Game Recap – Atlanta Falcons at Washington Commanders

November 28, 2022

By Noonefromtampa

First Half

Washington won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. With rain falling, the Atlanta Falcons came out running the ball on their first drive, with seven runs and four short passes for 46 yards. The longest pass play was a shovel pass from Marcus Mariota to Drake London for 7 yards and the longest run was a QB keeper by Mariota for 11 yards. The Commanders defense finally halted the running game and put the Falcons into a third and long situation. Jamin Davis made a good play on a pass to Cordelle Patterson tackling him after a short gain, forcing a Younghoe Koo 47 yard field goal. Falcons 3, Commanders 0

Antonio Gibson returned the squib kickoff out to the 25 yard line. Taylor Heinicke hit Terry McLaurin for a 26 yard gain on the first offensive play. After Brian Robinson ran for 5 yards and Curtis Samuel picked up 2 yards running, Heinicke hit Dyami Brown for 17 yards. Robinson picked up 4 yards up the middle and McLaurin picked the first down on a 6 yard catch. Heinicke then hit Robinson on a swing pass and Robinson ran over two Falcon defenders to score a 14 yard touchdown. Commanders 7, Falcons 0

On the Falcons’ next series, Mariota complete a 15 yard pass to Patterson and then ran for 8 yards. The two next two plays were an incompletion to Parker Hesse and a drop by London, forcing a punt.

On Washington’s next drive, Logan Thomas caught a pass for 7 yards and Gibson picked up 3 yards for a first down. The Falcons then held the Commanders to 4 more yards to force a Tress Way punt.

The Falcons started at their own 23 and repeatedly ran the ball through the teeth of the defense. Mariota, Patterson, Tyler Allgeier, and Caleb Huntley all had double digit-gaining runs.  Washington was able to put Atlanta in a second and 25 after a Falcons personal foul, but London made a shoestring grab for a 22 yard completion. Patterson converted the third down with a 15 yard run. A facemask penalty on Christian Holmes moved the ball to the Washington 5 yard line and MyCole Pruitt scored a 4 yard touchdown reception two plays later. Falcons 10, Commanders 7.

Gibson returned the kickoff 31 yards out to the Washington 29 yard line. Robinson ran twice for 10 yards and first down. Gibson then picked up 12 yards on two rushes. The Commanders faced a 3 and 9 but Heinicke hit McLaurin for 13 yards. Robinson picked up 7 yards on two run plays and the Gibson caught a swing pass for 14 yards giving Washington a first down on the Atlanta 14 yard line. The Commanders only picked up two more yards when John Bates came down out of bounds in the end zone and Heinicke overthrew McLaurin in the end zone on the following play. Joey Slye kicked the 30 yard field goal.

Olamide Zaccheaus started the next drive with a 23 yard catch. Allgeier picked up 2 yards on a run and Zaccheaus picked up 7 yards on 3 and 8 play. The Falcons ran it on fourth down but came up short, so the Commanders got the ball back with 24 second left.

Heinicke threw an interception on the next play, trying to throw deep when two players were open underneath and Washington had all three timeouts left. The Falcons picked up enough yardage to try a 58 yard field goal with 2 second left, but Koo’s kick fell short.

Second Half

Washington was able to move the ball out near midfield behind a 21 yard run by Robinson on third and one. Andrew Norwell was called for holding two plays later and an apparent Falcon interception was overturned on review. Tress Way’s punt died on the 5 yard line. The Washington defense was able to hold Atlanta to a three and out. This enabled Washington to get the ball back at their own 40 yard line.

Robinson ran the ball four straight times for 20 yards.  Washington converted a fourth and one behind Robinson 3 yard run after an incompletion to Cole Turner on third down. Washington continued to run the ball behind Robinson, McLaurin, and Jonathan Williams down to the Atlanta 16 yard line. Heinicke hit John Bates for a 16 yard touchdown on a play action pass. Slye missed the extra point. Commanders 16, Falcons 10.

Atlanta continued the 1980’s style run-fest on the next drive. Mariota threw 3 incompletions but the Falcons picked up 45 yards on 4 running plays, including a 14 yarder by Mariota and a 21 yarder by Patterson. Two straight completions ended the drive and Koo hit a 48 yard field goal. Commanders 16, Falcons 13.

After the touchback, Robinson started the drive with a 12 yard run around the left end. Hard running and short passes enabled Washington to move the ball deep into Atlanta territory, but an offensive pass interference call for blocking too early put the Commanders in a third and 18 on Atlanta’s 37 yard line. Gibson picked up 10 yards on an inside draw play, leaving Slye to convert a 45 yard field goal. Commanders 19, Falcons 13.

Washington’s defense forced another three and out behind a Daron Payne tackle for loss of 2 yards and a 9 yard sack by Montez Sweat. The third and 21 play only picked up 11 yards. Bradley Pinion’s punt was fair caught at the Washington 40. Two running plays netted a loss of one yard. On third down, a checkdown to Gibson only picked up 7 yards. The Falcons got the ball back at their own 16 after the Way punt.

On the subsequent drive, Hesse caught a 9 yard pass and Patterson ran 5 yards for the first down. Mariota avoided the sack on the next play, getting back up after slipping down, completing a 44 yard completion to Zaccheaus. Atlanta kept running the ball, down to the Washington 8 yard line. On third and short, Sweat was called for offside, which gave  the Falcons a first down at the 2. Mariota lost two yards on a keeper and then Kendall Fuller intercepted the ball in the end zone after Daron Payne tipped it.

Washington ran the ball three straight times, and Atlanta called a timeout after each one. With 44 seconds left, Way punted the ball back to Atlanta, but the Falcons ran into him which gave Washington a first down and that was the game. With the Falcons having no timeouts left, Heinicke took a knee to seal the win.

Final Score: Commanders 19, Falcons 13

Game Thoughts

Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. Sometimes you make your own luck. The Commanders did a little of both today.

The running game in the rain produced Brian Robinson’s first 100 yard rushing game as a professional. He also scored his first receiving touchdown of his career by running over two players, absolutely blowing up one player by getting his pads lower than the opponent.

Washington ran the ball 37 times for 176 yards, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. The only problem was the Falcons ran the 29 times for 167 yards for a 5.8 yards per carry average. Washington’s run defense was gashed seven times for runs of 10 or more yards.

Heinicke was up and down the whole game, with good throws, followed by bad or late throws, but, true to form, he played just well enough for Washington to win. And Washington continues to win with him at quarterback.

Daron Payne is having a career year. The tipped passed that was intercepted helped preserve the lead. My question is where has this level of play been the last couple of years? I would love to extend Payne, but will he revert once he gets a fat contract?

Why didn’t Atlanta run the option play more? Marcus Mariota picked up 49 yards on 6 carries. Only one time late in the game, did James Smith-Williams hit him in the backfield and Montez Sweat made the tackle for a loss. Maybe the second quarter hit on Mariota by Darrick Forrest changed the coaches’ minds.

The game management at the end of the first half not using any timeouts was also baffling. Game management seems to be a continuing issue for this staff.