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The Atlanta Falcons made their first of what will be four trips to the West Coast this season as they traveled to the Oakland Coliseum to face the Raiders Sunday, Sept. 18.
The Falcons went into the game on the heels of a loss against division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Georgia Dome. The Raiders, on the other hand, were 1-0 after knocking off the New Orleans Saints.
Regarding big plays in the first quarter, they were few and far between, and neither team could get any points on the board. That all changed in the second quarter when Atlanta struck first on a 21-yard field goal from the always-reliable Matt Bryant.
Oakland immediately responded with a touchdown from running back Latavius Murray as he ran it in from the 1, which was made possible by a 36-yard defensive pass interference penalty called on safety Robert Alford on the previous play.
The Falcons were quick to answer by calling on Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones to do what he does best — make big plays. Atlanta’s first touchdown of the afternoon came on a 21-yard strike from quarterback Matt Ryan to Jones, capping a 10-play 75-yard drive.
After stopping Oakland, Atlanta continued the offense with a 73-yard punt return by Eric Weems, which was added on after a 15-yard penalty for a horse collar tackle. The Falcons settled for another field goal and headed into the half with a 13-7 lead.
In the third quarter, the Raiders capitalized on a 31-yard touchdown catch by Oakland tight end Clive Walford from quarterback Derrick Carr, giving Oakland a one-point lead.
Oakland took their next possession into the fourth quarter and completed a 13-play 75-yard drive with a 2-yard reception by wide receiver Michael Crabtree, after the Raiders decided to go for the score on fourth down. The gutsy call paid off when the game tied at 21 with 12 minutes left to go in the game.
Atlanta’s next possession would prove to be the difference in the game as a deflected pass, intended for running back Tevin Coleman, was caught by receiver Justin Hardy. The catch was only Hardy’s second of the year, but he found himself in the right place at the right time for the 8-yard touchdown.
This gave the Falcons the lead again, and they would not relinquish it. Atlanta added another late touchdown on a 13-yard rushing touchdown to take home a 35-28 victory and move to a 1-1 record for the season.
The Falcons head to the Superdome in New Orleans to face the divisional rival Saints on Monday Night Football. The Saints are 0-2 this season, coming off a road loss to the New York Giants on Sunday.
