Falcons 26, Bears 30: Another epic collapse now defines this disastrous 2020 season

Unfortunately for the Falcons, the Bears came into this game with a healthy roster and a 2-0 start to the season. Before Sunday arrived, Atlanta had already ruled out Ricardo Allen and Kendall Sheffield and had to suddenly rule out A.J. Terrell after he tested positive for COVID-19. This is on top of having 5 different players listed as questionable going into Sunday, such as Julio Jones and Dante Fowler Jr. How did this matchup ultimately play out? Let’s take a look.

First quarter

After the Falcons win the toss and defer, the Bears start on their own 25 with a run up the middle by David Montgomery for a gain of 6. A quick pass to Demetrius Harris converts the first down. After an 11 yard pass from Mitch Trubisky to Jimmy Graham picks up the first, and a terrible pass is nearly picked off by Damontae Kazee, Tarik Cohen runs for 17 on the delayed hand-off to keep the drive going. Keanu Neal stops the run for no gain on the next play and after a short pass to Allen Robinson for 5 yards, on 3rd and 5 Darqueze Dennard breaks up the pass for Robinson to setup 4th and 5. The Bears can’t convert the 46-yard field goal attempt, keeping the game scoreless.

The Falcons offense starts on their own 36 with Matt Ryan going deep to Calvin Ridley for 63 yards to put the ball on the Chicago 1-yard line. They immediately follow that up with an ineffective run by Gurley up the middle and ultimately score as Matt Ryan hits Hayden Hurst for the touchdown and the quick score. Koo misses the extra point.

Falcons 6, Bears 0

Starting on their own 25, the Bears pick up 5 with the run by Montgomery. After Trubisky connects with Allen Robinson to convert the first and Harris picks up 5 on the short pass, Anthony Miller picks up another first down on the WR sweep. From mid-field, Trubisky hits Robinson again for another 19 yards and another first down. After a holding call sets up 1st and 20, the Bears pick up 13 on the pass to Miller to setup 2nd and 7. Cordarelle Patterson runs to setup 3rd and 1 and again to convert the first. Grady Jarrett blows up the next run for a 5 yard loss and after a 6 yard gain by Montgomery on 2nd down, on 3rd and 9 Blidi Wreh-Wilson breaks up the pass intended for Miller to force the field goal attempt, which is converted this time.

Falcons 6, Bears 3

After the touchback, Matt Ryan targets Calvin Ridley yet again for a 16 yard gain. After a short pass to Todd Gurley goes for 2 yards and he runs up the middle for 3 more, on 3rd and 5 Ryan targets Russell Gage who can’t pull it down. Atlanta punts.

The Bears start their 3rd offensive drive in the first quarter with Trubisky targeting Tedd Ginn Jr deep, but good coverage by Dennard denying him. On 2nd and 10, Montgomery is tackled for just 3 yards to setup 3rd and 7. On the money down, Trubisky tries to go deep again but is way off as we head into the 2nd quarter.

Falcons 6, Bears 3

Second quarter

The Bears open the 2nd quarter with a punt.

The Falcons take over on their own 37 with a run by Brian Hill for a minimal gain. Ryan then hits Olamide Zaccheaus to pick up the first. Ryan then connects with Russell Gage for a 14 yard gain and another first down. Brian Hill makes a nice run for 5 yards and Calvin Ridley takes the jet sweep for the first down. After a check down to Luke Stocker picks up 6 and Brian Hill runs for 1, on 3rd and 3 Ryan connects with Gage for the first down. On 1st and goal from the 8, Gurley runs it to the Bears 3. After Ryan can’t connect with Ridley in the end zone, on 3rd and goal Matt Ryan is sacked by Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks to kill the drive. Koo comes on and punches in the chip-shot field goal.

Falcons 9, Bears 3

From their 25 the Bears offense gets blown up on the run play to lose 7 yards. After Darnell Mooney picks up 12 yards on 2nd and 17, on 3rd and 5 the Falcons defense gets the stop as Grady Jarrett gets the sack of Trubisky. The Bears are forced to punt.

