(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Falcons first primetime game of the season turned out in their favor.
But it wasn't pretty. Neither came away from this game satisfied with the way they played. Both teams defenses stepped up and just played a physical game.
After the Falcons went three and out to start the game, the Bears marched down into the Falcons red zone looking as if they planned to take the crowd out early. That's when the Falcons defense tightened up.
It's the story of the year for the Falcons defense. Bend, but do not break.
Coming into the game, the Falcons ranked third in the NFL in scoring defense despite allowed a ton of yards to teams.
After Cutler drove the Bears into the red zone he saw something in the Falcons defense he didn't like. That forced him to take the Bears first time out. Two plays later he tossed an interception to second year starter Thomas DeCoud.
"The safety (Thomas DeCoud) made a good play and I just missed that one,” said Cutler of the pick.
Not much more to say about that, DeCoud played a hell of a game.
It wasn't a painful pick as the Falcons, who started the game very flat, went three and out and kicked the ball back to the Bears.
The rest of the first quarter was uneventful. Both defenses showing they were not there to be pushed around by any All-Pro quarterbacks.
The second quarter was a different story entirely. The Bears first play was a touchdown pass to overachieving receiver Johnny Knox. Up by seven, the Bears defense tried to stifle the Falcons offense with a multitude of blitzing.
The never got to Matt Ryan, but they did throw him off his game. They also made it a point to shut down the Falcons ability to run the ball. All that ceased when Cutler made a poor throw intended for Greg Olson that landed into the hands of DeCoud for a second time that night.
That one did hurt the Bears. The Falcons next two plays were Norwood and Turner for 15 yards followed by a beautiful catch and run by Roddy White for a 40-yard touchdown.
"They like to go to a lot of zero coverage," said White. "You know, that’s what they did, they went ‘zero’ on that play. Matt (Ryan) got the ball out early. Tony (Gonzalez) and (Brian Finneran) made great blocks and I just kind of got up the seam and scored.”
The next time the Falcons touched the ball they marched downfield on a 12 play, five minute drive to end the half. It concluded on a Tony Gonzalez touchdown catch with nine seconds remaining on the clock.
“They (Chicago) were in a cover-two defense, and it was a one on one match up," said Gonzalez. "I gave the defender an out and up route, and once he went for it, Matt (Ryan) put the ball where I could get it. It was just a great play by him.”
Going into halftime, the score favored the Falcons, but neither team had locked anything up. This was a well-coached game on both sides of the ball.
The second half featured more of the same. Defenses making plays and offenses struggling to keep drives alive.
The Bears received the ball but were forced to punt to open the second half. The Falcons took the ball and as they have done many times this season, systematically had their way down the field.
On the Falcons 18-yard line, on a third and seven play Matt Ryan overthrew a wide open Gonzales and was picked off by Zack Bowman on the Falcons 44-yard line. The Falcons defense stepped up and forced a punt.
Nearing the end of the third quarter was the drive people will talk about for ages now. I call it -- The drive of the Lofton.
On this drive Chicago marched 59 yards in 13 plays down to the Falcons one yard line. I call this the Lofton drive because on this series alone he had five tackles and a forced fumble.
His forced fumble of Forte was recovered by the Bears but on the very next play, still on the one yard line, Forte fumbled again. This time tackle Jonathan Babineaux popped it loose and the Falcons fell on it.
Perhaps goaline stands aren't Matts 'Forte' but if you read the reviews on the game it had nothing to do with the Falcons No. 4 ranked scoring defense. More on that later.
In the fourth quarter, receiver Michael Jenkins gave the Bears another chance to get back into the game by tipping a Ryan pass into the hands of defensive back Nathan Vasher.
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