Atlanta Falcons 30-26 Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford denied another fourth quarter comeback

Highlights of the Detroit Lions up against the Atlanta Falcons from week 3 of the NFL

The Atlanta Falcons overcame the Detroit Lions 30-26 in a dramatic fourth-quarter finish to the clash between two of the NFC's undefeated teams, on Sunday.

Matthew Stafford was seemingly set to add to his NFL-leading 27 fourth-quarter comeback wins since 2011, driving Detroit down the field and finding Golden Tate for a touchdown with eight second remaining.

But, the TD was overturned after a video both review, where it was deemed Tate's knee was down before the goal line, and the remaining time ran off the clock, much to the audible frustration of the home Detroit crowd.

Image: Golden Tate fights for the game-winning score in Detroit but is ruled short of the goal line

The Falcons (3-0) stay unbeaten on the season as a result, in spite of quarterback Matt Ryan throwing three interceptions.

Ryan's interceptions were his first in nine games, but reigning league MVP also threw two touchdowns in a 294-yard game.

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Stafford, meanwhile, wasn't quite at his gun-slinging best, until his fourth-quarter efforts, relying on four Matt Prater field goals and a 37-yard pick six from safety Glover Quin off one of Ryan's interceptions to keep the team in the game.

Quin's touchdown helped spark the Lions into life after the Falcons had raced into a 17-3 lead midway through the second quarter. But, despite coming back into the contest - tying things up at 23-23 with Stafford's only TD, to Tate at the end of the third - Detroit (2-1), crucially, could never edge out in front and suffer a first defeat on the season.

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Game's key stats

ATLANTA DETROIT
Passing C/A Yds TD Int Passing C/A Yds TD Int
Matt Ryan 24/35 294 2 3 Matthew Stafford 24/45 264 1 0
Rushing Att Yds TD Rushing Att Yds TD
Devonta Freeman 21 106 1 Ameer Abdullah 14 47 0
Receiving Rec Yds TD Receiving Rec Yds TD
Julio Jones 7 91 0 Golden Tate 7 58 1
Taylor Gabriel 5 79 1 T.J. Jones 3 63 0
Total net yards 428 Total net yards 324

Texans 33-36 Patriots

Tom Brady worked his magic again. Down by five points, with the ball at his own 25 and little over two minutes left to play, Brady took his team 75 yards down the field, throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass - his fifth of the game - to Brandin Cooks with 23 seconds left for the win.

Steelers 17-23 Bears (OT)

Jordan Howard scored on a 19-yard touchdown run in overtime to lift Chicago to an upset win over Pittsburgh - it was one of two TDs in the running back's 138-yard day.

Giants 24-27 Eagles

Rookie kicker Jake Elliott connected on a mammoth 61-yard field goal as time expired, gifting the Eagles a slender victory over the still-winless Giants.

Watch the Eagles beat the Giants in dramatic fashion with the massive 61-yard field goal.

Browns 28-31 Colts

Indianapolis quarterback Jacoby Brissett completed nine of 12 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown, and also ran five and seven yards for first-half TDs in only his second start for the team since being traded from New England.

Dolphins 6-20 Jets

New York quarterback Josh McCown threw for 249 yards, including a 69-yard bomb to Robby Anderson, and Bilal Powell ran for his first touchdown of the season as the Jets earned up upset win at home over the hapless travelling Dolphins.

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Buccaneers 17-34 Vikings

Case Keenum threw for a career-high 369 yards passing and three touchdowns, while wide receiver Stefon Diggs caught eight passes for 173 yards and two scores in Minnesota's heavy home win over Tampa Bay.

The Vikings' defense also played lights out, intercepting Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston three times.

Saints 34-13 Panthers

Drew Brees threw three touchdown passes as New Orleans cracked one of the NFL's top defenses at Carolina to win their first game of the season.

By contrast, Panthers QB Cam Newton was intercepted three times, completing 17 of 26 passes for just 167 yards.

Broncos 16-26 Bills

Tyrod Taylor threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bills to a surprise win over the visiting Broncos.

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