After the punt gives them the ball on their own 35, the Atlanta offense starts with 2 running backs on the field, but the play action pass goes nowhere. After Gurley takes a delayed hand-off for 7 yards on 3rd and 3 Ryan is sacked and fumbles and the Bears recover, but a penalty on Khalil Mack for roughing the passer gives them the first down. After the first down pass is tipped and the 2nd down pass bounces around in the secondary, on 3rd and 10 Ryan can’t connect with Ridley, but an offsides on the defense gives them a second shot. On the money down, Brian Hill gets the draw and carries it for 35 yards and the touchdown!

Falcons 16, Bears 3

On the first play of their drive, Mitch Trubisky is sacked by Charles Harris. On 2nd and 13, Trubisky then hits Robinson for 15 yards and the first down. A tipped pass drops to the ground on first down and a false start sets up 2nd and 15, where Robinson catches it for 16 yards and another first down. Mitch Trubisky then rushes it for 45 yards to put the ball on the Falcons 5. After the two minute warning, Montgomery takes it up the middle and is stopped at the 2. Trubisky then hits Jimmy Graham for the touchdown.

Falcons 16, Bears 10

The Falcons return can’t even get to the 20 and Atlanta’s offense starts on the 19 with a quick slant to Calvin Ridley. On 2nd and 5, Ryan is pressured and has to throw it away. The third down play is a short pass to Ridley that doesn’t convert and Atlanta has to punt. That was horrifying.

After the short punt, the Bears get the ball back with over a minute left on the clock. Mitch Trubisky starts with a deep shot down the left side that is covered well by Isaiah Oliver. A quick pass to Cohen on 2nd down sets up 3rd and 2, and on that down Trubisky misses an open Anthony Miller deep and the Bears have to punt.

With 46 seconds and 2 timeouts from their own 14, the Falcons start with a draw by Gurley for 12 yards. Ryan then finds Zaccheaus for another first down. Ryan barely misses Ridley deep down the sideline after the timeout. Ryan scrambles on the 2nd down but a holding call brings the ball back. The finally decide to just toss it to Gurley and put everyone out of their misery.

Falcons 16, Bears 10

Third quarter

Following the touchback, the Falcons offense starts with a run by Brian Hill up the middle for 6 yards. They get 2 yards on a Gurley run and on 3rd and 2, a roughing the passer penalty on Akiem Hicks gives Atlanta the first. At midfield, Ryan has to throw it away as the screen is blown up. Gurley then picks up 15 on the run for another first down. Ryan hits Ridley again for a big 24 yard gain. The drive is finished off by an impressive Todd Gurley run for the 10 yard touchdown.

Falcons 23, Bears 10

A big return by Patterson sets the Bears up on their own 38. A quick pass to Robinson goes for 5 but the Falcons take down Cohen in the backfield to setup 3rd and 8. On the money down, Mitch Trubisky is picked off by Blidi Wreh-Wilson giving Atlanta the ball at the Bears 20.

The Atlanta offense comes on and starts with a toss to Gurley for a minimal gain. After Ryan throws it away on 2nd and 9, on 3rd and 9 Ryan can’t connect with Brandon Powell with the end zone shot. Koo comes on and punches in the short field goal.

Falcons 26, Bears 10

After the kickoff goes out of bounds, the Bears - with Nick Foles now in at QB - start with a run by Patterson for 4 yards. Foles then hits Jimmy Graham for the first down. After a throwaway on 1st down, Tarik Cohen takes the screen pass for 20 and another first down. Cohen is stopped after a run for 4 and Montgomery is taken down after no gain on the 2nd down run. On 3rd and 6, Darqueze Dennard appears to pick off the ball, but the refs rule simultaneous possession and rule it a touchdown. On review, the play is overturned and the ruling is an interception for Dennard. Score one for the good guys.

The Falcons offense takes over on their 20 and start with a pass to Ridley for 13 yards and the first down. Brian Hill then takes the screen for nearly 20 yards and the first. After a short pass to Keith Smith for 3 yards and a run by Hill for 2 yards, on 3rd and 5 Ryan hits hill on the pass but he drops it. The punt by the Falcons is fair caught at the Bears 10.

The Bears offense starts with a run by Montgomery for a one yard loss. On 2nd and 11, the quick pass to Montgomery goes for a short gain and on 3rd and 8, John Cominsky ROCKS Nick Foles to force an errant throw and the fourth down. Bears punt.

