The Atlanta Falcons jumped to an early 13-point lead before the Rams mounted two swift scoring drives. Los Angeles went to the Coliseum locker room at halftime with just a three-point deficit amid raucous cheers from a home crowd thirsty for playoff success.
And then Matt Ryan and the tough
Kenneth Dixon Jersey , tested Falcons showed the upstart Rams what postseason poise is all about.
Ryan passed for 218 yards and hit Julio Jones for an 8-yard touchdown with 5:48 to play, and the defending NFC champion Falcons advanced from the wild-card round with a 26-13 victory over the Rams on Saturday night.
Devonta Freeman rushed for an early score and Matt Bryant kicked four field goals for the Falcons (11-6), who spoiled the Rams’ first playoff game in 13 years with a methodical performance derived from hard-earned experience.
Atlanta’s journey to the Super Bowl last season ended infamously with that blown 28-3 lead against New England. In their first playoff game since, the Falcons allowed no surprises from the NFC West champion Rams (11-6).
”We knew it was a situation we’ve been through before,” Atlanta defensive tackle Dontari Poe said. ”We just had to keep playing and use what we’ve learned.”
Jones caught nine passes for 94 yards for Atlanta, which never trailed while winning playoff games in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. Against an opponent that had just six players on its roster with prior postseason appearances, the Falcons’ experience showed through.
”I think having gone through these situations, understanding what it’s like, the atmosphere, those kinds of things, knowing that it’s going to be tough, all those things kind of carry forward,” Ryan said. ”But at the end of the day, experience or no experience, you’ve got to execute.”
The Falcons advanced to face the top-seeded Eagles on Jan. 13 in Philadelphia.
”Doesn’t matter where we’re going, we’re going,” Ryan said. ”And that’s the most exciting part.”
A raucous crowd of 74,300 packed the Coliseum on a crisp evening for the first NFL playoff game in the nation’s second-largest city since early 1994. Los Angeles went 21 years without pro football before the Rams returned last season, and the franchise emphatically ended a 13-year streak of non-winning seasons this fall with an inspiring run to the Rams’ first division title since 2003.
But the Falcons have been here before, and they showed it.
The Falcons jumped to their early lead by capitalizing on two mistakes by Pharoh Cooper, the Rams’ Pro Bowl kick returner. Atlanta’s offense then chewed up the clock and field position, with the first drive after halftime consuming 8:15.
”To end with a time of possession over 37 minutes, that’s hard to do in our league,” Atlanta coach Dan Quinn said. ”There was a nine-minute drive to start the second half, and I thought that really set the tone.”
The Falcons’ defense did more than enough to slow down the NFL’s highest-scoring offense, harassing Jared Goff into a 24-for-45 performance in his playoff debut.
”They did a real nice job there moving the ball up the field and keeping us on the sideline,” Goff said. ”That can sure get you out of your rhythm.”
Robert Woods caught nine passes for 142 yards for the Rams, but rookie Cooper Kupp scored their only touchdown late in the first half.
Atlanta held MVP candidate Todd Gurley to 101 yards rushing – just 43 in the first three quarters – and four receptions for a mere 10 yards.
The Falcons ruined a celebratory night for the Rams, who rebounded from a rough homecoming season in 2016 with an outstanding debut year under 31-year-old Sean McVay, the youngest head coach to reach the playoffs in NFL history.
”You see why the Falcons are the defending NFC champs,” McVay said. ”Certainly this is a humbling game. … This is an experience that we can learn from. But I don’t think this game was too big for our guys.”
The Rams’ offense finally figured it out late in the first half: Goff made several sharp throws on a 79-yard drive ending in Kupp’s TD catch, and Sam Ficken’s first field goal trimmed the halftime deficit to 13-10.
But the Rams’ defense simply couldn’t get off the field in the third quarter, whether due to missed tackles or clever play-calling by the Falcons.
Los Angeles trimmed the lead to 19-13 with 10:49 to play, but the Falcons made another drive highlighted by a beautiful 52-yard screen pass from a blitz-avoiding Bryant to Mohamed Sanu.
Jones then caught the sixth playoff TD pass of his career. Goff drove the Rams deep into Falcons territory, but LA turned it over on down at the Atlanta 5 with 2:05 to play. The Falcons stopped the Rams again on downs at midfield with 1:08 left.
SARK’S RETURN
Although the Falcons’ offense took a step back in production this season, Atlanta chipped away at the Rams’ defense throughout the Coliseum return of offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who coached USC here until 2015.
Ryan was methodical under relentless pressure from All-Pro lineman Aaron Donald, repeatedly avoiding trouble and making big throws. Freeman rushed for 66 yards, and Sanu had that key 52-yard gain on a screen pass.
”Great call by Sark,” Ryan said.
