Falcons 13, 49ers 31: Atlanta’s playoff hopes fall apart faster than their offensive line

Coming into the game, the Atlanta Falcons came into their week 15 matchup with the 49ers with a 12% chance of making the playoffs. A win would take that up to 42 percent while dropping to 6-8 gives them just a 2% chance of making the playoffs. Did the Falcons pull off the upset and dramatically improve their playoff odds in the process? Read on to find out.

First quarter

The 49ers get the ball first after Atlanta wins the toss and defers. However, Qadree Ollison demolishes JaMycal Hasty on the kickoff return and Richie Grant recovers the fumble. Falcons football! The Falcons drive starts with a 4 yard run by Cordarelle Patterson. Matt Ryan then connects with Kyle Pitts for 7 yards to setup 1st and goal from the San Francisco 1. After a run for no gain and an incomplete pass, on 3rd and goal Patterson still can’t get in with the run. Atlanta goes for it on 4th and 1 and can’t convert on the pass to Pitts. Turnover on downs.

The 49ers drive starts with a scramble by Jimmy Garoppolo for 2 yards. After an incomplete pass on 2nd down, on 3rd and 8 Garoppolo connects with Kyle Juszczyk for 6 yards but it’s short of the first. 49ers punt.

The Falcons take over on the San Francisco 49 after the short punt and fair catch. Matt Ryan starts the drive with a 7 yard scramble. After Patterson adds 2 more on the ground and Jalen Mayfield gets called for a false start, on 3rd and 6, Mike Davis runs it for 7 and the first. Davis runs for 1 and Pitts gains 7 on the pass. On 3rd and 2, the pass for Gage is incomplete. Younghoe Koo comes on and nails the 48 yard field goal.

Falcons 3, 49ers 0

The 49ers start from their 9 after a goofy muff of the kickoff, but they get going with a big pass to George Kittle for 25 yards. Jeff Wilson runs for 5 twice and the first. Garoppolo checks down to Wilson for 6 and Deebo Samuel runs for 3 more and Jimmy G sneaks for the first. From the Atlanta 45, Kittle takes the pass for 28 down to the Atlanta 17 because he’s a freak of nature. Jimmy G throws incomplete and Samuel runs for 2. On 3rd and 8, Jimmy “G” for gone in 2022, tosses it to Hasty, who only picks up 3. The 49ers take the easy field goal to tie it up.

Falcons 3, 49ers 3

After Avery Williams returns the kickoff to the 21, the Falcons offense starts with a 3 yard run by Cordarelle. After a screen is blown up and a 12-man penalty on San Fran, on 3rd and 2 Ryan connects with Gage for 13 and the conversion and we head to the second quarter.

Falcons 3, 49ers 3

Second quarter

After an incomplete first pass and a Davis run for 2, on 3rd and 8, Ryan is sacked for a 9 yard loss and Atlanta has to punt.

From their 18 after the punt and a false start, Garoppolo gets the drive going with a pass to Brandon Aiyuk that goes for 36 yards. Jeff Wilson tacks on 17 more on the ground and the 49ers are suddenly at the Atlanta 29. Wilson runs for 2 and again for 3 and on 3rd and 5, Jimmy Goner hits Jauan Jennings for 9 and the first. Deebo Samuel throws incomplete on the option and the short pass to Kittle gains 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 6, Kyle Juszczyk runs it in for the touchdown.

Falcons 3, 49ers 10

Taking over from their 35 after a nice return by Williams, the Falcons offense starts with a pass to Gage for 5. After the pass to Patterson gains naught, on 3rd and 5, the 49ers gift the first down with a neutral zone infraction. Patterson runs for 3 and 3 again to setup 3rd and 4. Ryan keeps the drive alive with the pass to Gage that gains 13. Mike Davis runs for 6 and the pass to Gage is dropped. On 3rd and 4, Ryan is sacked but gets the roughing the passer call to keep the drive alive. After another false start, Ryan connects with Gage for the 20 yard touchdown pass to tie it up.

