Falcons 10, Rams 37: Atlanta gets demolished and Dan Quinn may get fired

At 1-5 and fielding one of the worst defenses in the league, Dan Quinn’s career with the Falcons hangs in the balance as the Rams come to Atlanta. With a Falcons offense that has looked better recently, this game isn’t entirely out of reach, but Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey could stop that recent trend. Let’s take a look at how things played out.

First quarter

The Rams deferred on the coin toss so the Falcons started on offense. After a nice return by Kenjon Barner, the offense started on their own 33. On the first play from scrimmage, Matt Ryan throws to Julio Jones for a short 5 yard gain. After Devonta Freeman picks up 2 on the run, the Rams get called for defensive holding, gifting the first down. After Austin Hooper is called for holding, on 1st and 20, Devonta Freeman picks up 8 on the run. On the next play, Ryan connects with Calvin Ridley for 15 yards and the first down. Ryan narrowly avoids a huge sack to throw it away and on the next play Ito Smith gains 7 on the run to setup 3rd and 3. Ryan is unable to connect with Ridley, and Matt Bryant comes on to nail the 52-yard field goal.

Falcons 3, Rams 0

After the touchback, the Falcons stop Todd Gurley for a 1 yard loss on first down. However, Gurley turns around and gains 10 on the next run and on 3rd and 1, Grady Jarrett misses the tackle and Darrell Henderson picks up the first down. After a 2 yard run by Gurley, Isaiah Oliver makes a nice stop on Gurley. On 3rd and 8, the Falcons rush 3 and the Rams predictably convert the first down on the pass to Cooper Kupp. After Goff misses Brandin Cooks deep and Deion Jones stops Henderson for a 2 yard loss, Goff connects with Robert Woods to convert the long 3rd and 12. Goff misses high on first and hits Brandin Cooks for 8 yards and on 3rd and 2 can’t convert on the run. The Rams attempt the 40-yard field goal but miss.

Falcons 3, Rams 0

After a run for no gain by Freeman and a sack of Ryan by Dante Fowler, Ryan is sacked again on 3rd down by Cory Littleton. Falcons are forced to punt.

The Rams start with a nice first down pass for 16 yards to Cooks on the first play of their drive. Goff misses to Robert Woods and follows by connecting to Gerald Everett to setup 3rd and 6. On that play, Ricardo Allen shows up to stop the pass to Robert Woods. The Rams try - and connect - on the 55 yard field goal.

Falcons 3, Rams 3

After the touchback, Ryan starts with a 12-yard completion to Julio Jones. Ryan immediately connects with Russell Gage for another first down. After a screen pass is knocked down by Fowler, Ryan throws slightly behind Gage to setup 3rd and 10. Ryan misses Julio Jones on the 3rd down pass and Atlanta has to punt. The punt ends the first quarter.

Falcons 3, Rams 3

Second quarter

On 1st down on their own 15, Goff finds Robert Woods for 25 yards and the first down. He connects with Woods again for 9 yards. Todd Gurley picks up the first on a 4 yard run. After a 6 yard pass to Cooper Kupp, Henderson picks up the first down on the ground. After Goff missed Everett downfield, Foye Oluokun is called for a horrifyingly bad roughing the passer penalty. After a missed pass and a short gain to Tyler Higbee, on 3rd and 2 the Rams get the touchdown as Goff finds Todd Gurley for six.

Falcons 3, Rams 10

On the Falcons next drive, after a short run for no gain, Ryan finds Julio for 17 yards and the first down. A 3 yard pass to Mohamed Sanu is followed by a 5 yard run by Devonta out of the wildcat. On 3rd and 2, Ryan connects with Calvin Ridley for the first down. On first down, Devonta gets a nice run, fumbles it and recovers it for a 7 yard loss. Ryan can’t connect with Julio on 2nd and 17 and on 3rd down, Ryan has to throw it away quickly after being immediately pressured.

The Rams start their drive with a 3 yard run by Henderson. Goff then finds Cooks for another first down. After a false start sets up 2nd and 15, the Rams pick up 12 on the quick pass to Cooper Kupp. On 3rd and 3, Gerald Everett is unable to pull the pass in. However, the Rams fake the punt on 4th and 3 and convert on the pass for a big gain. Goff connects with Cooks for another first down and a gain of 14. After Gurley is stopped for a loss on two straight runs, the Rams can’t convert the 3rd and goal on the short pass to Kupp. They opt for the field goal, which they make.

