The 2010 Atlanta Falcons season was the 45th season for the team in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

. The Falcons improved on their 2009 record, winning 13 games. The team won their first

NFC South The National Football Conference – Southern Division or NFC South is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It was created prior to the 2002 NFL season, when ...

title since

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...

, a bye in the first round of the playoffs, and the top seed in the NFC. In the playoffs, the Falcons fell to the eventual

Super Bowl XLV Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champi ...

champion

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...

in the NFC Divisional Round 21–48.

Offseason

Falcons re-signed WR

Brian Finneran Brian Joseph Finneran (born January 31, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1998 and also played for the Barcelona Dragons, Phila ...

to a 1-year deal on February 11, 2010. Falcons re-signed CB

Brian Williams Brian Douglas Williams (born May 5, 1959) is an American retired journalist and television news anchor. He was a reporter for ''NBC Nightly News'' starting in 1993, before his promotion to anchor and managing editor of the broadcast in 2004. ...

to a 1-year deal on March 4, 2010. Falcons signed CB

Dunta Robinson Willie Dunta Robinson ( ; born April 11, 1982) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at South Carolina and was drafted by the Houston Texans with the 10th overall selection in the 2004 NFL Draft. Robinson also play ...

to a 6-year deal on March 5, 2010. Falcons re-signed LS

Joe Zelenka Joseph John Zelenka (born March 9, 1976) is a former American football long snapper in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at Wake Forest. Z ...

to a deal on March 8, 2010. Falcons re-signed CB

Brent Grimes Brent Omar Grimes (born July 19, 1983) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Shippensburg University and signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2006. Grimes was allocated to the Hamburg ...

to a deal on March 9, 2010. Falcons cut CB

Tye Hill John Tye Hill (born June 3, 1982) is an American former college and professional football cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons. He played college football for Clemson University, and earned consensus All ...

and signed S

Matt Giordano Matthew Victor Giordano (born October 16, 1982) is a former American football safety. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Giordano grew up in Clovis, California and played college football at Fres ...

on March 16, 2010.

2010 NFL Draft

After finishing the season 9–7 and out of the playoffs, the Falcons will pick 19th in the draft. The Falcons traded their second round pick to the

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...

after trading for tight end

Tony Gonzalez Anthony David Gonzalez (born February 27, 1976) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, he is the NFL's all-time leader ...

, and their seventh round pick to the

St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994. The arri ...

for cornerback

Staff

Final roster

Schedule

Preseason

The Falcons preseason schedule was announced on March 31, 2010.

Regular season

Postseason

Standings

Regular season results

Week 1: at Pittsburgh Steelers

The Falcons began their season at

Heinz Field Acrisure Stadium is a football stadium located in the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It primarily serves as the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Pittsburgh Panth ...

for an interconference duel against the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

. The Steelers were without quarterback

Ben Roethlisberger Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. (; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college footba ...

who was suspended for the first four games of the season. Dennis Dixon started in his place. The Steelers received the opening kick and drove 42 yards in 11 plays with Dixon going 4/4 for 21 yards on the drive, that led to Steelers kicker Jeff Reed nailing a 52-yard field goal, the longest field goal in Heinz Field history. The Falcons offense was non-existent almost entirely in the first half, going three-and- out on their first two drives. In the second quarter, following the Falcons second punt, the Steelers drove 28 yards to the Falcons 35, but Dixon was intercepted by Falcons linebacker Mike Petersen. The Falcons drove 44 yards to the Steelers 28, but

Matt Bryant Steven Matt Bryant (born May 29, 1975), nicknamed "Money Matt", is a former American football placekicker. He played college football for the Baylor Bears, and was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the AFL's Iowa Barnstormers in 2000. A ...

missed a 46-yard field goal. Jeff Reed then missed a 55-yarder. The Falcons drove 24 yards to the Steelers 31-yard line, and Bryant was successful from 48 yards out as the game went to halftime tied at 3-3. Atlanta drove 55 yards in 13 plays on the first drive of the 2nd quarter, which took 4:20 off the clock, to take the lead on Bryant's 39-yard field goal. However, Pittsburgh would respond, driving 67 yards on 6 plays, taking 3:47 off the clock, and tying the game with Reed's 34-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers would get the lead again, driving 67 yards on 10 plays taking 5:07 off the clock, on Reed's 34-yard field goal, yet the Falcons would strike back. Ryan engineered a 13-play, 73-yard drive taking 5:30 off the clock, and ending with Bryant's 23-yard field goal, tying the score at 9-9 with 3:28 remaining. After a Pittsburgh punt,

