TAMPA, Fla. — No one has led more late game-winning drives during the past five seasons than Matt Ryan, who has kept the Atlanta Falcons flying high with five fourth-quarter rallies this year alone.
Ryan did it again Sunday, throwing for 353 yards and overcoming two critical turnovers to stop Tampa Bay’s four-game winning streak with a 24-23 victory.
The Falcons (10-1) kept pace with the Houston Texans for the NFL’s best record, and Ryan had plenty of help in withstanding a challenge from the Buccaneers (6-5).
“They are playing with a lot of confidence,” said Ryan, who has won seven of his past eight starts against the Buccaneers. “It’s always been a tough place for us to come play. They play with great effort, and I think they have a good football team.”
Ryan teamed with Julio Jones on an 80-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter, but the Falcons found themselves trailing 23-17 after the Buccaneers marched for a touchdown, then used a sack-fumble to set up a field goal that left Atlanta needing another strong finish from their quarterback.
Ryan led a six-play, 64-yard drive that Michael Turner finished with a 3-yard touchdown run that put the NFC South leaders ahead for good with 7:55 remaining.
Connor Barth missed a 56-yard goal for Tampa Bay (6-5) in the closing minutes, and the winning streak that’s helped the Bucs climb back into playoff contention following a slow start ended when Josh Freeman’s desperation pass fell incomplete in the end zone on the final play.
“The last drive, that’s something we’ve done before this season,” Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “I really think that’s a positive for us to be able to come up with plays like that when we have to like that. ... I’m really happy with the way we responded.”
Ryan has also led late comebacks to beat Carolina, Washington, Oakland and Arizona this season and has put together 21 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime since entering the league in 2008 - four of them against the division rival Bucs.
The Falcons won’t have long to celebrate this one. The host the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night in a rematch of the only game they’ve lost.
“Ten-and-1 is great, but I’ll tell you what I’ve said since the beginning of the season: We’re just jockeying for position,” Gonzalez said. “We just want to put ourselves in the best position, playing the best football. Right around this time is when you want to start gelling as a team and take it on into the playoffs because that’s the most important thing.”
The win stopped the Bucs, who’ve won five or seven following a 1-3 start, from tightening the NFC South standings. Turner also scored a fourth-quarter touchdown that helped the Falcons overcome six turnovers to beat Arizona 23-19 last week.
Doug Martin scored on two 1-yard runs for the Bucs, however the rookie who began the day leading the NFL in total yards from scrimmage was limited to 50 yards rushing on 21 carries.
Barth kicked field goals of 22, 42, and 48 yards, the latter giving the Bucs their six point lead after cornerback E.J. Biggers sacked Ryan to force a fumble. Ryan threw a second-quarter interception - his sixth pick in two weeks - that led Barth’s field goal that made it 10-10 at halftime.
Ryan completed 26 of 32 passes, including four consecutive on the drive that Turner finished with his touchdown run. Jacquizz Rodgers had a 5-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and Jones finished with six receptions for 147 yards despite playing on a sore right ankle that limited him in practice.
Freeman finished 19 of 30 passing for 256 yards, and Vincent Jackson had five catches for 96 yards.
Sports, Pages 16 on 11/26/2012