Falcons survive a thriller against Seahawks with last-second field goal

Quarterback Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons celebrates a third quarter touchdown pass against the Seattle Seahawks during the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at Georgia Dome on January 13, 2013, in Atlanta, Georgia. / Getty Images

ATLANTA Matt Bryant kicked a 49-yard field goal with 8 seconds left and the Atlanta Falcons bounced back after blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter, defeating Russell Wilson and the gutty Seattle Seahawks 30-28 in an NFC divisional playoff game Sunday.

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2013 NFL Postseason: Divisional Playoffs

The Falcons (14-3) appeared ready to allow the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in NFL playoff history when Marshawn Lynch scored on a 2-yard run with 31 seconds left.

But Matt Ryan completed two long passes after the kickoff, setting up Bryant's winning kick and sending the Falcons to the NFC championship game for only the third time in franchise history. They will host the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday.

Wilson passed for two touchdowns and ran for another, but it wasn't enough for the Seahawks (12-6).

• Complete coverage of the road to Super Bowl XLVII on CBSSports.com

The rookie finished with 385 yards passing and did all he could to lead the Seahawks back from a 27-7 deficit entering the fourth quarter. When Lynch powered over in the final minute, a play set up by Wilson's brilliant scramble, Seattle celebrated like it would be moving on.

Not so fast.

Ryan, who had struggled in his first three playoff appearances, had just enough time to rally the Falcons. He hooked up with Harry Douglas on a 29-yard pass in front of the Falcons bench, and coach Mike Smith quickly signaled a timeout. Then, Ryan went down the middle to his favorite target, tight end Tony Gonzalez, a Hall of Famer-to-be playing what could've been his final game.

Gonzalez hauled in the 19-yard throw, and Smith called his final timeout with 13 seconds remaining. Instead of risking another play and having the clock run out, he sent Bryant in for the field goal try.

The Seahawks called time just before the ball was snapped, and Bryant's kick sailed right of the upright. That turned out to be nothing more than practice. The next one was right down the middle, giving the Falcons a stunning victory.

Wilson's last throw, a desperation heave into the end zone, was intercepted by Falcons receiver Julio Jones.

[busybeaks4]

Folks, don't count your chickens til they're hatched. I didn't like Carroll's decisions, but it's a 60 min game. Seattle didn't lose the
game in the last minute...

[rider1956]

Atlanta did not deserve the win, but the Seahawks coach gave it to them. The 49's will take care of that.

[BlueVoo]

Don't forget that Seattle's D was missing Chris Clemons after his injury last week... it really could've made for a far different game otherwise.

[bigreddog222]

Very true Blue. But as Legal said Coaching was not good at all.

[Seattle_Boy]

Job well done.

[legalbutunjust]

not quite well enough (if you're a Seattle fan).

[legalbutunjust]

CBS NFL sports coverage at the anchor desk just showed, evidently, that Seattle's head coach more or less 'soft spoke' a TO to the line judge on the sidelines in the moment before the missed FG of Atlanta.

Not smart, but not atypical in those game-clinching situations. Too bad the TO wasn't used earlier, when it ought to have been.

[bigreddog222]

Exactly, Legal. Your posts hit the nail on the head.

[agadore]

Whatever brainiac decided not to kick the easy field goal in the second quarter when it was 13-0 and went for it on 4th and 1,trick play stuffed up the midde and turn the ball over. Turns out the Seahawks maybe coul have used those 3 points...Great decision that cost the game

[legalbutunjust]

As I implied below, it was a poorly coached game by the Seahawks. That decision you mention, wasn't nearly as impacting as the one made toward the very end, when they abated proper use of the team's final timeout. Had they used it wisely on their last possession, they most likely would've sealed a victory. Atlanta would not have had time to come back with a game-winning field goal.

[freckles84403]

everyone keeps saying A field goal IT was 2 field goals one an attempt it failed so lets call a time out after the fact.. Atlanta didn't earn that win it was given to them..by the ref's

[legalbutunjust]

It was ruled that Seattle (unknown player or other) called that timeout BEFORE the kick. Not sure they have review rules in the less than 2 minute period, regarding TO's.


You raise a valid point, but I'd be sure the refs didn't 'invent' the timeout after the kick. But if so, an act like that should warrant an official NFL inquisition, and full replay analysis.

[legalbutunjust]

"When Lynch powered over in the final minute, a play set up by Wilson's brilliant scramble, Seattle celebrated like it would be moving on."

-----------

Oh yah, suuuuuure.

I'm sorry, but that was awful, pitiful coaching on the part of the Seahawks. Seattle beat themselves.

ball on the two yard line, one timeout left, second down and goal, a penalty that just put them two yards from scoring a tying TD with less than 45 seconds on the clock.

Hurry up and go, right? WRONG!

Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. What Seattle should have done was kept wedging the ball closer and, then on third down, let the clock run down to just around 25 seconds, and then spend their final timeout. Then on third and goal, go for the score at THAT time.

In this way, Seattle would have been statistically very likely to score with around 5 or 10 seconds left, and a moot play clock by fourth down if they hadn't gotten the ball in on the third down.

Extra point, and then there would have been only less that 10 seconds for Atlanta to receive a kickoff, and get down the field into game winning territory. That would have sealed a Seahawks victory, and their one point win.

And lastly, and I don't care how much time was left on the game clock after that go-ahead score by Seattle, that last kickoff by Seattle was awful, just a terrible effort. It should have been a boomer, not some half-ass boot that allowed a strong return; it was that runback that set in motion Seattle's downfall.

Poor foresight by the Seattle coaching, and a poor kickoff. They got robbed, but it was like a car theft victim leaving his keys in the ignition of a brand new car, in broad daylight, with the windows rolled down. Stupid, just stupid.

[legalbutunjust]

And instead of spending their last timeout down on the goal line, when they ought to have during their final possession, some ******* on the Seattle team later spent it during the last moment just before Atlanta's first- and MISSED, field goal try. With 13 seconds left in the game (the second attempt was good, of course, and won Atlanta the game).

Just stupid as all!