The New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 30-23 in Week 4 as both teams met for Sunday Night Football action. Tom Brady had a decent game, but it was the undrafted rookie, Kenbrell Thompson, who had a performance to remember in the Georgia Dome Sunday night. The Falcons almost made a comeback, but the damage had already been done by the Patriots' offense.
Thompkins finished with six catches, going for 127 yards and a touchdown. It was the first 100-yard of his career. In one game, Thompkins almost matched his receiving yards from the three previous games. Thompkins helped the Patriots' offense get things started in the third quarter.
The Patriots constantly found themselves deep in their own territory. However, LeGarrette Blount made a great catch by Thompkins count. Blount took a 47-yard run into the end zone, making it a two-possession game early in the fourth quarter, shifting momentum in the Patriots favor. It was the first rushing touchdown for the Patriots in the season and it could not have come at a better time.
Tom Brady and Matt Ryan, two of the premier quarterbacks in the league, had issues getting their offense running. The first half of this ball game was extremely physical as the Falcons and Patriots only scored 10 points each in the first thirty minutes of the game.
The Falcons broke the score open with a Matt Bryant 23-yard field goal as the offense could not get the ball into the end zone while inside the red zone. The Patriots were held scoreless in the first quarter, but they answered back in the second quarter with 10 unanswered points. Another Matt, this time Matthew Mulligan, took it to the house on a one-yard pass from Brady.
Tony Gonzalez proved clutch as he found himself in the end zone on a 21-yard pass from Bryant, helping the Falcons tie the game, making it a 10-10 game at the half.
Brady, Blount and Stephen Gostkowski were responsible for placing the Patriots ahead in the second half, pressing the Falcons to get their offense going. Eventually, Matt Bryant kicked a 45-yarder, making it a one-possession game as the scoreboard read 20-13 in favor of the Patriots.
New England did not hesitate to get back right back on the board and increase their lead. Brady hit Thompkins with a fade in the end zone, scoring the 18-yard touchdown and probably earning a spot a in the highlight reel. Thompkins dove after a perfectly placed pass from Brady. Thompkins kept possession of the ball as he kept his elbow inbounds for the score.
After the replay equipment stopped working on a crucial catch made by Julio Jones, the Falcons cut the game to a two-pssession game with less than five minutes remaining. Gonzalez caught his second touchdown of the game, making it 30-20. The Falcons took over after the Patriots could not handle an onside kick. The Falcons abondoned using their non-existant running game and Ryan connected with his receivers. However, they could not close out and tie it late in the game.
Falcons had a chance with 1:50 left in the game. Ryan sat in the pocket and Jones brought down the catch for the first down and inside the Patriots' 20. Down at the 13, Ryan over threw Harry Douglas on first down, tried hitting Gonzalez up the middle up the middle, but he also put it out of his reach. After a short pass to Rogers, the Falcons faced a 4th & 7, but Ryan could not complete to Roddy White in the end zone.
The Falcons are in trouble, dropping their 2013 record to 1-3 in the season. The Patriots continue their perfect season despite shortcomings at the beginning of the year. They are 4-0 in 2013, sitting atop of the AFC East.
