First Quarter Recap: The Atlanta Falcons come out swinging against Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos won the coin toss to open the game up and deferred to the second half, giving the high-powered Atlanta Falcons offense the ball first.

True to form through four games, the Falcons got things going right out of the gates against the Broncos defense. A quick pass from Matt Ryan to Tevin Coleman led to a huge gain into scoring position down to the Broncos 15 yard line.

Falcons running back Devonta Freeman juked Todd Davis out of his jock strap to get open for another pass down to the 1 yard line. After a one yard loss on a first and goal run, Ryan was pressured by Von Miller and was forced to throw the ball away.

On third and goal, Ryan completed a pass to Jacob Tamme at the goalline, but Todd Davis would not allow him into the end zone. The Falcons went for it on fourth down and Freeman easily run it in for the score.

Falcons 7, Broncos 0.

Perhaps deferring was the wrong choice.

In Paxton Lynch’s first drive attempt for the Broncos, he would be faced with a third and five after two short runs by C.J. Anderson. From the shotgun, he nearly overthrew Emmanuel Sanders who made a great play on the ball with finger tip catch for the first down.

After another run and an incompletion, Lynch would again be faced with a third down. From the gun, he would overthrow Jordan Norwood and the ball was nearly intercepted to force a Broncos punt.

Two solid runs gave the Falcons a first down to start their next drive. After a 13 yard gain by the Falcons fullback against Todd Davis set them up near midfield. Coleman ripped off another first down run on the very next play and the Broncos defense was reeling.

Aqib Talib made his first play on a ball in this game on the next play which he should have intercepted, but instead it went incomplete on a nice pass defense. The Broncos run defense then showed up to force a third and eight attempt for the Falcons.

Julio Jones got his first catch and a first down inside the red zone, but he mauled Chris Harris Jr. to get open and was called for offensive pass interference. On third and 18, Ryan would hit Freeman short of the sticks to setup a field goal attempt.

Falcons 10, Broncos 0.

With a little over four minutes left in the first quarter, the Broncos get another chance to get things going offensively. Unfortunately, that would mean Lynch getting sacked on first down.

On second down and 15, Anderson would get four of those yards back. On third and 11, Lynch would escape pressure and run for a first down. The play would be called back on penalty and Lynch would complete a pass underneath to Demaryius Thomas short of the first down. Broncos punt again.

The pressure continued to build on the Broncos defense.

A holding penalty on the Falcons first play, set up a first and 20 and a good opportunity for the Broncos defense. The pressure finally got to Ryan to force an incompletion on the next play and the pressure actually got home on the next one with a sack from Shane Ray and Derek Wolfe.

On third and 31, the Falcons try a quick screen that goes incomplete.

An excellent return from Norwood set the Broncos up with solid field possession near the end of the first quarter.

Lynch would hit Sanders for a 20+ yard gain into Falcons territory to close out the first quarter.