The Falcons are finding new, ironic ways to lose.
Todd Gurley is taking blame for Sunday’s loss to the Lions, this after he scored a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Only in Atlanta.
The Falcons trailed by two with about a minute remaining when the former All-Pro burst through the line of scrimmage and broke two tackles before tripping into the end zone. Gurley tried to go down at the 1 but his momentum led him inches over the goal line.
With zero timeouts remaining, Matthew Stafford used the remaining 64 seconds to lead Detroit on a game-winning touchdown drive and 23-22 win.
“I was mad as hell,” Gurley said of his TD run. “I tried not to.”
Even though the Falcons were on the 10-yard line, Gurley said they discussed him not scoring prior to the play in order to burn more clock. The sixth-year veteran noted it’s a situation he’s been in many times before.
“I’m man enough to take the responsibility,” he said. “I shouldn’t have scored,”
He also asserted the Lions didn’t give him his second TD of the day.
“First of all, if I wanted to score, we were going to score anyway,” Gurley said, who’s now scored 76 career touchdowns in 80 games.
The Falcons (1-6) blew their third fourth-quarter lead of the season and lost for the fifth time while leading at any point. Defensive breakdowns have been a staple of the defeats, and surrendering 75 yards in the final minute certainly qualifies. Accidentally scoring a touchdown on offense, though, is original. Even for Atlanta.
