A dramatic twist at the end of Monday Night Football gave the Atlanta Falcons a 22-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles , thanks to a last-minute, brilliant drive by Kirk Cousins. A game that seemed all but decided before it ended in a shocker as the Eagles and its fans were left stunned in Lincoln Financial Field.
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Atlanta Falcons Pulled Off Stunning Upset
The Atlanta Falcons had one of the most incredible upsets of the NFL season. The offense played outstandingly well for the Eagles, but Atlanta came to life in a final flurry to take the win 22-21.
The decisive moment of the game came when the Eagles, leading 18-15, faced a third-and-short situation deep in Falcons territory. Quarterback Jalen Hurts , rather than running down the clock, executed a play-action pass aimed at Saquon Barkley, who had already impressed with three touchdowns in his debut. However, the ball slipped through Barkley’s hands, stopping the clock and forcing the Eagles to settle for a Jake Elliott field goal, extending their lead to 21-15.
With 1:39 left and no timeouts available, Cousins took the moment, putting together a drive that will be remembered for its accuracy. He hit tight end Kyle Pitts for 11 yards. Then he found two other brick-and-mortar type receptions from Darnell Mooney for a total of 47 yards to position the Falcons in the red zone. On a third-and-5 from the Eagles' 7-yard line, Cousins found Drake London, who made a perfect out route, catching the game-tying touchdown, leaving the Philadelphia crowd stunned.
London was just too over-exuberant in celebrating. A penalty pushed Younghoe Koo's extra point attempt back to 48 yards. But Koo was up for the task, drilling the kick for a one-point Atlanta lead. The Eagles had hope when they got the ball back with time remaining on the clock, but that other Hurts interception -- this one thrown to safety Jessie Bates III -- ended their hopes.
The Eagles had it in control from then on at least after Bijan Robinson had his chance foiled by C.J. Gardner-Johnson's big stop on fourth-and-1. Hurts' touchdown, combined with Barkley's two-point conversion, gave the Eagles the slim lead. But then Cousins acted like that exact same quarterback who could have just as easily taken his troubles and doubts into the locker room, but instead, led the Falcons in an epic comeback. His 241 yards on 20-of-29 passing, including his 41-yard touchdown to Mooney, were crucial to the upset.
Both of them sitting at 1-1, there's a lot the Eagles need to refocus on especially since A.J. Brown won't be playing due to a hamstring injury. But the Eagles' top receiver in most snaps in the game was DeVonta Smith, who caught the Eagles' only score from Hurts in the second quarter, which still wasn't enough to get the Eagles out of the Falcons in time.
Also Read: Shooting after NFL game leaves 2 dead; suspect remains in custody
Also Read: "It's a fun play": Jason Kelce about the Tush Push on Monday Night Football
Atlanta Falcons Pulled Off Stunning Upset
The Atlanta Falcons had one of the most incredible upsets of the NFL season. The offense played outstandingly well for the Eagles, but Atlanta came to life in a final flurry to take the win 22-21.
The decisive moment of the game came when the Eagles, leading 18-15, faced a third-and-short situation deep in Falcons territory. Quarterback Jalen Hurts , rather than running down the clock, executed a play-action pass aimed at Saquon Barkley, who had already impressed with three touchdowns in his debut. However, the ball slipped through Barkley’s hands, stopping the clock and forcing the Eagles to settle for a Jake Elliott field goal, extending their lead to 21-15.
With 1:39 left and no timeouts available, Cousins took the moment, putting together a drive that will be remembered for its accuracy. He hit tight end Kyle Pitts for 11 yards. Then he found two other brick-and-mortar type receptions from Darnell Mooney for a total of 47 yards to position the Falcons in the red zone. On a third-and-5 from the Eagles' 7-yard line, Cousins found Drake London, who made a perfect out route, catching the game-tying touchdown, leaving the Philadelphia crowd stunned.
The entire game-winning drive from Kirk Cousins and the @AtlantaFalcons. #ATLvsPHI pic.twitter.com/7ms5Esas7b
— NFL (@NFL) September 17, 2024
London was just too over-exuberant in celebrating. A penalty pushed Younghoe Koo's extra point attempt back to 48 yards. But Koo was up for the task, drilling the kick for a one-point Atlanta lead. The Eagles had hope when they got the ball back with time remaining on the clock, but that other Hurts interception -- this one thrown to safety Jessie Bates III -- ended their hopes.
The Eagles had it in control from then on at least after Bijan Robinson had his chance foiled by C.J. Gardner-Johnson's big stop on fourth-and-1. Hurts' touchdown, combined with Barkley's two-point conversion, gave the Eagles the slim lead. But then Cousins acted like that exact same quarterback who could have just as easily taken his troubles and doubts into the locker room, but instead, led the Falcons in an epic comeback. His 241 yards on 20-of-29 passing, including his 41-yard touchdown to Mooney, were crucial to the upset.
Both of them sitting at 1-1, there's a lot the Eagles need to refocus on especially since A.J. Brown won't be playing due to a hamstring injury. But the Eagles' top receiver in most snaps in the game was DeVonta Smith, who caught the Eagles' only score from Hurts in the second quarter, which still wasn't enough to get the Eagles out of the Falcons in time.
Also Read: Shooting after NFL game leaves 2 dead; suspect remains in custody
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