The Atlanta Falcons suffered a 20-10 defeat at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football in Week 7, a contest decided in part by a calamitous lapse late in the game.
With 2:46 left in the fourth quarter and San Francisco facing a third-and-13 at Atlanta’s 21-yard line, the Falcons' defense was missing a player, leaving just 10 men on the field. This allowed Christian McCaffrey to catch a 17-yard pass from Mac Jones and set up a 4-yard touchdown run on the subsequent play, securing the victory for the 49ers.
“There absolutely was [10 men on the field] and it’s absolutely embarrassing,” Morris admitted postgame. “And, it's my fault. I’ll get it fixed.”
The mistake proved costly because halting that play might have forced a field goal attempt, offering quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and the Falcons offense an opportunity to retake the lead.
Atlanta’s performance, on offense and defense, was uneven and unproductive. Offensively, Penix fumbled under pressure late in the second quarter, leading to a 49ers field goal, and later committed intentional grounding in field goal range before halftime, causing a 10-second runoff and ending the drive without points. Penix finished with multiple missed throws under pressure, while the running game failed to compensate. In a losing effort, Bijan Robinson made history with a third-quarter touchdown, bringing him to seven career scores, the most by a Falcons running back through three seasons, though he gained only 40 yards on 14 carries, falling short of 100 yards from scrimmage for the first time this year.
Atlanta had one final opportunity in the fourth quarter. The Falcons advanced to the 49ers’ 35-yard line and attempted a third-and-1, but Robinson gained nothing as San Francisco’s defense held firm. On fourth down, Chase Lucas deflected Penix’s pass to Drake London, ending Atlanta’s chance at a comeback.
On the other side, McCaffrey had a strong performance, totaling 201 yards from scrimmage on 31 touches with two touchdowns. San Francisco's offense converted 9-of-15 third downs and compiled 324 total yards with 23 first downs, making the most of both execution and the Falcons' late-game error.
Atlanta's record now sits at 3-3, showing that consistency remains elusive. They will take on the Miami Dolphins next in Week 8.
