Reliving the Atlanta Falcons’ high ten performs from the 2024 season

The Atlanta Falcons social crew blessed us with their high ten performs from the 2024 season and the reception beneath it’s…about what you’ll count on.

Followers are upset about the way in which that the season ended, and so they have each proper to be. Permitting the Buccaneers to overhaul the division, not as soon as, however twice, after sweeping them earlier within the 12 months. Getting below-average play from a quarterback that’s being paid a lion’s share of the present, and doubtlessly future, wage cap. Seeing no id from the protection that led to an embarrassing effort within the final two weeks of the season that ultimately sealed their playoff destiny. Oh man, the timeout fiasco! There was loads for followers to gripe about as they sat at dwelling for a seventh consecutive season.

However, some facets of this season weren’t misplaced to the anguish of their defeats. Quite, there have been various moments that should be celebrated.

The approaching-out get together of Bijan Robinson, the emergence of a possible franchise quarterback, a real id on the offensive facet of the soccer that may be constructed upon. Even just a few performs from the protection will be celebrated. So, earlier than we put that tattered, discolored bow on this season that deservedly must be deemed a failure, let’s rejoice the few moments the place this crew did make us really feel one thing once more.

10) Michael Penix’s 1^st TD Comes on the Greatest Doable Time

There’s no denying that if this sport ends in another way, there’s no approach we’re protecting this at quantity ten. The quantity ten spot on a high ten is for these borderline particular moments that might simply be overtaken by one other second on this season.

This was not a kind of moments.

All through the day, Penix’s first landing eluded him. He missed KhaDarel Hodge on the again line of the top zone that very same drive. Earlier than Bijan Robinson outran the Commanders protection for his second rating, Penix was stuffed on a QB sneak on the one-yard line.

It didn’t seem to be it was going to be within the playing cards for the rookie gunslinger, particularly when the Falcons solely ran 9 performs for 14 yards within the second half earlier than they had been tasked to tie the sport up towards a red-hot Commanders crew with the entire momentum in a rocking Northwest Stadium with solely 4:25 left to go within the sport.

To everybody’s shock, Atlanta was doing it. Staring down an early 3^rd & 5, a 4^th & 11 and a 2^nd & objective from the 26 after a Bijan Robinson direct snap went awry, Penix stayed calm and composed. And on 4^th & objective, with the Falcons’ season hanging within the stability, he lastly bought his second.

In my view, this must be ranked a lot larger than tenth. It’s the emergence of your potential franchise quarterback on one of many sport’s largest phases: Sunday Night time Soccer.

Placing it on the finish of the record feels a bit disrespectful.

9) Matthew Judon Begins Rout vs. Giants

Earlier than we are saying something, let’s make this abundantly clear: This was a extremely dangerous New York Giants offense.

Even on their lone scoring drive, Jessie Bates had an opportunity for certainly one of his patented deflating, drive-killing, purple zone interceptions, nevertheless it slipped by way of his palms. On the subsequent two performs, Drew Lock discovered rookie operating again Tyrone Tracy, Jr. behind the top zone.

That might be the ultimate brilliant spot for this Giants offense.

Because the Giants limped out of halftime, down 17-7, you already know that they had ideas that even they coughed the ball up twice (certainly one of which is afterward this record), they’re nonetheless on this sport. A bizarre bounce of the ball off of Kyle Pitts’ palms into the lap of cornerback Cordale Flott gave New York a semblance of life.

To make this a one-score sport, all they needed to do was drive down the sector and rating factors.

That didn’t occur.

Zach Harrison and Arnold Ebiketie got here unabated to Lock after an embarrassing displaying from the best facet of the offensive line. Lock tried to salvage the throw and discover their principal goal Malik Nabers to get him going within the second half. As a substitute, the ball is batted up within the air by Harrison and into the ready arms of Matthew Judon.

The rout was on.

