Week 8 Game Recap: Atlanta Falcons 29, Cincinnati Bengals 27

What you need to know

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons improved to 5-2 on the season, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 29-27 in a game that looked like a heavyweight championship boxing match. Both teams came into the game ready to play, and the physical play on both sides of the ball by each team proved it. In the end, the Falcons made plays on both sides of the ball to earn the win.

QB Michael Vick had another strong game, eluding numerous Bengals’ defenders and adding to his career of highlight reel plays. The electrifying signal caller threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for another 55 yards on nine attempts. He and the Falcons answered every Cincinnati score with one of their own, and in the end put up just enough points to seal the deal.

Warrick Dunn and the Atlanta rushing attack were slowed down by the Cincinnati defense, as the Falcons’ leading rusher managed only 57 yards on 20 attempts, for a 2.9 ypc average. His long run for the game was only nine yards, and the Falcons’ longest team rush was a 14 yard scramble by Michael Vick.

TE Alge Crumpler had another strong game, catching four passes for 72 yards and a touchdown and six other Falcons caught passes in the game. Atlanta had a number of big plays in the passing game, and as a team, averaged 14.6 yards per reception.

The Falcons held the Bengals to four of ten on third downs, forced a fumble, recorded two sacks, and held the Cincinnati rushing attack in check, holding them to 73 yards on the ground. The Atlanta defense also made plays when they needed to, including a sack that forced a fumble that was recovered by the Falcons late in the fourth quarter to seal the deal.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals were ready to play, and responded to almost every Falcons’ score with one of their own, but ran out of time and failed to get enough stops against an inspired Atlanta offense.

QB Carson Palmer kept his club in the game by completing 24 of 36 passes for 266 yards and two passing scores. One of Palmer’s scores came in the fourth quarter, down 29-20 with under four minutes left when he connected with WR Chris Henry on a 55 yard touchdown to cut the lead to two. Unfortunately for Palmer and the Bengals, he was unable to get the team into field goal range for a potential game winner on the last drive, when he was sacked from behind, losing a fumble and ending any comeback chance the Bengals had.

RB Rudi Johnson couldn’t get much going on the ground, running for 46 yards on 12 attempts, but was able to score on a one yard plunge in the first quarter.

Cincinnati’s talented wide receivers each had solid games, although WR Chad Johnson failed to live up to his proclamation of two scores, catching six balls for 78 yards and a 12 yard touchdown reception. Fellow wideout T.J. Houshmandzadeh chipped in with six receptions for 70 yards and recently reinstated WR Chris Henry caught five passes for 81 yards that included the late 55 yarder from Palmer.

The Bengals’ defense was able to hold down the Falcons’ running game, limiting them to 3.8 yards per carry, but just had no answer for QB Michael Vick. For the game, they gave up three touchdowns, all through the air, and three field goals.

What you ought to know

QB Michael Vick, Pass: 20 - 28 - 291 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 9 - 55 - 0

Vick followed up last week’s impressive performance with another unbelievable game, finishing 20 of 28 for 291 yards, three passing touchdowns, and adding another 55 yards on nine carries on the ground. The southpaw now has seven touchdown passes in his last two games, and filled another highlight reel with his play against the Bengals. Vick was his usual self, slipping potential tacklers and using his mobility to make plays downfield. He connected on touchdown scores with TE Alge Crumpler, WR Michael Jenkins and FB Justin Griffith. Vick displayed an unwillingness to let his team lose, leading the Falcons on scoring drives that answered every Bengals’ score.

RB Warrick Dunn, Rush: 20 - 57 - 0, Rec: 2 - 16 - 0 (2 targets)

Dunn failed to get much going on the ground, rushing for 57 yards on 20 carries. It seemed like the Bengals emphasized stopping the run on defense, and underestimated Michael Vick and the Atlanta passing game. Dunn did chip in two receptions for 16 yards.

RB Jerious Norwood, Rush: 9 - 31 - 0, Rec: 3 - 39 - 0 (4 targets)

Norwood ran the ball nine times for 31 yards while giving Dunn an occasional breather, and caught three passes for 39 yards.

RB Justin Griffith, Rec: 2 - 14 - 1 (2 targets)

Griffith spent most of the game blocking, but also caught two passes for 14 yards, including an eight yard touchdown reception from Vick in the third quarter.

WR Michael Jenkins, Rec: 3 - 53 - 1 (4 targets)

Jenkins caught three passes for 53 yards, one of which was a 26 yard touchdown reception from Vick. Jenkins showed nice footwork along the sidelines and seems to have great control of his body while adjusting to the ball in the air.