Troy Polamalu Troy Aumua Polamalu (; born Troy Benjamin Aumua; April 19, 1981) is an American former football strong safety who played his entire 12-year career for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football ...

intercepted Matt Ryan at the Atlanta 30. In a golden opportunity to win the game, Pittsburgh drove 9 yards to the Atlanta 21, but Jeff Reed missed a 40-yard field goal wide ride with 0:43 left. Atlanta drained the clock, sending the game into overtime. Atlanta had possession first in overtime, but punted after 5 plays. It was a bad punt, going only 36 yards to midfield. Pittsburgh delivered the final strike in overtime as running back

Rashard Mendenhall Rashard Jamal Mendenhall (born June 19, 1987) is a former American football running back and current television writer who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. He played college football at Illinois and was drafted by th ...

got the game-winning 50-yard touchdown run, on Pittsburgh's first play. With the loss, Atlanta began their season at 0–1.

Week 2: vs. Arizona Cardinals

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Steelers the Falcons played at home an NFC duel against the

Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...

. In the first quarter Atlanta took the early lead as QB Matt Ryan completed a 7-yard TD pass to WR

Roddy White Sharod Lamor "Roddy" White (born November 2, 1981) is a former American football wide receiver who played his entire professional career with the Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at UAB, and was drafted by the Falcons in the first ro ...

, followed in the second quarter by kicker

hitting a 24-yard field goal. Arizona would reply with RB

Tim Hightower Timothy Michael Hightower (born May 23, 1986) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Richmond and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He also played f ...

scampering 80 yards for a TD run, but Atlanta increased their lead when Ryan threw a 19-yard TD pass to FB

Jason Snelling Jason Michael Snelling (born December 29, 1983) is a former American football running back. He played his entire career with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL ...

, followed by Snelling getting a 1-yard TD run. In the third quarter the Falcons continued to dominate the game when Ryan completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to WR

, followed by Bryan nailing a 35-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter Atlanta scored once again with FB

getting a 7-yard TD run. With the win, Atlanta improved to 1–1.

Week 3: at New Orleans Saints

Coming off their win over the Cardinals the Falcons traveled to

Louisiana Superdome The Caesars Superdome, commonly known as the Superdome (formerly known as Mercedes-Benz Superdome), is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the home stadium of the New Orleans Saints ...

for an NFC South rivalry match against the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

. The Falcons trailed early when QB

Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is the NFL leader in ...

made a 2-yard TD pass to TE

Jeremy Shockey Jeremy Charles Shockey (born August 18, 1980) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at the University of Miami and was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. The winner of the fir ...

. The Falcons replied with QB Matt Ryan making a 13-yard TD pass to TE

. The Saints re-took the lead with Brees finding WR

Lance Moore Lance Andrew Moore (born August 31, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver who played over ten seasons professionally in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Toledo. He was signed by the Cleveland Brown ...

on an 80-yard TD pass. But the Falcons replied in the second quarter driving 72 yards in 19 plays, taking 10:39 off the clock ending with RB Michael Turner plunging into the end zone on a 1-yard TD run. The Falcons took the lead when kicker

booted a 23-yard field goal. But they fell behind with Brees finding Moore again on a 16-yard TD pass. The Falcons we're able to retake the lead when Ryan rifled a 22-yard TD pass to WR

. However, Drew Brees drove the Saints into field goal range and they would tie the game with kicker

Garrett Hartley Garrett Hartley (born May 16, 1986) is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2008. Later that year he became the placekicker for the New Orleans Saints, for whom he ...

making a 32-yard field goal. In overtime, the Saints drove down to the goal line but kicker Hartley missed a 29-yard, chip shot field goal. Matt Ryan drove the Falcons back down the other direction and Matt Bryant hit a 46-yard field goal to give the Falcons the win. With the win, not only the Falcons improved to 2–1 but finally won their first game in New Orleans since 2002.

Week 4: vs. San Francisco 49ers

Hoping to increase their winning streak after a win against the Saints, the Falcons played inside their dome for an NFC duel against the

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...

