ATLANTA — For the second week in a row, the Falcons’ defense came up with a clutch stop to help secure a victory.
Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett got a sack and rookie cornerback Dee Alford had an interception to help secure a 23-20 win over the Browns on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The key plays came as the Browns were attempting a drive in the closing minutes.
The Falcons improved to 2-2, while the Browns dropped to 2-2 on the season.
With the passing game struggling, the Falcons leaned on their rushing attack. The Falcons rushed 35 times for 202 yards as Tyler Allgeier, Caleb Huntley and Cordarrelle Patterson carried the load.
The Falcons beat Seattle last week and it was Richie Grant with the game ending interception. It was the the Falcons first back-to-back wins since Week 8 and Week 9 in 2020 when they won at the Panthers and beat the Broncos at home.
With the score tied 20-20, quarterback Marcus Mariota scrambled to his left, stopped and threw the ball back across the field to a wide open Olamidea Zaccheaus for a 42-yard gain. Cleveland’s Denzel Ward was called for grabbing Zaccheaus’ face mask.
The play and the penalty put the Falcons at Cleveland’s 34-yard line, well within Younghoe Koo’s field goal range. He made a 45-yard attempt to put the Falcons up 23-20 with 2:28 left to play.
It would be on the defense to close out the game again. They came through with the two key plays to stop the Browns.
In the first half, the Browns outgained the Falcons 245 to 120 yards, but the score was tied 10-10.
The Browns, on their opening drive, moved to the Falcons’ 2-yard line but were stopped for a loss and then threw an incomplete pass on fourth down-and-goal from the 4-yard line.
The Falcons came back and stalled in the red zone. Koo made a 30-yard field goal to put the Falcons up 3-0.
Falcons safety Jaylinn Hawkins forced Browns tight end David Njoku to fumble with a strong tackle. Linebacker Rashaad Evans recovered the ball at Cleveland’s 31-yard line.
After Patterson was dropped for a loss of 4 yards, Mariota found tight end Parker Hesse for a 22-yard gain. On the third play of the drive, Patterson scored on a 13-yard touchdown run to give the Falcons a 10-0 lead.
Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett scored on a 4-yard touchdown run and after a three-and-out by the Falcons, the Browns went back on the attack.
Brissett connected with wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones for a 42-yard gain to move the ball down to the 1-yard line. Cornerback Dee Alford was in coverage.
The Falcons nearly got a sack and Cleveland was called for holding which pushed the ball back to the 11-yard line. The Browns ended up settling for a 29-yard field goal to tie the game 10-10.
Mariota tried to squeeze a pass into wide receiver Drake London, but Cleveland cornerback Denzel Ward, a two-time Pro Bowler, undercut the route and made an interception with 6:57 left in the third quarter.
The Browns converted the turnover into a 45-yard field goal from Cade York to make it 13-10 with 3:06 left in the third quarter.
The Falcons answered with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took 5:15 of the clock. Huntley ran the ball eight times and Tyler Allgeier ran the ball twice in the run-only drive. Huntley had a 14-yard gain in the drive and Allgeier ripped off a 16-yard gain.
The Browns answered with a 28-yard touchdown run by Nick Chubb, who was untouched on the run. The run capped a six-play, 75-yard drive and put the Browns up 20-17.
On the Falcons’ next possession, Allgeier broke free for a 41-yard run down to Cleveland’s 4-yard. Mariota bobbled a shot gun snap and loss five yards. After an incomplete pass on third down, the Falcons settled for a 21-yard field by Koo to tie the game, 20-20.
