Sunday 27 November 2016 21:45, UK
Taylor Gabriel caught two touchdown passes and Devonta Freeman ran for two scores as the Atlanta Falcons stayed top of NFC South with a 38-19 defeat of the Arizona Cardinals.
In 140 characters...
One of NFL's top offences got the better of the best defence after half-time, with the speedy Taylor Gabriel leaving his mark for the Falcons.
MVP
Gabriel turned two screen passes into touchdowns, scoring the first on a 35-yard reception in the second quarter and the second on a 25-yard reception in the fourth quarter. They were the third and fourth touchdowns in the last three weeks for Gabriel, who was released by the Cleveland Browns over the summer.
Game-changer
The Cardinals looked to be imposing themselves on the Falcons at the start of the second half, sacking Matt Ryan four times (with one called back on penalty). Instead, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan changed the Falcons' attack, deferring to the running game and having Ryan focus on getting the ball out faster.
Stat of the night
The Falcons have now averaged 32.5 points over their first 11 matches - the highest mark in team history.
The game
Entering the second match of a stretch of four against teams with winning records, the Cardinals, needing victories to pursue a play-off appearance, scored on their opening drive for the first time this season when Gresham caught a one-yard touchdown pass. It was an efficient drive for Arizona, who went 75 yards on nine plays - with Carson Palmer completing each of his first five passes.
The Falcons answered on their next drive, which they capped with Devonta Freeman's one-yard touchdown dive. A pair of field goals ensued, keeping the score level, before Gabriel found the end zone for the first time, taking a screen pass 35 yards and eluding two tacklers to help put Atlanta up for the first time at 17-10.
Chandler Catanzaro converted a 54-yard field goal with one second remaining before half-time for the Cardinals, who were gradually worn down despite an impressive start to the second half. They sacked Ryan three times, with a fourth sack called back because of a penalty, on the Falcons' first drive of the third quarter, but Atlanta adjusted.
After a trio of runs by Freeman, Tevin Coleman finished off the next possession for Atlanta with a two-yard touchdown run. The Falcons would score on their next two drives as well, with Gabriel scoring from 25 yards out on a very similar play as his first score and Freeman answering David Johnson's three-yard touchdown reception with a five-yard run of his own.
Johnson, who has continued his streak of hitting 100 total yards in each game this season, finished with 161 - including 103 yards on eight catches. Carson Palmer completed 25 of 45 passes for 289 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Ryan went 26 for 34 for the Falcons, gaining 269 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Freeman finished with 60 yards on 16 carries, and Mohamed Sanu had a team-high eight catches for 65 yards.
Arizona were held up by penalties, accumulating eight for 60 yards. Also a problem is the health of cornerback Patrick Peterson, who missed four plays in the third quarter with a left leg injury and seemed to be hobbled for the rest of the match.