After the punt return goes to the Falcons 38, the Atlanta offense starts with a run by Todd Gurley that gains 4 yards. The second down run by Gurley sets up 3rd and 3. He takes the handoff again to pick up 16 yards and the first down as we head into the final quarter.

Falcons 26, Bears 10

Fourth quarter

From the Bears 29, Gurley runs for 3 to keep the clock moving. After Ryan’s pass is batted down on 2nd down, on 3rd and 7 Matt Ryan is sacked. Younghoe Koo comes on and misses the 48 yard field goal. Oh boy.

The Bears offense starts from their own 38 with an incomplete pass. On 2nd and 10, Robinson catches the 8 yard pass but Laroy Reynolds is flagged for grabbing the helmet, adding 15 yards. After a 7 yard pass and a nice pass breakup on 2nd down by Reynolds, on 3rd and 3 Foles targets Mooney but Dennard breaks up the pass beautifully. However, a phantom penalty calls it back to 3rd and 8? Foles then passes to Graham as the ball goes by 3 Falcons defenders. It is suddenly first and goal from the Falcons 9, where Foles throws it out of the end zone. On 2nd and goal, Keanu Neal blows up the short pass to Cohen to setup 3rd and goal from the 17. On fourth down, Foles hits Anthony Miller for the touchdown and makes it a single score game again. However, after the review, the refs overturn the call as Miller let the ball hit the ground before securing it. Atlanta takes over.

With a two score lead and 10:46 remaining, the offense starts with a Brian Hill run that goes for 4 yards. After Hill picks up another yard on 2nd down, on 3rd and 5 Ryan can’t connect with Zaccheaus and the offense goes 3 and out. Take a shot.

The Bears offense starts with a target for Mooney, but Dennard defends it well again. On 2nd down, Foles hits the quick throw to Robinson who picks up 4. On 3rd and 6, Foles targets Robinson again, but Isaiah Oliver gets the pass break up to set up 4th and 6. Foles hits Ted Ginn Jr. on the deep cross and converts the fourth down. From the Atlanta 29, Foles misses Wins on the right side. The 2nd down run from Montgomery picks up 10 and the first. An incomplete pass is combined with a bad defenseless hit by Jaylin Hawkins and the Bears suddenly have first and goal from the 9. Montgomery takes the next pass down to the 3 and after a 2nd down pass to Graham is incomplete, he finally hits him on 3rd down for the touchdown. The 2 point conversion fails to convert, though, and Atlanta maintains a two score lead.

Falcons 26, Bears 16

After the return goes to the Falcons 17, the Atlanta offense - with just over 6 minutes left - starts with a run by Todd Gurley that gains 2 yards. Ryan’s pass falls short on the 2nd down pass and on 3rd and 8, Ryan tries to dump it off to Hurst but it goes nowhere and they only burn a little over 50 seconds off the clock. The punt is called just past the 50 yard line, setting up the Bears offense beautifully.

After defensive encroachment sets up 1st and 5, Montgomery rumbles for a 10 yard gain and the first. After a quick pass to Graham for a 4 yard gain, Nick Foles then hits Allen Robinson for the 37-yard touchdown. Wow. Just ... wow.

Falcons 26, Bears 23

From their 25, the Falcons offense starts with an incomplete pass targeting Brian Hill. On 2nd and 10, Matt Ryan targets Ito Smith who can’t catch the damned ball. On 3rd down, after a false start makes it 3rd and 15, Ryan targets Zaccheaus deep but can’t connect due to pressure in the pocket. Atlanta goes three and out yet again.

After the punt and an unnecessary roughness penalty, the Bears offense starts from the Falcons 44 yard line with a quick pass to Robinson for a gain of 6. Montgomery picks up the first down on the subsequent run and after Foles misses Montgomery deep down the right, on 2nd and 10 a quick pass to Harris gains just a few. After the two minute warning, on 3rd and 8, Foles hits Anthony Miller for the big go ahead touchdown. My god.

Falcons 26, Bears 30

Starting at their own 25, Ryan hits Powell for the quick 12 yards and the first down. Ryan hits Powell again for another first down. Ryan hits Zaccheaus for a 6 yard gain but is picked off on the 2nd down, effectively ending the game.

Final: Falcons 26, Bears 30