DETROIT, Mich. -- After trailing for nearly the entire game, the Detroit Lions thought they had defeated the Atlanta Falcons on a touchdown pass from Matt Stafford to Golden Tate III with 8 seconds remaining.
But the play was reviewed, and it was determined that Brian Poole touched Tate's right shoulder while his knee was down at the half-yard line.
The touchdown was reversed, and because it happened with a running clock (because the clock should not have stopped after the play since it was not a touchdown), the referees implemented the 10-second run-off rule. That put the clock at 0:00, and the game was over.
The Falcons have won a game over the Lions by the scrape of Brian Poole's finger nail. #RiseUp pic.twitter.com/h9oyqhCtrl
— Wes Blankenship (@Wes_nship) September 24, 2017
The Falcons won 30-26 at Ford Field to stay undefeated this season.
Matt Ryan threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw three interceptions, paving the way for the Lions to keep the game close.
It was the first time Ryan had thrown three interceptions since Nov. 2015.
After his first two interceptions, Ryan threw a touchdown to Taylor Gabriel, breaking a 23-23 tie on the first play in the fourth quarter. Up by 4, the Falcons were in striking range and looking to put the game away. But Darius Slay intercepted Ryan for a second time.
The defense kept bailing Ryan out after his interceptions. Ryan hadn't thrown an interception in his last 309 pass attempts until Sunday.
The Falcons scored on their first three drives of the game. Ryan connected with Mohamed Sanu on the team's first drive, and Matt Bryant had 40-yard field goal on the next drive. Running back Devonta Freeman scored his fourth touchdown of the season to help the Falcons go up 17-3.
But on the team's next offensive drive, Ryan threw a pick-six that was intended for Julio Jones. It ended up in the hands of Glover Quin, who ran 37 yards for the team's first touchdown.
In the third, the Lions offense put together a nearly 7-minute drive to move down the field 75 yards. Stafford threw to Tate who beat linebacker Deion Jones to the end zone. It was the Lions' only offensive touchdown in the game. Stafford completed 25 passes for 264 yards.
After Bryant made another pair of field goals, Ryan was picked-off again while trying to get a play off and avoid a review. The turnover led to a 35-yard field goal by Matt Prater to tie the game.
Freeman stormed the Lions' defense on the next drive, running 35 yards to get the ball down field. It set up Ryan's 40-yard touchdown pass to Gabriel to break the tie. Freeman had 106 yards on 21 carries in the game.
Prater kicked a 57-yard field goal to put the Lions within four, then neither offense could get anything going while the clock ticked. The Lions got into the Falcons red zone with 34 seconds left. Desmond Trufant was called for holding and pass interference, putting the Lions on the goal line.
On third down, Stafford went to Tate who fell into the end zone, but not before Poole was able to get a finger on him and end the game.
The Falcons were without several key players on Sunday. In addition to Beasley, who has two sacks this season, right tackle Ryan Schrader was out while in the concussion protocol. Courtney Upshaw was also out. All were injured in the team's win against Green Bay last week.
Late in the game, Jones took a hard hit and awkward landing after making a reception on third down. He fumbled the ball, and the Falcons recovered it. But after the play, Jones looked like he was experiencing pain in his lower back.
Before the game, two Falcons players kneeled for the national anthem. They were Grady Jarrett and Dontari Poe. It is the first time Falcons players have protested. The rest of the team, including team owner Arthur Blank, stood with arms linked during the anthem.
