Falcons' Todd Gurley 'Mad as Hell' After Failing to Fall Down Before TD vs Lions

The Atlanta Falcons were in position to run out the clock in Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions and kick a chip-shot field goal to win it, but Todd Gurley scored a touchdown instead of going down before the goal line.

That gave the Lions one more opportunity, and Matthew Stafford found T.J. Hockenson for a touchdown as time expired. The ensuing Matt Prater extra point gave the Lions the 23-22 win.

"I was mad as hell," Gurley said of his touchdown, per Tori McElhaney of The Athletic. "I was trying not to; my momentum took me in."    

It was clear Gurley did not want to go into the end zone, as he seemed to be walking on a tight rope as he approached the goal line before breaking the plane.

It should be noted the Falcons still would have won the game if their defense didn't allow Stafford to direct an eight-play, 75-yard drive in just one minute and four seconds to give the Lions the win.

Detroit is now very much alive in the NFC playoff race at 3-3, while Atlanta is 1-6 following yet another stunning loss.

This is the same Falcons team that blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter to the Dallas Cowboys in a game that featured an improbable onside kick and a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter to the Chicago Bears.

It isn't difficult to envision the Falcons in the middle of the playoff race instead, but their inability to finish games has been a serious problem all season.

This was just the latest stunning defeat in a year that is already filled with them.