The Falcoholic
All the allegations the Atlanta Falcons were desperate to beat seem dispelled after the first two drives, when Atlanta went up 7-0 and shut down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They revived with a vengeance thereafter.
The Falcons were always going to be a work in progress, but the hope was that the talent and the gelling the team did between 2024 and now would lead to a quality Sunday outcome. Despite some late game intrigue where the Falcons drove deep downfield to make it close—and nearly got it—Younghoe Koo missed a 44 yarder to lose the game for Atlanta. Atlanta must reckon with their play calling, their coverage, and their kicker after absorbing a very tough Week 1 loss.
Here’s the drive-by-drive recap of the game you just watched.
The Falcons fielded the opening kickoff, and Jamal Agnew took it past the 30 to set things up. Then Michael Penix hit Bijan Robinson on a short route for a first down. Tyler Allgeier took the carry and vaulted over a pile to pick up five yards. On the next play, Penix found Robinson on a short pass, but Bijan took advantage of nice downfield blocks from Kyle Pitts and Casey Washington and his incredible speed and shiftiness to take it 50 yards for the score. 7-0 Falcons.
The kickoff was short of the landing zone from Younghoe Koo, giving the Bucs good field position. Baker Mayfield took off under pressure from Zach Harrison and picked up a couple of yards. A quick Bucky Irving run went for two yards, and then Mayfield missed his third down throw. Punt.
A favorable Falcons bounce put the team at the 18. Bijan’s first down run up the middle went for about six yards, but an offsides on the Buccaneers gave the Falcons five yards and a replayed first down. Penix then rolled out and tried hitting Casey Washington, but it was a little low and Washington couldn’t bring it in. Then a toss to Robinson was fumbled—rare for Bijan—and Bijan fell on it for a small loss. A dart to Ray-Ray McCloud then picked up a first down, and a quick throw to Bijan went for six yards. A big throw to Casey Washington picked up 19 and a first down, and then Tyler Allgeier picked up five yards and lost one on consecutive carries. A quick pass out to Drake London on a screen went nowhere, unfortunately, ending a promising Atlanta drive. Punt, and the Bucs were pinned deep.
The Falcons shoved Irving backward on first down. Then pressure forced a Mayfield throwaway out of the end zone. Mayfield then scrambled up the middle and was stopped by Kaden Elliss. Punt, and Jamal Agnew got about eight yards on the return.
A first down run from Robinson got two yards after he pushed through contact. Robinson then fought through trash for another three yards. On third down, Penix went high to Drake London after London was turned around a...
