Atlanta Falcons show makeup in Tampa Bay win and final drive

Chris Redman (#8), (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

When Atlanta's young quarterback, Matt Ryan, was seen having his foot examined on the sideline during the first quarter of the Falcons' 20-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the home Georgia Dome crowd began to anxiously chew their fingernails. 

With Atlanta sitting at 5-5 with an opportunity at back-to-back playoff seasons for the first time in franchise history on the line down the 2009 stretch, the franchise quarterback would need to be healthy. 

Ryan, though in only his second season, is one of the undisputed leaders of the team, but Atlanta showed its fans and the NFL that it has a capable backup in 32-year-old Chris Redman. They also showed their character in overcoming not only the loss of Ryan and three other starters, but obstacles of their own creation before squeaking out a last-minute victory to remain in the playoff chase.

"We tried numerous ways not to win the game, but we were able to overcome that," Atlanta's Head Coach Mike Smith said after Sunday's win. "We overcame six sacks, and we overcame a blocked punt. We tried not to win it but our guys did a great job in their resolve to play for 60 minutes, and it says a lot about the men in that room; players and coaches.”

Tight end Tony Gonzalez, who was key down the stretch--catching five balls in the fourth quarter--echoed his coach's comments, also pointing to his team's resolve in their ability to continue to overcome everything, even themselves.

“There were so many things that were going against us: fumbling the ball, turning it over, losing all those guys," the tight end said. "It’s really a credit to the way we work, and the way guys never gave up. You saw it in the huddle, guys were confident. Don’t get me wrong, I think Tampa came out and played really well. But in the end, we were able to make plays when we had to.”

In a game against the 1-10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers is not when the Falcons expected to struggle and have to win close, but at this point in the season they'll take their wins any way they can get them. They know every game from this point on will be tough and hard fought.

"The rest of the season are all going to be close games," linebacker Coy Wire said of the team's win. "This is great training for us, to learn how to win in difficult situations. So we're thankful for that."

Redman stepped in and played admirably, in his first significant time in almost two full seasons. His day ended with 243 yards, two touchdowns and a QB rating of 89.8.

“I know Chris, and what kind of man Chris is," Smith said. "Chris is always going to be prepared and I can assure you that I had no doubt that he was going to go in there and perform effectively. Chris has been in the league for a number of years and he knows what is expected of a backup quarterback. When the backup quarterback steps in, we don’t want the level of play to go down one inch. That’s what happened today. I was very proud of Chris. I thought Bill Musgrave did a very good job, our Quarterback Coach, working with him on the sideline, as well as our Offensive Coordinator Mike Mularkey.”

Perhaps there will be no bigger touchdown thrown in Redman's career than the last one he threw Sunday night to wide receiver Roddy White to win the game, with no chances remaining. Perhaps it was foreshadowing in the preseason when he engineered a game-winning drive against the San Diego Chargers, but there's a big difference between preseason warm-ups and regular season, season-on-the-line situations.

The Atlanta Falcons players in the locker room following the game said none of them blinked at their ability to win when Redman stepped in for the injured Ryan. He shook off some early rust and his confidence grew as the game progressed. It was never more evident to his teammates than in the game's final moments.

"Chris has shown that before," center Todd McClure said. "I think the guys felt his confidence in the huddle. We knew if we gave him time he's very capable of making plays. And that's what he did. I mean, it doesn't get any bigger than that. Fourth down, game's on the line and you've got to make a play. He made the throw and Roddy (White) made the catch and it was huge."

Atlanta's final pass of the game was anything but easy. After three incomplete strikes to the end zone, Redman connected with White for a five-yard touchdown in tight coverage. Redman said he'd been waiting for a play like that to develop from his Pro Bowl wide receiver.

"I had Roddy White as a Pro Bowl receiver one-on-one outside and I liked my chances," Redman said of the touchdown pass. "Roddy and I, our timing was off the whole game and I just hung tight with him because I knew he'd make a big play. And sure enough he did at the end. I was really happy to see him make that catch."

McClure who was busy with his blocking assignment as the play unfolded said he didn't even need to look up, knowing the pass was good from the sound of the crowd.

"I guess [I knew] when I heard the crowd go crazy," the center said. "We were still blocking. I didn't see him make the catch. But it was unbelievable. That's a feeling you can't describe. You work all week and to win a game like that in the last minute, it's unbelievable."

Even though the last-minute heroics were exciting, there wasn't a sense of jubilation in the post-game locker room. It was more of the same from the business as usual Falcons, but perhaps even a little more so. Despite the W in the win column, everyone knew they narrowly escaped a different outcome and they know they must do better.

"Anytime you play that bad and you escape with a win, you're just happy to get it," White said. "But we know we're better than that. Next week we're going to get out there and work our butts off at practice and get ready for Philly."

McClure, an 11-year veteran, is the mouthpiece for not only his offensive line, but often the entire team. Earlier in the week he said the Falcons were ready to make a run, as they entered the pivotal final six-game stretch--a stretch they knew would have playoff-like intensity at every stop.

If the Buccaneers team is the worst team they'll face in those final six games, they'll have their work cut out for them. But as McClure said after the game about the win and about what's coming to them: "You get what you earn."

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