When the Los Angeles Chargers kick off in Atlanta on Sunday, it is going to be one of many uncommon cases of the Falcons going through a non-divisional opponent whom they’ve overwhelmed most of the time. The Birds at the moment lead the all time sequence in opposition to the San Diego turned Los Angeles Chargers with an 8-4 scoreline.
Issues have been really all Falcons up till the mid 2010s, as they received a staggering eight of the primary 9 matchups throughout a sequence which began with a 41-0 blowout in 1973, and continued by way of 2012.
The Chargers’ solely victory on this time interval was a 10-7 squeaker in 1988 behind Gary Anderson’s 172 yards from scrimmage. Each groups left that recreation at 3-8.
The tide has turned in latest reminiscence, nonetheless, as Atlanta appears to have forgotten triumph in opposition to the Bolts. Beginning with a 33-30 additional time thriller in 2016, LA has overwhelmed Atlanta three consecutive instances, every by precisely three factors.
Final Assembly
The Week 9 assembly between the Falcons and Chargers felt like a cross roads recreation for each groups in 2022. Atlanta sat at 4-4 and appeared to get above .500 for the primary time since 2017, whereas Los Angeles was at 4-3 and needing to make a push popping out of their bye week.
The primary quarter was glorious for Marcus Mariota and the Falcons, who scored a landing and a area purpose and who noticed the protection power two three-and-outs. Justin Herbert and the Chargers offense kicked it into excessive gear, nonetheless, with two lengthy second quarter drives, every capped off with a brief Austin Ekeler landing, to take a 14-10 lead into the half.
The second half was marred with errors on either side. First, rookie Drake London had the ball snatched from his fingers by Khalil Mack contained in the 10-yard-line, earlier than Herbert gave it proper again to Atlanta three performs later by way of a Richie Grant interception. Up three factors early within the fourth quarter after a Cordarrelle Patterson go forward landing, the Falcons left extra factors on the desk when Younghoe Koo missed a 50-yard area purpose.
The play of the sport occurred on the ultimate Chargers drive, with the rating tied at 17-17 and Herbert orchestrating a recreation profitable possession. Proper on the sting of Atlanta’s purple zone, Austin Ekeler fumbled the ball and it was picked up Ta’Quon Graham, who proceeded to run it again 19 yards earlier than the ball simply slipped out of his fingers regardless of an absence of any contact and it re-recovered by the Chargers. One play later, LA was again in area purpose vary for the eventual Cameron Dicker recreation profitable kick.
