Falcons, Lions Tied 10-10 at Halftime
The Atlanta Falcons started slowly against the Detroit Lions, and as a result they are only tied 10-10 at the half.
The game started with a welcome sight of Cordarrelle Patterson returning to kickoff duty roles but then endured a rocky start shortly after that. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked three times on just six offensive plays on the game's first drive.
Subsequently, the Detroit Lions marched on a 13-play drive which lasted 7:34. Luckily, an errant pass from Tim Boyle in the red zone limited Detroit to just a field goal.
The two teams then each endured a three-and-out offensive possession. However, after an excellent Avery Williams return, the Falcons marched down the field. After a Ryan QB sneak on third down, head coach Arthur Smith elected to go for it on the Lions' six-yard line.
It was the Falcons' best play of the half.
With a 7-3 lead in the middle of the second quarter, Atlanta's defense was prepared to send Detroit's offense off the field as a false start penalty turned a 4th-and-short situation into 4th-and-6. Unfortunately, Dan Campbell dialed up a fake punt attempt for the conversion, leading to an Amon-Ra St. Brown touchdown.
With less than three minutes to go in the half, the Falcons engineered a drive resulting in a 53-yard field goal which tied the game at 10.
If the Falcons want to win this game (and their first home game of the season), the offensive line must do better in protection upfront. Secondly, the defense must generate more pressure on backup quarterback Tim Boyle.
