Who could blame you if you felt the crushing blow coming? Jonnu Smith fumbled, Bijan Robinson fumbled, the offense dithered, and the defense seemed ready to wither. Atlanta went into halftime down 12-7 with the Texans getting the ball back and they were staring at the end with Houston holding a one point lead, and the way the Falcons have played of late, even optimistic fans couldn’t help but brace for the hammer to fall. Blessedly, it did not.
These Falcons displayed the tenacity we loved in the first two weeks of the season, plus the added and welcome wrinkle of a capable passing game, and bulldozed their way by a Texans team that wasn’t quite able to close things out.