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SPORTS Wednesday 22 november 2017

Ryan’s 2 TD passes

enough as Falcons hold

off Seahawks 34-31

By TIM BOOTH games and beat guys. We fake field goal rather than
AP Sports Writer have to take the momen- having Walsh attempt a
SEATTLE (AP) — Matt Ryan tum and keep rolling with 35-yarder that would have
and the Atlanta Falcons it,” Clayborn said. pulled Seattle within 24-20.
did enough through 3 ½ With Seattle down 11 Holder Jon Ryan complet-
quarters that even the best points, Wilson hit Doug ed his shovel pass to Luke
comeback attempt by Rus- Baldwin on a 29-yard TD Willson, but Grady Jarrett
sell Wilson fell short this time. with 3 minutes left and then read the play and tackled
A couple of yards short to threw to Jimmy Graham for Willson for a 4-yard loss.
be exact. the two-point conversion. Willson said Atlanta’s de-
Ryan threw a pair of touch- Seattle got the ball back fense on the play was dif-
down passes, Adrian Clay- and moved in range for ferent than what Seattle
born returned a fumble Walsh, whose attempt was had seen on film.
10 yards for a score and on line but landed short of “It would have been a re-
the Falcons watched Blair the crossbar. ally good call if we had
Walsh’s 52-yard field goal “That was in our range, and made it,” Carroll said. “Ter- Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) tackles Atlanta
attempt in the final sec- in hindsight I would have rific opportunity right where Falcons’ Desmond Trufant after Trufant intercepted Wilson in
onds fall short, holding off just driven it more,” Walsh we wanted it and the de- the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 20, 2017, in
the Seattle Seahawks for a said. “I would have driven fensive tackle made a bet- Seattle.
34-31 win on Monday night. it more and not left it short. ter play.” Associated Press
Atlanta won its second I was too accurate and Seattle played a game for ter. Ryan found Toilolo on rookie cornerback Sha-
straight to stay on the heels didn’t have enough on it.” the first time since the end a 25-yard TD in the third quill Griffin to a concus-
of New Orleans and Caro- Wilson again was the en- of the 2010 season with- quarter to give Atlanta a sion on the second play of
lina in the NFC South, and tirety of Seattle’s offense, out Richard Sherman. His 31-20 lead. Matt Bryant the game, forcing newly
handed Seattle a second throwing for 258 yards and streak of 99 consecutive added a 19-yard field goal signed veteran Byron Max-
consecutive home loss. two touchdowns, and run- starts in the regular season with 3:49 left to put the Fal- well into a more prominent
“What an absolute team ning for another 86 yards was snapped because of cons ahead by 11, and Wil- role than expected. Early
win from the guys tonight,” and a TD. a torn Achilles tendon suf- son’s late heroics weren’t in the second half, promis-
Atlanta coach Dan Quinn But it was an awful night for fered against Arizona. The enough. Ryan’s streak of ing running back Mike Da-
said. “Coming here, in the Seahawks, filled with Seahawks were also with- 64 straight games passing vis was lost to a groin injury
this environment, with the more injuries and question- out safety Kam Chancellor for at least 200 yards was after taking a screen pass
crowd, we thought it would able decisions by coach because of a neck injury, snapped. 21 yards. Davis had two re-
be two competitive, tough Pete Carroll. He called for leaving their vaunted sec- INJURIES ceptions and had carried
teams that were going to a fake field goal late in ondary with several new Seattle’s injury woes con- six times for 18 yards before
battle for it in the biggest the first half rather than at- faces. tinued. The Seahawks lost getting hurt. q
way.” tempting a 35-yard kick. He “Those two are phenom-
Ryan threw TDs to Mo- also made a questionable enal players. ... It was a lot
hamed Sanu and Levine challenge in the fourth different,” Sanu said. “They
Toilolo, while Tevin Cole- quarter that didn’t go his did a lot of different things
man added a 1-yard TD way and left Seattle with but we just had to take ad-
run on Atlanta’s opening just one timeout. vantage of our routes.”
possession. That lack of timeouts came MATTY ICE
But it was Clayborn’s fum- back to haunt Seattle on Ryan was more than happy
ble return that helped the final drive when sec- to pick on a defense with-
break the game open onds ticked away and out Sherman and Chancel-
early in the second quarter rather than running one lor. He was 19 of 27 pass-
and gave Atlanta a 21-7 more play, Walsh was sent ing for 195 yards and rarely
lead. He scooped up a out to attempt the 52-yard faced pressure. Seattle had
loose ball after Wilson was kick. His long for the season one sack, and the Falcons
crunched by Takk McKinley is 49 yards. went 9 of 14 on third-down
and Courtney Upshaw. The conclusion only ampli- conversions.
“I think we’re moving in fied Carroll’s baffling deci- Sanu made a great one-
the right direction. We sion at the end of the first handed grab for a 2-yard
keep proving we can finish half, when Seattle ran a touchdown in the first quar-