11 Seconds of Heaven: Falcons Take Back Victory from Chicago

Welcome back, Atlanta Falcons, we've missed you.

I feel the need to let everyone know that this Ryan kid, he ain't your average rookie.

Yes, he will make mistakes; yes, he will be confused at times, but as evidenced by the way he played on Sunday in the Falcons' breathtaking victory over Chicago, I'll say it again: He is not the average rookie.

And these are not the typical Atlanta Falcons.

This game gave any football fan almost everything he could hope for—a few firsts, a goat, redemption, and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

It had a David-versus-Goliath feel to it, and with the win, the Falcons have established themselves as, if nothing else, a team that can no longer be ignored.

Atlanta, while not flawless, played a complete game, holding the Bears to 79 yards rushing and preventing the always-dangerous Devin Hester from hurting them in the return game.

The offense's inability to score touchdowns, despite Ryan's first career 300-yard day, made this game look much closer than it should have been, and that is a concern. Coach Smith can't allow his team to continue to take three points in lieu of six.

The Falcons' defense, led by Jamaal Anderson, who had a sack and two passes defensed, was the real story of this game. Seemingly inspired by a deafening home-dome crowd, they stopped Chicago when it really mattered—in the fourth quarter, on 4th-and-1 from Atlanta's one.

In the huddle, prior to the snap, the defense did not say a word, knowing what needed to happen. Lawyer Milloy's mantra rang true, "Don't think, just hit."

Keith Brooking is credited with the tackle, yet it was the entire defense that collapsed the middle and refused to allow Forte to find the end zone.

The Georgia Dome erupted, as if letting out a few season's worth of frustration with that one exhilarating play. The Falcons' sideline was buzzing. Coach Smith was pumping his fist.

But the Bears are too good of a team to go down quite that easily and they proved it, scoring on their following two possessions. They also got a little help from Falcons kicker Jason Elam.

With an opportunity to put the game out of reach with four minutes remaining, the always-reliable Elam missed a sure thing: a 33-yard field goal.

Consequently, the Falcons found themselves down by one point with 11 seconds remaining. And this is where the fairy tale truly begins.

With every Falcons fan thinking, "Great, this is exactly the kind of thing that happens to Atlanta," Matt Ryan made a play in response that said, "Not so fast everyone, I'm not your typical rookie."

With everything on the line, Ryan, as he was leveled, found Michael Jenkins at the Chicago 30.

Elam, with an opportunity to make amends for his previous miss and give this unlikely team the biggest win off a single foot since 1998, nailed a 48-yard field goal.

Matt Ryan looked at the Atlanta fans with an "I told you so" grin.

And so begins a new Falcons Era.