Atlanta Falcons: Cutting Down Costly Penalties a Top Priority in Week 2

September 15, 2010   ·   Paul Mueller   ·   Jump to comments

On paper, the Falcons were disciplined from a penalty standpoint. They committed just three penalties in their 15-9 overtime loss to the Steelers on Sunday.

It was the timing that was inopportune.

Having committed one penalty in regulation, the Falcons committed a penalty on the opening overtime kickoff, negating a 19-yard return an pinning them inside their own 10-yard line.

After advancing out to the 24-yard line, a converted 3rd-and-7 was called-back due to a penalty. The following pass was incomplete, and the Falcons punted. The Steelers broke a 50-yard touchdown run on the following play to win the game.

“It‘s very difficult to be efficient when you start your drive inside the 10-yard line,” head coach Mike Smith said about the overtime penalties. “That is a big concern, because that is crunch time. It’s really not overtime. It’s sudden death, and that’s how we have to look at it.”

Three penalties i...

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