Falcons 3, Rams 13

With just under 2 minutes left, Ryan starts the drive with a big 39 yard gain to Julio Jones. After a short pass for 4 to Devonta, and Ryan throws it out of bounds, Ryan barely misses Julio on the deep pass. Matt Bryant comes on for the 50-yard field goal but misses it.

Falcons 3, Rams 13

The Rams take over on their own 40 but manage to throw three straight incomplete passes leaving the Falcons with 3 timeouts and a little under a minute left in the quarter. A bad punt by Hekker of just 20 yards sets Atlanta up with perfect field position.

A two yard gain by Freeman is followed by an incomplete pass to Freeman. On 3rd and 8, Ryan is sacked again by Dante Fowler. That was an uninspiring drive.

The Falcons punt and the Rams are able to return it to their own 49. They manage to not capitalize, which is a minor miracle for Atlanta. We mercifully get to halftime.

Falcons 3, Rams 13

Third quarter

On the first play of the second half, the Rams start with a 5 yard run by Todd Gurley. Darrell Henderson picks up the first down on the next run. On 2nd and 10, Goff connects with Gerald Everett for a big gain against Jamaal Carter. An 8 yard pass to Henderson is followed by a first down pass to Cooper Kupp. On 3rd and 4, Goff connects with Gerald Everett again for the touchdown and the big lead.

Falcons 3, Rams 20

Devonta Freeman kicks off the next drive with a nice 8 yard run. Unfortunately, James Carpenter is flagged on the next play for holding, setting up 2nd and 18. On the screen pass, Ryan is intercepted after the pass bounces off of the hands of Sanu and into the hands of the Rams.

Starting on the Falcons 16 yard line, the Rams start with a Gurley run for 8 yards. He picks up the first down on his next run to setup first and goal from the 4. On the next run, Gurley is stopped just short of the end zone in a pile push. Jared Goff runs it in for the touchdown two plays later. Everything is awful.

Falcons 3, Rams 27

A nice return by Kenjon Barner sets the Falcons up at their 33. It doesn’t matter, as Matt Ryan is sacked by Dante Fowler yet again on the first play. On 2nd and 14, Brian Hill picks up a few yards to setup 3rd and 11. The screen pass to Julio goes for 1 yard and the Falcons are forced to punt.

The Rams offense runs twice to setup 3rd and 12. On third down, they run again for nearly no gain and end up punting. The Falcons defense forces a 3 and out and the sky turns blood red and the moon cracks open, a sign of the end times.

Taking over on their own 30, the Falcons offense picks up 4 on the run by Brian Hill. Ryan finally connects with Austin Hooper for a big first down. On 3rd and 1, Ryan finds Hill for the first down reception and the end of the third quarter.

Falcons 3, Rams 27

Fourth quarter

To start the fourth quarter, Brian Hill is tackled for a loss of 6 yards. Ryan connects with Ridley for a 6 yard gain but Ryan is sacked on 3rd and 10 by Aaron Donald and limps off the field. Falcons punt.

The Rams pick up a first down on two straight runs. In an effort to burn down the clock, the Rams mostly kept the ball on the ground, converting another first before they setup 2nd and 13 at mid-field. On that play, Robert Woods took the pass for a 15 yard gain and another first down. Gurley gets another first on a reverse. He carries it again for another 5 yard gain as the clock continues to burn down. The Rams eventually stall out and punch in a field goal. Not that it matters against this Falcons team.

Falcons 3, Rams 30

With Matt Schaub at QB (due to an ankle injury to Ryan), Hill starts this drive with 5 yard run. Austin Hooper picks up 4 to set up 3rd and 1. Brian Hill picks up the first on the next play. Schaub connects with Julio for a nice gain for another first down and immediately finds Justin Hardy for another first down gain. Austin Hooper picks up the first down on the next pass and after a short pass to Hardy, Schaub finds Austin Hooper again for the touchdown pass.

Falcons 10, Rams 30

With a little over 2 minutes left in the game, the Rams put Blake Bortles in at QB. My god. John Kelly picks up 2 yards on his first run of the game. After another run sets up 3rd and 2, the Rams pick up one yard. A false start sets up 4th and 6th and the Rams decide to punt with 28 seconds left in the game. Russell Gage fumbles it and the Rams end up with the touchdown after recovering it. Of course.

Final: Falcons 10, Rams 37