5 months ago
Bijan Robinson rushed for 195 yards, including a 93-yard touchdown, Zane Gonzalez kicked a 51-yard section extremity pinch 21 seconds remaining and nan Atlanta Falcons recovered aft blowing 2 21-point leads to upset nan playoff-bound Los Angeles Rams 27-24 connected Monday night.
Robinson’s 93-yard touchdown run was nan longest successful Atlanta history and Jessie Bates III scored connected a 34-yard interception return. Bolstered by those large plays, nan Falcons led 21-0 astatine halftime and 24-3 early successful nan 2nd half.
Matthew Stafford recovered from throwing 3 interceptions to thief nan Rams propulsion moreover astatine 24. Stafford’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Puka Nacua pinch 2:46 remaining tied nan game.
The Falcons (7-9) extended their winning streak to 3 games arsenic Robinson besides group nan Falcons grounds for astir scrimmage yards successful a season.
The Rams (11-5) mislaid their 2nd straight. They began nan week starring nan NFL successful scoring and yards and were unopen retired successful nan first half. After trailing 21-0 astatine halftime, nan Rams were kept retired of nan extremity area until Stafford’s 27-yard touchdown walk to Terrance Ferguson precocious successful nan 3rd quarter.
Los Angeles trim Atlanta’s lead to 24-17 erstwhile Emmanuel Forbes Jr blocked a 37-yard section extremity effort by Gonzalez and Jarred Verse returned nan betterment 76 yards for a touchdown. It was nan Rams’ first blocked footwear returned for a touchdown since 1986.
Stafford’s 2nd interception, connected a propulsion picked disconnected by Atlanta rookie Xavier Watts, gave nan Falcons nan shot astatine their 7 successful nan 2nd quarter. Robinson collapsed done nan statement and took disconnected down nan sideline, outrunning nan Los Angeles defense for nan NFL’s longest tally of nan season.
Watts’ 2nd interception, nan 3rd thrown by Stafford, stopped nan Rams connected a fourth-down play from nan Atlanta 27 pinch 9:04 remaining.
The Rams will unfastened nan playoffs connected nan road, an result that was group aft NFC West rivals Seattle and San Francisco some won connected Sunday. They entered nan nighttime arsenic nan No 5 seed from nan NFC and their information against nan Falcons was to protect that spot and nan first-round matchup against a squad from nan NFC South, either Carolina aliases Tampa Bay.
Stafford, who earned his 3rd Pro Bowl grant this season, began nan week leading nan NFL successful touchdown passes and passing yards. He had thrown only 5 interceptions earlier his turnover-plagued effort against nan Falcons.
Stafford completed 22 of 38 passes for 269 yards pinch 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He has a career-best 42 touchdown passes this season.
Robinson needed 151 rushing and receiving yards to break William Andrews’ squad grounds of 2,176 group successful 1983. Robinson added 5 catches for 34 yards, including a four-yard touchdown reception, to decorativeness pinch 229 scrimmage yards successful nan crippled and 2,255 for nan year.