. In the first quarter the Falcons trailed early with QB

Alex Smith Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football at Utah, where he received first-team All-American honors and won the 20 ...

making a 12-yard TD pass to TE

Vernon Davis Vernon Davis (born January 31, 1984) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Maryland, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers sixth overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. In 2009, Davis co-led the NFL in touchdown rec ...

. The Falcons problems continued when

Michael Koenen Michael J. Koenen (born July 13, 1982) is a former American football punter. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Western Washington. Early years Koenen attended Ferndale High Sc ...

's punt was blocked and recovered in their own endzone by DB

Taylor Mays Taylor Mays (born February 7, 1988) is a former American football safety. He won Washington state titles in track in both the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash as a high school sophomore, before leaving track and field to dedicate himself to foo ...

, putting the 49ers up 14–0. Then the Falcons replied with QB Matt Ryan completing an 8-yard TD pass to WR

Harry Douglas Harry Douglas IV (born September 16, 1984) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football at Louisville. Douglas was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in ...

. Then the Falcons took the lead with three field goals from kicker

. He made a 37-yard field goal near the end of the 2nd quarter and a 31-yard field goad in the 3rd. Under two minutes to play with the Falcons trailing 14–13, Ryan threw an interception to the 49ers'

Nate Clements Nathan D. Clements (born December 12, 1979) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Ohio State. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 21st overall in the 2001 NFL Draft, and a ...

who appeared to be headed to the end zone and clinch the win. However wide receiver

chased him down and stripped the football which was recovered by Atlanta's

Harvey Dahl Harvey J. Dahl (born June 24, 1981) is a former American football guard who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Rams. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free a ...

. Ryan then engineered a drive in the other direction and Bryant kicks a 43-yard field goal with two seconds left giving the Falcons another win.Falcons vs 49ers 2010
/ref> With the win, Atlanta improved to 3–1.

Week 5: at Cleveland Browns

Coming off their win over the 49ers the Falcons flew to

Cleveland Browns Stadium FirstEnergy Stadium is a stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, primarily for American football. It is the home field of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL), and serves as a venue for other events such as college and h ...

for an Interconference duel against the

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...

After a scoreless 1st quarter, the Falcons got things started in the 2nd quarter.

converted a 24-yard field goal. The Browns replied and took the lead with QB

Seneca Wallace Seneca Sinclair Wallace (born August 6, 1980) is a former American football quarterback and current assistant coach for John Paul II High School. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college ...

's 19-yard TD pass to RB

Peyton Hillis Peyton Derek Hillis (born January 21, 1986) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL). Hillis attended Conway High School in Conway, Arkansas and was a highly touted recruit. Hillis attended the ...

. The Falcons tried to cut the lead when Bryant made a 30-yard field goal, but was expanded again in the 3rd quarter with kicker

Phil Dawson Philip Drury Dawson (born January 23, 1975) is a former American football placekicker. He played for the Cleveland Browns from 1999 to 2012 and holds their franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010. He pl ...

hitting a 19-yard field goal. After that, the Falcons scored when QB Matt Ryan connected with WR

on a 45-yard TD pass. The game was a defensive drag out the rest of the way. In the 4th quarter DE

Kroy Biermann Kroy Evan Biermann (born September 12, 1985) is a former American football outside linebacker. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Montana. He is married to former Bravo t ...

returned an interception 41 yards to the endzone for a touchdown, sealing the Falcons' 4th straight win. With the win, Atlanta improved to 4–1.

Week 6: at Philadelphia Eagles

Hoping to increase their winning streak the Falcons flew to

Lincoln Financial Field Lincoln Financial Field is an American football stadium located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It serves as the home stadium of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL) and the Temple Owls football team of Temple University. ...

for an NFC duel against the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...

. In the first quarter the Falcons trailed early as WR

DeSean Jackson DeSean William Jackson (born December 1, 1986) is an American football wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears, where he was recognized as a con ...

raced through the defense on a 31-yard TD run. Later, QB

Kevin Kolb Kevin Benjamin Kolb (; born August 24, 1984) is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals and the Buffalo Bills ...

connected with him on a 34-yard TD pass. The Falcons' secondary continued to struggle when Kolb found WR

Jeremy Maclin Jeremy Maclin (born May 11, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Missouri, where he was a two-time consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2009 N ...

on an 8-yard TD pass. Facing, a 21-0 deficit, the Falcons replied with QB Matt Ryan hitting TE

on a 1-yard TD pass. This was followed in the third quarter by kicker

hitting a 26-yard field goal. However, the Falcons fell further behind when Kolb found Maclin again on an amazing 83-yard TD pass. The Falcons replied with Ryan hitting Gonzalez, again, on a 13-yard TD pass. The Eagles pulled away with All-Pro kicker

David Akers David Roy Akers (; born December 9, 1974) is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He began his career in 1998 with the Washington Reds ...

making a 30-yard field goal. With the loss, Atlanta fell to 4–2.

