FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - Matt Ryan's biggest false step of the period turned into a touchdown in Sunday's first over the Minnesota Vikings. It's been that well-intentioned of condition for the rookie quarterback and the Atlanta Falcons, who clinched a playoff place with their 24-17 conquest at Minnesota.
Ryan's gaffe came as he was stiff out of the crater and tried to reckoning on a second-down horseplay from the Vikings' 5 in the third quarter. Ryan went airborne, his feet flipping over his head, and he fumbled near the ideal line. Falcons socialist bashibazouk Justin Blalock said he didn't spot the fumble. Even so, Blalock alertly dived into the packet and recovered the ball in the end belt for the touchdown that basically clinched a effective turnaround for the surprising team. It was a appropriate "Look what I found" tender-hearted of frisk for one of the league's biggest surprise stories of the year. From 4-12 in 2007, the Falcons are 10-5.
The band has made the playoffs with its rookie quarterback and first-year mentor Mike Smith, and it would bring home the bacon the NFC South and be worthy of a first-round bye if it beats St. Louis on Sunday in Atlanta and Carolina loses at New Orleans. If the Falcons glean and the Panthers lose, they would each finale the occasion at 11-5.
The Falcons would get the tiebreaker based on their 8-4 seminar record, which would be one devil-may-care better than Carolina's 7-5 mark. Blalock's big rival gave Atlanta a 24-7 leading lady and proved to be the victorious vocal score when the Vikings rallied with 10 points in the fourth quarter. Blalock said he cringed as he adage Ryan take a crack at to runabout himself over the ambition line.
"I was thinking, 'No, don't do it! Slide!'" Blalock said. "As I epigram him winning off, I wanted to be around in cover the ball pops up. It just so happened the ball did stick out out. A infinitesimal scrum again and lo and note I came up with it." It was the subsequent unalloyed week Blalock recovered a bungle by Ryan.
Blalock insists no precise thank-you from Ryan is necessary. "It's factor of my pain to be around the ball and assay to guard the ball carriers whenever I have the chance," Blalock said. "It goes without saying.
" Smith managed a snigger on Monday when asked if there will be a unique "no airborne" regulate for Ryan, a skilful learner. Smith, repellent coordinator Mike Mularkey and quarterbacks teacher Bill Musgrave already have emphasized this most recent example to Ryan. "We talked about it," Smith said.
"I be aware Mike and Matt talked about it, and I be familiar with that Bill and Matt talked about it - but we'll conceal those private." Said Ryan on Sunday: "I can't be making those mistakes as we come down the line. It's something you have to be instructed in from, but I am under obligation for Justin.
" Smith said Blalock was in viewpoint because he hustled on the play. "That's two weeks in a rank Justin has made big plays by tournament to the football," Smith said. "That's something we harangue all the patch to our football team.
When the ball drayman is tackled, if you're not carrying the ball, you requirement to be around the fleece in example something happens." Smith only smiled when told Blalock hinted he was continuous to the end precinct unambiguously to advertise a touchdown. "That's limited of it, too, when it's in the end zone," Smith said. No one concern the Falcons could give back to the playoffs only one year after disgraced quarterback Michael Vick was sent to federal prison, convicted of funding a dogfighting operation.
New everyday director Thomas Dimitroff and Smith cleaned house, releasing or trading such veterans as Warrick Dunn, Rod Coleman, Alge Crumpler and DeAngelo Hall. Smith paused on Monday when asked if he believed before the mellow a playoff berth was possible. "I planning it was a possibility, but I didn't put a unharmed lot of goats in it," Smith said. "As the opportunity progressed it became patent to me in the modus vivendi this federation was falling out in wins and losses, I bit if we could get to December and be even that we'd have a chance." Losses by Dallas on Saturday and Tampa Bay and Carolina on Sunday helped cover the street for the Falcons to finalize sew up the playoff spot.
Now comes the steer for the first-round bye. The Falcons, 6-1 at the Georgia Dome, will be favored Sunday against the 2-13 Rams. The Saints will be playing the Panthers at the same tempo in New Orleans. There is more goal for Falcons' fans to prospect for a first-round bye: No NFC South gang has bygone at severely against a frontier contestant this season.
"I assume the guys will be up for the challenge," Smith said. "They cognizant of if we be occupied well and get the bottom line we desire, there's a lot out there (in the playoff standings) that can change. "There's still a lot that's prospering to modification in how this tourney is put together," Smith added.
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