8) Darnell Mooney Shrugs Off CJGJ and Exhibits Off Athleticism vs. Eagles

Man, the vibes coming into this sport had been at an all-time low.

Atlanta had simply come off what was a putrid displaying of their first sport collectively towards the Pittsburgh Steelers. There have been questions on Kirk Cousins’ Achilles, whether or not Zac Robinson was the man, why wasn’t Kirk underneath middle, and many others.

Then, popping out and solely placing up three discipline targets within the first 5 possessions made followers really feel…higher. However there was nonetheless no shopping for into the product to this point.

Balls from Kirk had been nonetheless popping out scattershot and the timing simply felt a tick off with all of the receivers. All of them…besides Darnell Mooney.

Mooney got here to Atlanta due to the chance to play with Cousins and so they had chemistry immediately. For the primary few weeks, the emergency outlet on got-to-have-it downs wasn’t Pitts, it wasn’t London, it wasn’t Bijan, it was Mooney.

So, when Mooney had a one-on-one towards Chauncey Gardner-Johnson on a possible explosive, there was little doubt that Cousins was taking that day by day of the week.

The truth that it was Gardner-Johnson made it a bit sweeter. That picture of him in a Saints uniform kicking the Falcons emblem stays burned in my mind, so to see him tossed off Mooney on the way in which to a major six factors in that sport was simply icing on the cake. Then, the backflip, which he landed, was the ice cream on the facet that made it much more spectacular.

7) Drake London Places Trevon Diggs on a Poster

The final time the Falcons felt just like the crew we thought they had been earlier than the meltdown.

The Falcons offense got here out the gate sluggish, as a kind of debilitating holding penalties that plagued this offense all 12 months derailed the opening drive, giving the Cowboys the possibility to place the primary factors on the board with a discipline objective.

Now, down 3-0, the Falcons needed to put collectively a drive to get into the top zone or doubtlessly go down two possessions to a struggling Cowboys protection.

Bijan and Kirk made positive that wasn’t the case.

The drive began with three straight explosive performs: A 22-yard out-breaking path to Darnell Mooney, a 16-yard burst led by Charlie Woerner and London for Robinson and one other 18-yard seize by London, who confirmed off all 6’4” of him to herald a barely overthrown crosser from Cousins…little did we all know that was solely an indication of issues to return. 4 performs later, as Atlanta arrange for first and objective, a barely injured Trevon Diggs was rendered powerless by the 6’4”, 215-pound body of London.

Crazily sufficient, these two catches for London had been the one two targets for him on the day. However that did give him his sixth landing to that time, which matched his whole touchdowns as much as that time since coming into the league in 2022.

6) Jessie Bates Makes Mayfield Pay for Trickery vs. Bucs

In Tampa Bay’s second assembly with Atlanta in Raymond James Stadium, they discovered themselves with out their high two receiving choices in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.

Even with out that, quarterback Baker Mayfield made positive that everybody knew that it was Nationwide Tight Ends day and focused tight finish Cade Otton together with rookie receiver Jalen McMillan a ton on this sport.

Popping out of halftime, the Falcons had been hanging on to a one-possession lead, 24-17, once they did the one factor you possibly can’t do popping out the half: Have a three-and-out.

Now, the Mayfield-led Bucs, at dwelling, have all of the momentum as they begin their quest to tie the sport up at their very own 39-yard line.

After being pushed again to 2^nd & 19 with a holding name, Mayfield and this offense predicated on the short-passing sport from Liam Coen (Mayfield ranks 29^th out of 34 certified quarterbacks in air yards per try) threw two fast passes to get the primary down. After a 3rd fast display screen will get them into Falcons territory, Coen believes it’s time for the kill shot.

Mayfield handed it off to operating again Bucky Irving, Irving threw it again to Mayfield for the flea flicker and Mayfield gave a slight hesitation earlier than lastly deciding to offer receiver Ryan Miller an opportunity.

That hesitation was all that Jessie Bates wanted.