Week 7: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Eagles the Falcons played inside their dome for an inter-conference duel against the Bengals. In the first quarter the Falcons took the lead as QB Matt Ryan connected on a 3-yard TD pass to unheralded WR

. But the Bengals replied with kicker

Mike Nugent Michael Nugent (born March 2, 1982) is a former American football placekicker. He played college football for Ohio State University, and was twice recognized as a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round o ...

making a 20-yard field goal. The Falcons dominated the second quarter, going on a 17-0 run. Kicker

hitting a 45-yard field goal. Then Ryan found deep threat WR

, who would eventually lead the NFL with 115 receptions, on a 43-yard TD pass, followed by eventual rushing yards leader, RB Michael Turner popping into the end zone on a 2-yard TD run. The Bengals rally in the third quarter going on a 22-0 run of their own. Nugent nailed a 33-yard field goal, followed by QB

Carson Palmer Carson Hilton Palmer (born December 27, 1979) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at ...

completing a 19-yard TD pass to WR

Terrell Owens Terrell Eldorado Owens (; born December 7, 1973), nicknamed T.O., is an American football wide receiver for the Knights of Degen of Fan Controlled Football (FCF). He previously played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons. Regar ...

. Then Palmer found WR

Jordan Shipley Jordan Shipley (born December 23, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver. Shipley played college football for the University of Texas, and received consensus All-American recognition. He was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the t ...

on a laser 64-yard TD pass. (With a failed 2-point conversion) Then DB Adam Jones returned a fumble 59 yards to the endzone for a touchdown (With a failed two-point conversion). The Falcons pulled away in the fourth quarter with Ryan throwing an 11-yard TD pass to White. (With the 2-point conversion successful as Ryan passed to White) This was followed by Turner plunging into the end zone on a 3-yard TD run. The Falcons would concede only one touchdown after that as Palmer found WR

Chad Ochocinco Chad Ochocinco Johnson (born Chad Javon Johnson; January 9, 1978), known from 2008 to 2012 as Chad Ochocinco, is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football for Santa Monica College and Oregon State University, and pl ...

on an 8-yard TD pass. With the win, Atlanta went into its bye week at 5–2.

Week 9: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Coming off their bye week the Falcons returned inside their dome for an NFC South rivalry match against the Buccaneers. The Falcons took the lead as RB Michael Turner got a 2 and a 10-yard TD run. The Buccaneers replied with QB

Josh Freeman Joshua Tyler Freeman (born January 13, 1988) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Kansas State University, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Freeman became th ...

completing a 14-yard TD pass to WR

Arrelious Benn Arrelious Markus Benn (born September 8, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football for the University of Illinois Fightin ...

. The Falcons pulled ahead after kicker

got a 31-yard field goal, but the Buccaneers responded after Freeman found WR Mike Williams on a 58-yard TD pass. The Falcons continued to score in the third quarter after QB Matt Ryan threw a 5-yard TD pass to TE Michael Palmer, followed by Bryant hitting a 41-yard field goal. The Buccaneers responded after

Micheal Spurlock Micheal Curtis Spurlock (born January 31, 1983) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the special teams quality control coach for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Arizona ...

returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown. With the win, the Falcons improved to 6–2.

Week 10: vs. Baltimore Ravens

Coming off their divisional win over the Buccaneers, the Falcons stayed at home, donned their throwback uniforms, and played their Week 10 interconference duel with the

Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...

on Thursday night. After a scoreless first quarter, Atlanta delivered the opening punch in the second quarter as quarterback Matt Ryan found running back

on a 28-yard touchdown run, followed by a 28-yard field goal from kicker

. The Falcons added onto their lead in the third quarter as a Brent Grimes interception set up Bryant booted a 51-yard field goal. The Ravens would answer with quarterback

Joe Flacco Joseph Vincent Flacco (born January 16, 1985) is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Delaware after transferring from Pittsburgh and was drafted by the Baltim ...

completing a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver

Anquan Boldin Anquan Kenmile Boldin Sr. (; born October 3, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver who played 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State University and was drafted by the Arizona Ca ...

