By admin 
The Atlanta Falcons led the Ravens for most of their Sunday Night Football game. After defensive back Jessie Bates III recovered a fumble and ran it back for a touchdown, the Falcons added several field goals to keep the Ravens at bay until overtime. Four of those field goals, however, should have been touchdowns.
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Running back Bijan Robinson got loose in the 3rd quarter, rushing for 38 yards before being caught three yards from the end zone. Those three yards proved crucial: the Falcons lost two yards on Robinson’s next rush, but they still had a great chance to score on this drive.
On second and goal of the same drive, the official announced that #70 had checked in as an eligible receiver. Left tackle Jake Matthews found himself alone in the end zone, and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. lobbed the ball over the linebacker into Matthew’s hands.
Unfortunately, the offensive lineman just couldn’t bring it in. That was their best chance to score a touchdown on that drive. They settled for a Nick Folk field goal, making it 9-17 and extending their lead.
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Later in the third, on a 4th and 2, Penix Jr. missed tight to Charlie Woerner in the flat to the left for a fourth-down conversion. That fourth down would have kept the chains moving, allowing the drive to continue instead of turning the ball over on downs, which was also crucial. It put the defense back on the field and forced them to defend a short field, which would hurt them later in overtime.
In the fourth quarter, on 3rd and 5 with 2:38 left on the clock, Penix Jr. missed on a pass to Robinson in the flat to the right. Robinson likely would have scored on this play, or at least gotten the Falcons into the red zone with a better chance to score. Instead, they settle for another Folk field goal, pushing the lead to an uneasy 15-23.
Ultimately, leaving those points on the table is what took the Falcons and their tired defense into overtime. If they had converted just one of those moments into a touchdown, they would have walked away undefeated in primetime this season. They have a chance to bounce back Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
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This story was originally published October 14, 2026 at 7:44 AM.