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Former UGA great A.J. Green helps Bengals top Falcons in last-second thriller

The Falcons quite possibly have the best offense in the NFL, but will this be enough to make the playoffs in three months' time?

ATLANTA–The Falcons quite possibly have the NFL's most prodigious offense, but will this be enough to make the playoffs in three months' time?

That's the million-dollar question.

In the interim, Atlanta fans must make their peace with the club's elite-level stuff on offense ... and eminently forgiving nature on defense.

This dual rationalization played itself out in full Sunday, with the Cincinnati Bengals shocking the Falcons, 37-36, on the heels of former UGA legend A.J. Green's 13-yard touchdown reception with six seconds remaining.

Similar to last week, quarterback Matt Ryan (353 yards passing, 3 TDs) and rookie receiver Calvin Ridley (4 catches, 54 yards, 2 TDs) were dominant in the scoring area, combining for five touchdowns.

But unlike last Sunday's home defeat to the Saints, the Falcons had a strong supplemental cast, with Julio Jones (7 catches, 107 yards), Mohamed Sanu (6 catches, 111 yards), tailback Tevin Coleman (77 total yards) and rookie tailback Ito Smith (first career touchdown) all posting solid numbers.

The gut-wrenching loss drops the Falcons to 1-3 (last place in the NFC South).

It also extends Atlanta's quirky streak of six consecutive home losses to AFC competition, dating back three years.

Of the Falcons' three straight home games (Weeks 2-4), Sunday's shootout may have been the wildest of the bunch; and that includes Atlanta's deflating defeat to New Orleans, with the Saints never relinquishing the ball to the Falcons in overtime (Drew Brees goal-line touchdown).

The Bengals got things rolling early, marching 67 yards in just five plays for the opening score–a 15-yard touchdown catch for tight end Tyler Eifert.

(Later in the game, Eifert's potentially devastating ankle/foot injury garnered plenty of national empathy in the social-media realm.)

The Falcons immediately countered with a progressive drive that culminated with Ito Smith's 7-yard touchdown.

Which brings us to this: If you're wondering if either punter was needed in the first half, that would be a firm no.

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Cincinnati registered touchdowns on all four first-half drives, and Atlanta kept essential pace with three TDs and a 55-yard field goal from kicker Matt Bryant.

Simply put, it might have been the greatest first half in Mercedes-Benz history.

Action and points aplenty. The crowd continually fascinated. Footballs flying everywhere.

The second half was a tad more serene, featuring a number of field-goal chances, a few punts and the isolated blocked punt; but it merely set the stage for the Bengals' frenetic touchdown drive in the final seconds.

During this final sequence, the Falcons had two prime chances to force a Dalton turnover on the pass rush, but it never materialized.

Here's another distressing factoid: Atlanta had Cincinnati locked into fourth-down situations twice during the drive ... but both times, Dalton saved his club with chain-moving completions to wideout Tyler Boyd (11 catches, 100 yards).

On the final play, Green found a perfect opening in the Falcons' downfield zone defense and Dalton lofted a picture-perfect pass to the right corner of the end zone.

From there, Green (4 catches, 78 yards, 1 TD) snagged the game-winning score ... while diving and sliding on the visiting turf.

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