. Atlanta struck back in the fourth quarter as Ryan found wide receiver

on a 4-yard touchdown pass. Baltimore took the lead as Flacco completed a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver

Derrick Mason Derrick James Mason (born January 17, 1974) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for fifteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Tennessee Oilers in the fourth round of the ...

, followed by a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end

Todd Heap Todd Benjamin Heap (born March 16, 1980) is a former American football tight end who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Arizona State University, he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in ...

, with 1:05 left. However, a 24-yard completion to Michael Jenkins and Ravens penalties set the Falcons up at the Ravens 33-yard line. Then, Ryan connected with White again on a 33-yard touchdown pass (with a failed two-point conversion) with 20 seconds left in the game, giving the Falcons a 26-21 lead. Flacco attempted a miracle win, but his last pass to T.J. Houshmendazeh was fumbled with 0:02 seconds left. With the win, the Falcons improved to 7–2. During halftime,

Deion Sanders Deion Luwynn Sanders Sr. (born August 9, 1967) is an American football coach and former player who is the head coach at the University of Colorado Boulder. Nicknamed "Prime Time", he played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons ...

was inducted into the Falcons Ring of Honor.

Week 11: at St. Louis Rams

Hoping to increase their winning streak the Falcons flew to

Edward Jones Dome The Dome at America's Center is a multi-purpose stadium used for concerts, major conventions, and sporting events in Downtown St. Louis, downtown St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Previously known as the Trans World Dome from 1995 to 2001 and ...

for an NFC duel with the Rams. In the first quarter the Falcons trailed early after QB

Sam Bradford Samuel Jacob Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings. He was also a member of the P ...

completed a 25-yard TD pass to TE

Michael Hoomanawanui Michael Patrick Hoomanawanui (; nicknamed the "Hoo Man", born July 4, 1988) is a former American football tight end of Hawaiian and Italian-Irish descent. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fifth round (132nd overall) of the 2010 NFL Dr ...

. The Falcons replied with kicker

hitting a 42-yard field goal. Later, Rams kicker Josh Brown hit a 53-yard field goal; but they took the lead after Matt Ryan completed a 12-yard TD pass to WR

, followed by Bryant converting a 29 and a 24-yard field goal. The lead was narrowed when Bradford threw a 13-yard TD pass to WR

Brandon Gibson Brandon Lewis Gibson (born August 13, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football and basketball at Washington State and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He also pl ...

, but the Falcons. increased their lead as Ryan threw a 2-yard TD pass to TE

Justin Peelle Justin Morris Peelle (born March 15, 1979) is a former American football tight end who is currently the tight ends coach for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Oregon, he was drafted b ...

. This was followed in the fourth quarter by Bryant nailing a 21-yard field goal, and with RB Michael Turner taking it in for a 39-yard TD run. With the win, Atlanta improved to 8–2, increasing their NFC South lead.

Week 12: vs. Green Bay Packers

The Falcons' eleventh game was an NFC duel with the Packers inside their dome. In the first quarter the Falcons took the lead as kicker

nailed a 38-yard field goal. The Packers replied as kicker

Mason Crosby Mason Walker Crosby (born September 3, 1984) is an American football placekicker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Colorado, and earned unanimous All-American honors. The Packers chos ...

hit a 22-yard field goal. The Falcons had the only score of the second quarter with QB Matt Ryan firing a 4-yard TD pass to TE

with 0:08 seconds left in the half. On the play before the drive began, on a 4th-and-Goal at the 1-yard line, Aaron Rodgers fumbled with the Falcons recovering. The Packers responded in the third quarter when QB

Aaron Rodgers Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Rodgers began his college football career at Butte College in 2002 before transferring to the ...

scrambled 1 yard for a touchdown. Less than a minute into the 4th quarter, the Falcons got the lead back as RB Michael Turner punched it in from 1 yard out. However, the Packers replied with Rodgers' 10-yard TD pass to WR

Jordy Nelson Jordy Ray Nelson (born May 31, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League for 11 seasons with the Green Bay Packers and the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Kansas State, where he ...

on 4th-and-goal with 0:56 left. It was their third 4th down conversion on the drive. On the ensuing kick a 40-yard kickoff return by Eric Weems with a 15-yard facemask penalty set the Falcons up at the Packers 49-yard line. Four short completions set up Bryant's game-winning 47-yard field goal. The Packers called timeout before the kick, however, but, Bryant's second attempt was good with 0:09 seconds left. It was his third game-winning field goal of the season. Greg Jennings' lateral attempt went out of bounds on the next drive, and the game was over. With the win, Atlanta improved to 9–2.

