a short run going against green bay I fear.
B'Red
December 4th, 2011
5:46 pm
Michael Turner is the one that need to be benched. why dont they give the other running backs a chance when he is so unproductive.
Juggernaut
December 4th, 2011
5:46 pm
WTF ? as your name sounds….thats what you are
Juggernaut
December 4th, 2011
5:48 pm
NAME ONE GOOD TEAM YOU BEAT ? except hyped up lions.