Storm- News » it for the Falcons (1-1)

ATLANTA -- With so many teammates hurting, Julio Jones had to play an even bigger role for the Atlanta Falcons. Edrice Adebayo Jersey . He was up to the task. Jones matched the best game of his career with 182 yards receiving, including an 81-yard touchdown catch, and the Atlanta Falcons held on for their first win of the season, 31-24 over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday. "I know the other guys on the field are counting on me to make those plays when the ball comes my way," Jones said. Matt Ryan threw for 374 yards and two scores despite taking quite a beating behind the Falcons shaky offence line. Jason Snelling clinched it for the Falcons (1-1) with an 11-yard touchdown run with 6:12 remaining, Atlantas longest play of the day on the ground. There were plenty of flaws in the Falcons performance -- hardly any running game, a lack of protection for Ryan, not much pressure on Rams quarterback Sam Bradford -- but theyll take it considering all the players who went down. Five starters were done by halftime: running back Steven Jackson (thigh), linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (foot), defensive end Kroy Biermann (right ankle), cornerback Asante Samuel (thigh) and fullback Bradie Ewing (shoulder). "While you dont want see anybody go down, nobody panicked, nobody blinked," said Ryan, who was sacked twice and hit eight times after throwing. "We just stayed the course." The Rams (1-1) fell behind 21-0 when Osi Umenyiora returned an interception 68 yards for a touchdown. Atlanta led 24-3 at halftime before St. Louis fought back on a pair of short touchdown passes by Bradford, who finished with 352 yards and three TDs. Jones matched the best performance of his career; he also put up 182 yards receiving in last seasons NFC championship game. "Julio and Matt seemed to be in sync," coach Mike Smith said. "They were seeing the defence the same way." Atlanta turned in the drive it needed to clinch it, throwing on eight straight plays before Snellings TD run. St. Louis scored again with 2:09 left when Bradford connected with Tavon Austin for their second scoring play of the game. But the Falcons managed to run out the clock. "We ran with them all day," Rams defensive end Robert Quinn said. "We just needed to make a few players earlier in the game." The Falcons escaped with a victory they absolutely had to have if they wanted to show they are a legitimate Super Bowl contender, avoiding their first losing streak since 2009. They have now won 13 straight coming off a loss. Jackson, facing the team he played with the last nine years, capped Atlantas opening drive with an 8-yard touchdown catch, but the celebration was short-lived. Apparently injured when he stretched for the goal line, he walked slowly to the locker room and didnt return. Then it was Jones beating Janoris Jenkins in man-to-man coverage, breaking free down the middle for the longest reception of his career to make it 14-0. Umenyiora extended the lead when he picked off a deflected pass and showed surprising speed in front of the Rams bench. He then staggered to the sideline, smiling, and grabbed an oxygen mask. The Rams couldve folded. Instead, they really began teeing off on Ryan in the second half. While the Atlanta offence bogged down, Austin hauled in a 6-yard scoring pass late in the third, and Austin Pettis 3-yard TD catch made it 24-17 with just under 12 minutes remaining. Atlanta turned to Jones to clinch it. He hauled in a short pass and broke free on a 22-yard play. Then, on third-and-3 at the Rams 40, Ryan rolled to his left away from pressure and lobbed a pass that Jones leaped up to grab for an 18-yard gain. Three players later, Snelling ran it in. "We never believe were out of the game until the clock says zero," Quinn said. "We just fell a play or two short." NOTES: The Falcons had 1 yard rushing in the first half and finished with 36 yards on 16 carries. ... Rams WR Chris Givens had five catches for 105 yards. ... Falcons WR Roddy White played but was still slowed by a high ankle sprain. He had three catches for 21 yards. ... Atlanta P Matt Bosher made a huge play at the end of the third quarter, leaping up to grab a high snap in his own end zone. He then got off a wobbly punt that rolled for 63 yards. Justise Winslow Jersey . The Maple Leafs handed their embattled head coach a two-year contract extension on Thursday, while at the same time announcing that assistants Dave Farrish, Greg Cronin and Scott Gordon will not be back. Alonzo Mourning Jersey . -- Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday for the first time in his seven-year career because of a swollen muscle in his left upper back. http://www.authenticbasketballshopheat.info/glen-rice-heat-jersey/ . Freddie Roach said if the Rios fight "does not go well, we will seriously talk about his retirement," but that Pacquiao was training as well as ever for the Nov.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Toronto Blue Jays will try to bounce back from a series loss on Monday evening as they play host to the struggling Boston Red Sox in the first of three straight meetings. The Blue Jays began their nine-game residency by losing two of three to the Tampa Bay Rays, losing Sundays rubber match 2-1 in 10 innings. That defeat leaves Toronto 5 1/2 games back of the second wild card spot in the American League. J.A. Happ starts tonight for the Blue Jays hoping to end a three-start losing streak. He lasted only 3 1/3 innings on Tuesday at Milwaukee, charged with four runs on six hits and two walks. "We got outplayed and it started with me," said the left-hander, who is now 8-8 with a 4.39 earned run average on the season. Happ has gone 3-2 with a 4.36 ERA over his career against Boston and picked up his most recent victory against the club on July 22. The 31-year-old logged six scoreless innings, working around seven hits. Happ is set to go against a Boston club that has lost eight in a row and finished up a 2-9 homestand with an 8-6 loss to Seattle on Sunday. "The thing that we continue to stress is the unanswered runs," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "When we score, the ability to then put up a zero is key. For us to snap out of where we are, its going to come from morre consistency on the mound. Rodney McGruder Jersey. " It was a tough series at the plate for the Red Sox, who placed shortstop Xander Bogaerts on the seven-day concussion disabled list after Sundays game. Bogaerts was hit in the head by a changeup from Mariners starter Felix Hernandez on Friday. David Ortiz, meanwhile, was hit by a pitch on Saturday, but was in the lineup the following day before fouling a ball off his right foot. He left after the sixth inning and is day-to-day. Boston kicks off a 10-game road trip tonight with Clay Buchholz on the hill. Buchholz has not won since July 18, going 0-3 with a 7.05 ERA in six starts since. He is coming off Wednesdays setback to the Los Angeles Angels as he yielded six runs over six innings. "I felt good for just about every pitch," said Buchholz. "I just missed location with a couple of pitches and they were able to put a big inning together." The 30-year-old righty is 5-8 with a 5.94 ERA on the year and his current winless streak includes back-to-back losses to Toronto on July 23 and 28. Buchholz allowed a total of 11 earned runs, 13 hits and eight walks over 11 innings as he is now 10-8 lifetime versus the Blue Jays with a 3.22 ERA. 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