COOPER’S MISTAKES
Cooper is headed to the Pro Bowl after his outstanding regular season as a kick returner
Justin Tucker Jersey , but the second-year pro’s misadventures in his playoff debut cost the Rams Once Jose Berrios escaped a jam in the first inning, the rest of the day belonged to the ace right-hander.
Berrios struck out a career-best 12 in seven innings, helping the Minnesota Twins beat Bartolo Colon and the Texas Rangers 2-0 on Sunday.
Shin-Soo Choo jumped on Berrios’ first-pitch fastball for a leadoff double, but Berrios settled down before the Rangers could grab an early lead.
”Yeah, he surprised me,” Berrios said through an interpreter. ”I threw a fastball right down the pipe and he obviously connected as you guys know. That kind of gave me a heads up like, `Oh, OK, game on here.”’
Eddie Rosario had two hits for the Twins, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Bobby Wilson and Robbie Grossman each singled in a run.
Berrios (8-5) surrendered just three hits while improving to 3-0 in June. Trevor Hildenberger pitched a perfect eighth and Fernando Rodney finished the three-hitter for his 17th save.
The Rangers had won seven in a row and missed out on a chance for a perfect six-game road trip. Colon (4-5) yielded two runs and seven hits in seven innings.
”I think I pitched a great game, but I have to give credit to Berrios because he also pitched a great game too,” Colon said through an interpreter.
Choo reached base safely for the 37th straight game with the leadoff double. He advanced to third on Adrian Beltre’s two-out single to left, but didn’t try for home with Rosario charging the ball. Berrios then struck out Rougned Odor to end the inning.
No other Texas runner reached second against Berrios. Only four batted balls left the infield, three coming in the first.
”Sometimes you got to tip your hat to a guy that throws the ball extremely well,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. ”We saw him last year, very similar stuff, electric fastball, very loose arm, hard to pick up the release point off of him mixed with a solid breaking ball and changeup, just kept us off balance.”
Berrios retired 14 of 16 batters at one point and struck out at least two batters in each of the first four innings. Berrios has allowed eight earned runs over his last 34 1/3 innings (2.10 ERA).
”Every time when I warm him up before the game, I have in my head that it’s going to be a special day,” said Wilson, who was behind the plate for the Twins. ”He’s just that electric of a pitcher and has that good of stuff. You just have a good feeling every time you see him on the mound. His pure stuff is elite in the game.”
NO MORE SHENANIGANS
There were no further incidents after an intriguing sequence during Texas’ 9-6 win on Saturday. Jurickson Profar stole second base in the fourth inning with a 9-2 lead. Profar was later hit on the leg by reliever Addison Reed with a pitch that appeared intentional.
The interaction drew a quip from Twins manager Paul Molitor when he was asked before Sunday’s game about the three hit-by-pitches for Profar.
”The first one, our pitcher got his cleat caught in the dirt, the second one was a borderline strike,” Molitor said. ”With the armor these guys wear, they don’t worry about getting out of the way. And the last time, we wanted to give him an opportunity to steal another base.”
MINNESOTA MOVES
Before the game, Minnesota optioned rookie starter Fernando Romero to Triple-A Rochester and recalled right-handed reliever Alan Busenitz. The Twins bullpen had to account for 7 1/3 innings in Saturday’s loss after Jake Odorizzi’s short start.
The Twins will need a fifth starter again on Saturday in Chicago. Romero (3-3, 4.38 ERA) won’t be eligible to return unless a player is put on the disabled list. Molitor said the likely starter on Saturday isn’t on the current 25-man roster.
After the game, Minnesota optioned outfielder Ryan LaMarre to Triple-A and will make a corresponding move before Tuesday’s game in Chicago.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: Joey Gallo was back in the lineup after leaving Saturday’s game with left hamstring tightness. Gallo said the injury has lingered for much of the season but he has played through it. He was at designated hitter on Sunday after playing first base on Saturday.
Twins: Byron Buxton (10-day disabled list, left great toe fracture) went 0 for 2 while playing designated hitter in his fifth rehab game for Triple-A Rochester, which was later suspended due to rain. Buxton is 3 for 16 on his rehab stint and there is no timetable on his return to Minnesota.
UP NEXT
Rangers: LHP Cole Hamels (4-6, 3.41 ERA) starts on Monday as Texas returns home against the San Diego Padres. Hamels has a 2.89 ERA over his past seven starts and has pitched into the seventh inning in five of the appearances. San Diego counters with LHP Joey Lucchesi (3-3, 3.86 ERA).
Twins: After an off day, RHP Lance Lynn (5-5, 4.64 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. Lynn owns a 1.73 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 36 1/3 over his last six starts. Chicago will start RHP Reynaldo Lopez (2-5, 3.59 ERA).
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