Bates went up and snagged this ball from poor Miller, who was simply making an attempt to do his job in reduction of Godwin and Evans. However that’s what occurs when you’ve got a participant like Bates.

Good issues are inclined to occur so long as they’re on the sector. Oh yeah, he additionally had a fumble restoration on this sport, too.

5) Troy Andersen Choose-Six Stymies Crimson-Scorching Begin from the Guests

The Guests from New Orleans had one of many strongest begins you may have the primary two weeks of the season. They exploded towards the Carolina Panthers and Cowboys for 47 and 44, respectively.

The subsequent week they bought humbled by the Eagles, scoring their solely landing late within the fourth quarter. This journey to Atlanta was speculated to be their “get-right” sport so they might get again to their dominant methods.

The primary two drives regarded like they had been going to be precisely that. There was that one snafu when Rahid Shaheed muffed a punt for a particular groups landing, however apart from that, it was an ideal begin for the Guests.

Derek Carr began the sport 7-for-7 for 49 yards and the Falcons-killer himself Taysom Hill already had carved up Atlanta for 2 touchdowns because the Saints bought the ball again once more up 14-10.

This drive regarded prefer it was going the identical approach because the earlier, Kamara stretching the offense horizontally and Carr doing what he can to maintain the passing sport afloat. To this point, Carr had success getting the ball out shortly, using the crew’s velocity to outflank Atlanta’s protection.

Nonetheless, on try quantity eight, Carr thought he had yet one more fast toss to Olave, however cornerback Dee Alford sniffed it out and compelled Carr to hesitate for a cut up second. That gave Matthew Judon simply sufficient time to get his hand on the ball proper after Carr let it go…and the remainder is historical past.

One of many craziest facets of this play is the velocity Troy Andersen has as he returns this interception to the top zone. Chris Olave had a stable angle on Andersen, however the mixture of dimension, energy and velocity was an excessive amount of for the receiver to make a play and Andersen made his first interception rely.

From then on, the Saints had struggled to get again into the top zone, settling for six factors all through the third quarter and permitting the Falcons to drag off among the finest wins on this rivalry’s historical past. It was ony the second time in sequence historical past when the winner didn’t rating a single offensive landing, and it led to certainly one of my favourite stats from this season.

4) Jessie Bates does Jessie Bates Issues vs. Giants

There have been moments on this season the place Jessie Bates was the one optimistic on the Falcons protection. And there have been moments the place the previous All-Professional sparked the protection with a well-timed punch of the soccer or an important cross break-up. It’s simply what he does.

He’s the chief of that secondary and of this protection…however he hadn’t had that signature second that he did final season.

That pick-six towards the New Orleans Saints was a Discover of Arrival for the league that Bates continues to be Bates. He had performs in video games just like the Tampa Bay interception, however they didn’t really feel the identical.

It wasn’t till the Giants bought the ball again after their lone scoring drive that Jessie was in a position to flip the lights out on the Giants.

New York was transferring down the sector after a switch-release slant bought the Giants offense towards midfield and the New York offense was truly driving down the sector and into Falcons territory.

So, there they had been. On the 48-yard line, 2^nd & 7. Lock telegraphed that he was in search of his favourite goal, Wan’Dale Robinson on a fast hitch…and Jessie noticed it the entire time.

This was Penix’s first begin and the offense mirrored that. They had been sluggish out the gates and wanted just a little little bit of assist to get going. After that pick-six, the Falcons offense scored a landing on the subsequent drive, threatened one other landing earlier than the bizarre Pitts interception, then scored one final landing of their first drive of the second half to place the sport out of attain 31-7.

It began with Jessie Bates doing issues solely the way in which Jessie Bates might.

3) Younghoe Koo Profession Lengthy Sends Guests Again to the Swamp

When Alvin Kamara scored the landing to place the Guests up 24-23 in Atlanta, I received’t lie, I used to be nervous. Cousins hadn’t been as sharp as you needed him to. He was 20-of-31 for 233 yards and an interception, however there was an opportunity.

