Written by Adrian Beecher
Atlanta, GA – Tevin Coleman’s career rushing day with 145 yards and a TD on the ground, mixed with stellar defensive play, led the Falcons to a dominating 40-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals in their final home game of the 2018 season.
Atlanta received the opening kickoff to start the game, set up with a 1st and 10 at their own 25-yard line. They would pick up a quick first down before penalties and mistakes forced the drive to fizzle out ahead of getting another first down.
The Cardinals started their first drive of the game at their own 36-yard line after a 10-yard holding penalty wiped out a 26-yard return by Patrick Peterson. On the 3rd play of the drive, rookie quarterback Josh Rosen connected with David Johnson on the left sideline on a 40 yard gain, to set up a 1st and 10 at the ATL 12-yard line. Shortly thereafter, David Johnson took it in for a 1-yard rushing score to finish off the 8 play 64- yard drive.
The Falcons ensuing possession wouldn’t bode well, as they were forced into a quick 3 and out after just a minute and a half on the field. However, the defense would come up huge as linebacker Deion Jones picked off Rosen and took it 41 yards the other way for the score, to even things up at 7 with 6:11 left in the 1st quarter.
The Cardinals ensuing possession would result in their first punt of the day. Then on the first play from scrimmage on the Falcons 3rd possession of the game, Tevin Coleman found a hole an burst out for a career-long 65 yard gain to make it 1st and goal at the 7-yard line. However, Atlanta was forced to settle for a 22 yard Matt Bryant field goal to take a 10-7 lead with 37 seconds left in the 1st quarter.
Atlanta’s defense would once again come up big, this time in the form of a sack-fumble, as Graddy Jarret and De’Vondre Campbell put the hit on Rosen. Brian Poole recovered the ball for the Falcons as they took over 1st and 10 at the Arizona 34 yard line. Then five plays later, Matt Ryan took it in himself on a 1-yard rush to make it 17-7 with 12:32 left in the 1st half.
After another Cardinals punt, Matt Ryan marched his squad right down the field and into the redzone. That, however, is where it would stall out as Matt Bryant drilled home a 33-yard field goal to make it 20-7 with 5:16 left to play in the half.
After punts by both teams, Arizona looked to be putting together a nice drive, before Rosen was picked off for a 2nd time, this one coming at the hands of Brian Poole. Atlanta took over at their own 29-yard line with just 1:10 left to play in the half.
Ryan would work his magic as he connected with Julio Jones in the endzone on a diving 21 yard TD reception with just 13 seconds left in the half. Atlanta was unable to convert on the two-point try and remained in the lead 26-7 as the teams when int the locker room at the half.
Arizona and Atlanta’s opening possessions of the second half fizzled out quickly after each picking up a quick first down’s. the first score of the 2nd half wouldn’t come until the 5:39 mark left in the 3rd, as Tevin Coleman broke free off the left end to take it 43 yards to the house! This put Coleman at 8 carries for a career-high 116 yards on the ground with ATL leading 33-7.
The Falcons kept pouring it on in the 4th quarter as Ryan connected with Matt Hardy for a 5 yard TD score. This made it 40-7 with 11:14 left to play in regulation.
The Cardinals would tack on a garbage time touchdown as backup quarterback Mike Glennon connected with Trent Sherfield in the back of the endzone with 3:14 left to play. This made it just a 26 point lead, but nowhere making a dent in the deficit.
Matt Ryan finished the day 22 of 36, passing for 231 yards and 2 TD’s. Running back Tevin Coleman had a career day with 11 carries for 145 yards, including his 43-yard rushing TD.
Atlanta will wrap on their season with two final Divisional road games, heading to Carolina to face the Panthers on the 23rd of December, before wrapping up the season in Tampa against the Bucs on the 30th.