WR Ashley Lelie, Rec: 3 - 55 - 0 (6 targets)

Lelie was targeted six times in the game, mostly downfield on long pass attempts, and hauled in three passes for 55 yards. Two of his receptions resulted in first downs.

WR Roddy White, Rec: 3 - 42 - 0 (4 targets)

White was targeted four times in the game and caught three passes, all for first downs, for 42 yards.

TE Alge Crumpler, Rec: 4 - 72 - 1 (5 targets)

Crumpler led the Falcons in receiving with 72 yards on four catches, and scored on a 16 yard reception from Vick in the second quarter. Crumpler was targeted five times in the game.

PK Morten Andersen 3 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points

Andersen hit on field goal attempts from 42, 40 and 39 yards and hit both of his extra point attempts to finish with 11 points. Atlanta did botch a snap on an extra point attempt, but Andersen did not attempt a kick on the play.

ATL Rush Defense

The Falcons’ rush defense held the Bengals to 73 yards rushing for the game, and held RB Rudi Johnson in check. They did give up a short rushing touchdown, but held Atlanta to a long rush of only 13 yards in the game.

LB Keith Brooking led the way with 7 solo and 2 assisted tackles.

ATL Pass Defense

The Atlanta defensive backfield was able to keep WR Chad Johnson from accomplishing what he said he would, at least two receiving scores, but did give up one score each to both Johnson and WR Chris Henry. More importantly, the Falcons’ defense came through late in the game when they needed to, forcing and recovering a Carson Palmer fumble on a sack with thirteen seconds left to seal the victory.

DL Patrick Kerney recorded the late sack and forced fumble, and DB Chris Crocker also recorded a sack for the Falcons.

QB Carson Palmer, Pass: 24 - 36 - 266 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0

Palmer had a strong game for the Bengals, but in the end did not have enough time or protection to bring his club back. Palmer completed 24 of 36 passes for 266 yards and touchdown scored to WR’s Chad Johnson and Chris Henry. The score to Henry came on a one play scoring drive that shortly followed an Atlanta field goal that put the Falcons up nine in the fourth quarter. However, the Falcons ate up most of the clock on their next possession, leaving the Bengals with only 19 seconds left from their own 17 yard line. Palmer was sacked and lost a fumble to the Falcons, ending any chance they had at winning the game.

RB Rudi Johnson, Rush: 12 - 46 - 1, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (3 targets)

Johnson was unable to get much going on the ground, running the ball 12 times for 46 yards, but did chip in a one yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He was targeted three times in the passing game, catching two passes for eight yards.

RB Chris Perry, Rush: 2 - 11 - 0, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (2 targets)

Perry ran the ball twice for eleven yards and caught both passes thrown to him for 12 yards.

WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Rush: 2 - 6 - 0, Rec: 6 - 70 - 0 (7 targets)

Houshmandzadeh was targeted seven times in the game, catching six balls for 70 yards. Five of his receptions resulted in first downs.

WR Chad Johnson, Rec: 6 - 78 - 1 (13 targets)

Johnson was his usual outspoken self in the week prior to the game against Atlanta, and while Johnson responded with a solid outing, he failed to reach his guarantee earlier in the week of two receiving scores. Johnson finished with six catches for 78 yards and one touchdown, coming on a 12 yard pass from Carson Palmer. He was matched up against Atlanta DB DeAngelo Hall for most of the game, but beat DB Jason Webster on his scoring play.

WR Chris Henry, Rec: 5 - 81 - 1 (8 targets)

Henry caught five passes for 81 yards, including a 55 yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter that got the Bengals back in the game. In his first game back following suspension, he received the second most targets on the team with eight.

TE Tony Stewart, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (3 targets)

Stewart caught two passes for nine yards and was targeted three times in the game.

TE Reggie Kelly, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets)

Kelly contributed minimally to the game with one reception for eight yards in the third quarter.

PK Shayne Graham 2 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 9 points

Graham connected on both of his field goal attempts, including a 51 yarder before halftime, and hit all three of his pat attempts to finish with nine points.

CIN Rush Defense

The Bengals did a good job against the vaunted Falcons’ rushing attack, holding them to only 3.8 yards per carry and keeping RB Warrick Dunn in check. QB Michael Vick was able to scramble for a few big plays, but Atlanta’s long run was only 14 yards for the game.

LB Caleb Miller recorded five solo tackles and four assists.

CIN Pass Defense

Cincinnati just did not have enough answers for Michael Vick and the Falcons’ passing game, as they were torched for 291 yards and three passing scores through the air. Their front seven got little pressure on Vick, and when they did, he was able to get out of the pocket and make plays downfield.