As much as that time, Younghoe Koo’s career-long had been 54 yards, nevertheless it was clear, at the very least at this level within the season, that he might boot it from longer.

By the primary three video games of the season, it was enterprise as traditional. Koo made his kicks and saved us within the sport when he was known as upon. There have been just a few murmurs about his new kicking routine, however once we wanted him to, he confirmed up simply effective.

So, when Cousins and firm drew an important defensive cross interference on Paulson Adebo to get Atlanta near discipline objective vary, it felt like future. But it surely was simply exterior that little inexperienced line…so the fear began to set in a bit. It settled in much more when Cousins threw three straight incompletions and Koo needed to trot out to hit an virtually 60-yard discipline objective to ship the Guests again to the swamp.

May Koo do it?

Completely. Drive dwelling safely Falcons followers. We don’t have something to fret about with Koo…at the very least not this week.

2) Drake London Couldn’t Imagine It and Neither May We vs. Eagles

When Gardner-Johnson met Bijan Robinson within the gap and stonewalled him…I simply knew the sport was over.

I simply knew that this Eagles offense, that had been grinding our protection to a pulp, would discover a strategy to get the large play from Jalen Hurts, or Saquon Barkley, or Dallas Godert to attain a landing and put this sport away with a landing or simply grind the clock out.

And so they virtually did…Barkley simply dropped it and left the smallest of home windows for Cousins to drag off the miracle. With Matt Ryan in attendance on the ManningCast.

Effectively, let’s see if Cousins hit the trifecta:

– Cousins fires a fastball to Pitts…there’s the optimistic first play.

– Cousins finds Mooney on beneficial properties of 21 and 26 to get the ball to the 12-yard line…There are your two explosive performs

Now, we simply want factors.

Three performs later, on 3^rd & 5 on the 7-yard line, London gave them to you.

Thanks, Matt, we couldn’t have finished it with out you.

1) KhaDarel Hodge Offers us a Second for The Ages vs. Bucs in OT

All through the years, since he grew to become a Falcon in 2022, KhaDarel Hodge had merely put his head down and labored wherever he was wanted. If it was kick protection, he was going to indicate out. If we wanted him at WR3, he was going to contribute. If he’s wanted as a gunner, he’s going to be the primary one down there.

In 2024, it felt like Hodge did extra than simply play particular groups, he excelled. He had the wherewithal to fall on the fumble within the Saints sport to get Atlanta on the board. He blocked not only one, however two punts towards the Las Vegas Raiders to set our offense up in place to get some form of factors amid Cousins’ midseason meltdown.

He was all around the discipline, which led to his being known as to be the NFC Particular Groups Consultant on this 12 months’s Professional Bowl.

However Hodge’s greatest second wasn’t on particular groups in 2024.

Oh no, Hodge gave the NFL world a kind of moments that may go as much as a pal sooner or later and ask “You bear in mind the KhaDarel Hodge sport on Thursday Night time Soccer?”

This sport was the head of “We’re so again” in Atlanta. Cousins had been carving this Buccaneers protection with confidence and poise that reminded followers why he was paid $100 million assured.

Cousins had over 400 yards when Younghoe Koo’s 52-yard discipline objective despatched them to time beyond regulation.

After successful the coin toss, Cousins discovered London on back-to-back performs, for six and 18 yards, respectively. Nonetheless, on the latter, London suffered a crushing hit from nook Zyon McCollum that despatched him to the sidelines for a play to catch his breath.

Little did he know, his providers would not be vital. As Hodge trotted to the 45-yard line, he didn’t know that future was calling him. However as he continues to do time and again for this Falcons crew, he was able to reply.

Thanks for taking place reminiscence lane with me should you’ve made it this far. This season must be characterised as disappointing, however it’s good to cool down for a second and relish within the silver linings.

Bear in mind the great occasions and cherish them. You by no means know when you could get one other probability to.