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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
ATLANTA (AP) -- If the Atlanta Falcons throw in the towel on
their football season, the World Wrestling Federation might be
interested.
The defending NFC champions reached a new low Sunday, becoming
the first Super Bowl team in a non-strike year to start 0-4, losing
to the Baltimore Ravens 19-13 in overtime.
|  | | Ravens defensive end Rob Burnett puts a big hit on Falcons quarterback Tony Graziani. |
Denver, which beat Atlanta in the Super Bowl, also fell to 0-4
later Sunday by losing to the New York Jets.
The end was stunning -- Stoney Case throwing a 54-yard touchdown
pass to Justin Armour just 2:29 into the extra period -- but the
frustration of the Falcons' season was epitomized by a disgraceful
episode in the third quarter.
Pro Bowl cornerback Ray Buchanan, turning a football game into
Wrestlemania, became enraged when Patrick Johnson performed a
celebration dance over him after catching a 52-yard touchdown pass,
Johnson's first reception of the season.
Buchanan put the Baltimore receiver in a bear hug and slammed
him to the ground. He then gave Johnson a punch to the back of the
head before an official pulled Buchanan away and threw him out of
the game.
"I understand his feeling of frustration," Atlanta's Bob
Christian said. "He let his anger get the best of him. Most of the
guys on the sideline felt similar frustration, but we've got to be
bigger than that."
"I couldn't believe I got body-slammed," Johnson said.
Buchanan missed another dismal finish for the Falcons, who are
only the second team to start 0-4 after making the Super Bowl. The
1987 New York Giants lost their first five games, but three were
with replacement players.
The Falcons might have won in regulation if coach Dan Reeves had
let Morten Andersen try a 53-yard field goal with 49 seconds left.
Instead, Reeves chose to punt, saying he didn't want to give the
Ravens good field position if the kick failed.
Apparently, the coach didn't consider that Andersen holds NFL
records for 50-yard kicks (35) and game winners (25).
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GAME NOTES |
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The game also featured four plays in which instant replay
was used. The Falcons made two challenges, the Ravens one and the
officials reviewed one play in the final two minutes of regulation.
None of the original calls was reversed.
The announced
attendance of 50,712 was more than 20,000 short of capacity.
At
least the Falcons didn't fall behind by 17 points, as they had done
in each of their first three games.
Atlanta's last overtime game was the 30-27 victory over Minnesota in the NFC title game. The Ravens' last OT game was Nov. 16, 1997, a 10-10 tie with Philadelphia.
For the seventh time in their 34-year history, the Falcons are 0-4.
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"I would have liked to have had the opportunity to kick it,"
said Andersen, who was 0-for-4 on the season until he connected
from 41 and 35 yards against the Ravens.
The Falcons won the coin toss in overtime, but were forced to
punt. Case threw an 11-yard pass to Quadry Ismail before facing a
second-and-12 at the Ravens 46.
Rolling to his right, Case found Armour breaking down the center
of the field, behind cornerback Ronnie Bradford and safety Eugene
Robinson. Armour didn't even have to break stride as the pass
settled into his arms, allowing him to prance into the end zone
just 2:29 into the extra period and giving the Ravens (2-2) their
second straight victory.
"Two in a row, two in row," Baltimore coach Brian Billick
crowed. "I can read the headlines now."
The Falcons played without starting quarterback Chris Chandler,
who missed his second game with a pulled hamstring. Backup Tony
Graziani lasted until the second quarter, when he was speared to
the turf by Ray Lewis and suffered a concussion.
"I remember throwing the ball," Graziani said. "The next
thing I remember is the guys standing over me, trying to wake me
up."
Third-stringer Danny Kanell gave the Falcons a 13-3 lead in the
third quarter, throwing a shuttle pass to Jammi German that turned
into a 30-yard touchdown. It was the first reception of German's
two-year career.
But the Ravens responded quickly.
Case threw his touchdown pass to Johnson just two minutes later,
then the Ravens recovered Byron Hanspard fumble at his 35.
Kim Herring recovered for Baltimore, which drove into position
for Matt Stover's second field goal, a 26-yarder with 10:14
remaining. The Falcons lost three fumbles in the game.
Like the Falcons, the Ravens also suffered a major injury.
Offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden tumbled to the turf trying to pick
up a loose ball and wound up being carried off on a stretcher.
Team officials said he suffered a cervical strain and severe
neck burner, but never lost feeling in his arms and legs. After
being examined at a hospital, he returned to the Georgia Dome
wearing a neck brace.
Errict Rhett rushed for 136 yards on 26 carries, going over 100
yards in three straight games for the first time in his career.
Kanell was 15-of-32 for 184 yards, but the Jamal Anderson-less
Falcons managed only 52 yards on the ground.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Baltimore Clubhouse
Atlanta Clubhouse
Week 4 wrap-ups
Week 4 infirmary report
TJ's Take: Hard-charging Rams
Week 4 PrimeTime Players
Week 4 stats leaders
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