Week 13: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hoping to increase their winning streak the Falcons flew to

Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Tampa, Florida that opened in 1998 and is home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) and the University of South Florida (USF) Bulls college football program. The se ...

for an NFC South rivalry match against the Buccaneers. The Falcons took the early lead as RB Michael Turner got a 5-yard TD run. But the Buccaneers replied with RB

LeGarrette Blount LeGarrette Montez Blount (; born December 5, 1986) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football at Oregon after transferring from East Mississippi Commun ...

getting a 6-yard TD run. The Falcons scored again with QB Matt Ryan getting a 17-yard TD pass to FB

Ovie Mughelli Ovie Phillip Mughelli (born June 10, 1980) is a former American football fullback who last played for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Wake Forest University, he was drafted in the fo ...

, but Tampa Bay replied with QB

getting a 1-yard TD pass to WR Mike Williams. The Falcons trailed for the first time in the game with kicker

Connor Barth Connor Thomas Barth (born April 11, 1986) is a former American football placekicker who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina and was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undraft ...

nailing a 33-yard field goal, and with

Earnest Graham Earnest Graham Jr. (born January 15, 1980) is an American former college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football for the University of Florida ...

making a 2-yard TD pass to TE

John Gilmore John Gilmore may refer to: * John Gilmore (activist) (born 1955), co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Cygnus Solutions * John Gilmore (musician) (1931–1995), American jazz saxophonist * John Gilmore (representative) (1780–1845), ...

. The Falcons responded with

Eric Weems Eric Grimes Weems (born July 4, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver, special teamer, and return specialist. He played college football at Bethune–Cookman and was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 200 ...

returning a kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown, and getting the lead back with Ryan getting a 9-yard TD pass to WR Michael Jenkins. With the win, the Falcons improved to 10–2.

Week 14: at Carolina Panthers

The Falcons' thirteenth game was an NFC South rivalry match against the Panthers. The Falcons commanded the first half as QB Matt Ryan completed a 4-yard TD pass to TE

, followed by RB Michael Turner getting a 1-yard TD run, and then with kicker

nailing a 39-yard field goal. The Panthers scored in the third quarter with RB

Mike Goodson Michael Darryl Goodson Jr. (born May 23, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Texas A&M. Goodson was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He also played for the ...

getting a 13-yard TD run, but the Falcons replied as Turner got a 3-yard TD run. The lead was narrowed as kicker

John Kasay John David Kasay (born October 27, 1969) is a former American football kicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers. He played college football at Georgia and was selected by the Se ...

made a 36-yard field goal, but Atlanta pulled away as Turner got a 4-yard TD run. With the win, Atlanta improved to 11–2.

Week 15: at Seattle Seahawks

Looking to secure a playoff berth, the Falcons traveled to Seattle in their last regular-season road game to take on the Seahawks. Seattle took an early lead with a 1-yard TD run by

Marshawn Lynch Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...

. Atlanta would later respond early in the second quarter with a Matt Ryan 3-yard TD pass to

, with

later adding a 27-yard field goal to take the lead. Seattle tied the game with a 38-yard field goal from

Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse Orange#Football, S ...

; however, the Falcons took the lead again with a Ryan 24-yard TD pass to Michael Jenkins to close the first half. On the Seahawks' first offensive possession of the second half,

Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth round ...

fumbled the football in the end-zone with defensive tackle

Jonathan Babineaux Jonathan Joel Babineaux (born October 12, 1981) is a former American football defensive tackle who played all 12 seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Falcons in the second round with the 59th overall pick in th ...

recovering for a Falcons' touchdown. Atlanta would later add to their lead with a 25-yard Bryant field goal as well as a Ryan 24-yard TD pass to

. Seattle's only score of the second half came from backup quarterback

Charlie Whitehurst Charles David Whitehurst Jr. (born August 6, 1982), is a former American football quarterback who played college football at Clemson Tigers football, Clemson, and was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the third round (81st overall) of the 2006 ...

with a 1-yard TD rush followed by a successful 2-point conversion with a Whitehurst pass to

Ben Obomanu Benjamin Ebenezer Obomanu (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Obomanu played college football for the Auburn Tigers. High school Ob ...