Falcons 10, 49ers 10

From their 25, the 49ers offense starts big with a 30 yard pass to Deebo Samuel. Kittle takes the pass for 3 and Wilson runs for no gain. On 3rd and 7, Fabian Moreau is flagged for defensive PI on Aiyuk, gifting 14 yards and the first. Wilson runs for 3 and the pass to Jennings picks up 15 to setup 1st and goal from the Atlanta 10. Deebo Samuel finishes the drive with a 10 yard touchdown run.

Falcons 10, 49ers 17

From the 25, the drive starts with a deep pass to Pitts that was nearly intercepted and/or caught but is incomplete because everything is dumb. Mike Davis runs for no gain and the Falcons let the half come to a close.

At the half - Falcons 10, 49ers 17

Third quarter

A great return by Williams puts Atlanta on their 40 and the first play is a sack for an 8 yard loss, which is not ideal. On 2nd and 18, Ryan hits Gage for 10 yards. On 3rd and 8, Nick Bosa sacks Ryan again and forces the fumble, and it’s recovered by the 49ers.

Jimmy Good Grief fumbles the snap and the 49ers recover it for a 1 yard loss. Kittle then converts on a 13 yard pass. Samuel joins in on the gashing with 21 yards of his own to setup 1st and goal from the Falcons 5. Jeff Wilson finishes the drive with a 5 yard touchdown run.

Falcons 10, 49ers 24

After the touchback, the Falcons drive starts with a run for no gain by Patterson because all we have is pain now. Ryan scrambles for 2 after being pressured immediately and on 3rd and 8, Ryan hits Gage for 21 and the first. After Patterson loses a yard on the ground and Pitts is called for a false start, Ryan goes deep to Olamide Zaccheaus for 49 yards and to setup 1st and goal from the 49ers 9. Davis runs for 5 and the second down pass is thrown into the ground. On 3rd and goal, Ryan is pressured and can’t connect with Tajae Sharpe. Atlanta takes the easy field goal.

Falcons 13, 49ers 24

The 49ers take over at their 25 and start with a Deebo Samuel run for 6. After Jennings drops the 2nd down pass, on 3rd and 4 Jimmy G does the smart thing and passes to Kittle, who goes for 15 and the first. Wilson runs for 12 and the first and then again for 8 and again for 13 because life is meaningless and defense is pointless. JaMycal Hasty gets in on the action with a 13 yard run to setup 1st and goal from the Atlanta 8. Wilson runs for 1 and takes the short pass for 3. On 3rd and goal from the 4, Jimmy G finishes the drive with a TD pass to Jennings.

Falcons 13, 49ers 31

After a nice return by Zaccheaus, Ryan passes to the invisible Hayden Hurst who gains an impressive 2 yards. Elite weapon Hurst gets it again for 4 more and we go to the final quarter of pain.

Falcons 13, 49ers 31

Fourth quarter

Ryan is pressured on the 3rd and 4 play and manages to scramble away from it only to throw it incomplete. With a penalty, too. Punt!

Starting from their 15, the 49ers start with a run for 3 by Wilson and he adds 5 more on the ground. Wilson runs again but is shy of the first. San Fran punts!

Starting on their 34, the Falcons offensive offense starts with a deep pass to Kyle Pitts for 49 yards, putting them on the San Fran 17. Patterson runs for 4 and Ryan’s pass to Pitts is dropped. On 3rd and 6, Ryan hits Gage who is just short on an awful spot. Patterson is then stopped on the fourth down toss play.

Jimmy G throws incomplete and Wilson runs up the middle for 1. Garoppolo throws to Samuel, but A.J. Terrell was having none of it. San Fran punts. Avery Williams returns the punt to the 49ers 46. Ryan immediately hits Pitts for 14 and the first. After hitting Gage for 3, Ryan converts the first by running for 8. Ryan passes to Zaccheaus for 4 and then Patterson for 5. Ryan then sneaks it for the 1st. Ryan throws it away on 1st down and the pass to Ollison gains 4 to setup 3rd and goal from the 2. Ryan scrambles but can’t punch it in. On 4th and goal, the pass to Christian Blake is incomplete.

Jeff Wilson runs for 16 to start the 49ers drive. He runs again for 2 and the pass to Samuel picks up 9 and the first. Wilson runs again for 3 and then 2 and Samuel picks up the first on a run of 6. More runs and more runs and eventually we get 4th and 5 for the 49ers.

Final: Falcons 13, 49ers 31