The Bills came away with a big win in their Week 4 game against Atlanta.
Buffalo Bills Insider Chris Brown provides the details. Here is his report:
Location: Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Regular season records: Buffalo (3-1), Atlanta (3-1)
In a nutshell:
The Bills put forth a whale of an effort against the defending NFC champions. The defense kept it a low-scoring game and forced three turnovers. The offense mixed the run and pass well and Stephen Hauschka provided a pair of long distance field goals for the second straight week. It all fit together for an improbable 23-17 road victory over Atlanta.
Winning the turnover battle by a margin of 3-0 proved crucial in the win as Buffalo scored 13 points off turnovers in the six-point win. Down 10-7 at the half Buffalo got a defensive touchdown when Tre’Davious White returned a Matt Ryan fumble 52 yards for a touchdown.
The Bills outscored the Falcons 16-7 in the second half as the defense time and again turned Atlanta’s high-powered offense away, including a 4th-and-1 play at the Bills nine-yard line with under a minute remaining.
The win lifts Buffalo to 3-1 on the season and into sole possession of first place in the AFC East, after New England lost 33-30 to the Carolina Panthers.
How it went down:
-The Falcons scored first in the game. After a scoreless first quarter, Atlanta got great field position on a drive that began near midfield. A 29-yard run by Tevin Coleman got the Falcons into the red zone, but Buffalo held Atlanta to a 28-yard field goal by Matt Bryant with 10 minutes left in the half (3-0).
-Buffalo took the lead on a good-looking eight-play 67-yard drive. After converting a 3rd-and-5 on a scramble, Tyrod Taylor found Charles Clay deep down the right sideline for a 44-yard pass play to set up 1st-and-goal at the nine. One play later Taylor found Jordan Matthews in the back left corner of the end zone for a touchdown with seven minutes left in the half (7-3).
-Atlanta was able to re-take the lead capping an 11-play 78-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run by Devonta Freeman with 18 seconds left in the half (10-7).
-Jerry Hughes forced a fumble on a sack of Matt Ryan early in the third quarter. The loose ball was recovered by Tre’Davious White and he returned it 52 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-10 Buffalo with 11 minutes left in the third quarter.
-Buffalo widened their lead with a long, sustained drive that resulted in a 24-yard field goal by Stephen Hauschka (17-10). The 19-play drive took more than 11 minutes off the game clock.
-Atlanta answered as Matt Ryan found Justin Hardy just inside the goal line for a three-yard touchdown reception to tie the game at 17 with seven minutes remaining.
-The Bills regained the lead when Stephen Hauschka bombed a 56-yard field goal with just under five minutes remaining (20-17).
-Micah Hyde then came up with his second interception of the game on the ensuing Falcons possession and it led to a 55-yard field goal by Hauschka to put the Bills up six with just over three minutes left in regulation (23-17).
Subplots:
-Stephen Hauschka for the second straight game came up huge from distance with a 56 and 55-yard field goal to provide Buffalo with the game-winning points.
-Tre’Davious White scored his first career touchdown on a 52-yard fumble return.
-Micah Hyde posted the 10th interception of his career and second of the season in the second half.
-Buffalo scored 13 points off of turnovers in the game.
-The Bills have set a team record for most consecutive quarters without a turnover (15). The previous team record was 12 set in 2015)
-Jordan Matthews’ nine-yard touchdown reception was his first as a Bill and the 20th of his career.
-Charles Clay’s 44-yard reception in the first half was his longest as a Bill. He finished the game with 112 yards on just five receptions.
-Colt Anderson suffered an arm injury and did not return.
-Ramon Humber sustained a thumb injury but returned to the game a short time later and then exited for good in the second half. He was replaced in the lineup by Matt Milano.
-Shaq Lawson headlined the list of inactive players along with Cordy Glenn, Vladimir Ducasse, Joe Banyard, Khari Lee, Brandon Tate and Adolphus Washington.
Up next:
The Bills travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals for a 1 pm kickoff on Sunday Oct. 8.