. With the win, Atlanta improved to 12–2. Also, the Falcons secured a playoff berth early in the game due to Philadelphia's victory over the

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

Week 16: vs. New Orleans Saints

Looking to win their division and capture the top seed in the NFC playoffs, the Falcons hosted the Saints in a Monday Night rematch of their Week 3 contest. New Orleans would score first with

kicking a FG from 52 yards late in the first quarter. RB Pierre Thomas would add to the Saints' lead with a 2-yard TD run; however, Atlanta would respond with a Matt Ryan 7-yard TD pass to

to cut the lead to three. After a scoreless third quarter, the Falcons took the lead with

Chauncey Davis Chauncey Antoine Davis (born January 27, 1983 in Bartow, Florida) is a former American football defensive end. He was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida Stat ...

returning an interception 26 yards for a touchdown. New Orleans reclaimed the lead late in the 4th with a

6-yard TD pass to

Jimmy Graham Jimmy Graham (born November 24, 1986) is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played only one year of college football at Miami Hurricanes football, University of Miami after playing four years of college basketball, basketball ...

. Atlanta attempted to come back; however, New Orleans held on for the win. With the loss, Atlanta falls to 12–3, snapping their 8-game winning streak.

Week 17: vs. Carolina Panthers

The Falcons' sixteenth game was a division rivalry rematch against the Panthers inside their dome. The Falcons commanded the first half as QB Matt Ryan got a 6-yard TD pass to TE

. This was followed by a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown by

; then with Ryan completing a 14-yard TD pass to WR

. The Panthers tried to cut the lead with kicker

getting a 23-yard field goal, but the Falcons continued to score as kicker

made a 47-yard field goal, followed by RB Michael Turner getting a 3-yard TD run. The lead was narrowed as QB

Jimmy Clausen James Richard Clausen (born September 21, 1987) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) from 2010 to 2015. He played college football at Notre Dame and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in t ...

connected to TE Jeff King on a 2-yard TD pass, but the Falcons held on for the easy win, finishing their regular season on a 13–3 record. The Falcons swept the Panthers for the 1st time since 2004.

Postseason results

NFC Divisional Round: vs. Green Bay Packers

Entering the postseason as the NFC's #1 seed, the Falcons began their playoff run at home against the #6

, in a rematch of their Week 12 match-up. Atlanta delivered the game's opening strike in the first quarter with a 12-yard touchdown run from running back Michael Turner. The Packers answered in the second quarter as quarterback

completed a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver

, yet the Falcons immediately struck back as wide receiver

returned the ensuing kickoff for a franchise postseason best 102 yards for a touchdown. Green Bay came right back with fullback

John Kuhn John Allen Kuhn (born September 9, 1982) is a former American football fullback. After playing college football for Shippensburg University, he was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2005. Kuhn earned a Super Bowl ...

getting a 1-yard touchdown run, Rodgers completing a 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver James Jones, and cornerback

Tramon Williams Tramon Vernell Williams Sr. (born March 16, 1983) is a former American football cornerback who played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Louisiana Tech, and was signed by the Houston Texans as an un ...

returning an interception 70 yards for a touchdown. The Packers added onto their lead in the third quarter as Rodgers got a 7-yard touchdown run, followed by his 7-yard touchdown pass to Kuhn. Atlanta tried to rally in the fourth quarter as quarterback Matt Ryan found wide receiver

on a 6-yard touchdown pass, yet Green Bay closed out their dominating night with Crosby getting a 43-yard field goal. With the loss, the Falcons' season came to a disappointing end with an overall record of 13–4. The 27-point loss was the worst loss by a top seed in Divisional Playoff game history. It was the second worst defeat by a top seed before a Super Bowl, with the worst being a 28–0 loss by the Los Angeles Rams to the Dallas Cowboys in the 1978 season.

References

External links

2010 Atlanta Falcons season at ESPN

{{DEFAULTSORT:2010 Atlanta Falcons Season

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

NFC South championship seasons Atlanta Falcons seasons 2010 in sports in Georgia (U.S. state) 2010 in Atlanta