Bears defense slows Falcons when most needed, gives Nick Foles a chance

The Atlanta Falcons final six possessions tell the story: punt, missed field goal, punt, punt, punt, interception.

All week long, the Bears heard about how prolific the Falcons offense was, especially for a team that was 0-2. But the Falcons hadn’t faced a defense like the Bears.

The Falcons were just 2-for-8 on third downs in the second half. Atlanta receiver Calvin Ridley had five catches in the game’s first 32 minutes, but didn’t catch anything in the final 28 minutes of play.

Bears safety Tashaun Gipson picked off a Matt Ryan pass intended for Ridley in the final minutes to seal a 30-26 win.

“We knew once [our offense] started putting up points, we knew the defense had them where we wanted them,” Gipson said.

While Bears quarterback Nick Foles went from backup to hero on Sunday, that story line doesn’t play out if the Bears defense doesn’t come up with stop after stop in the second half.

Defensive tackle Akiem Hicks recorded a sack on a key 3rd-and-7 early in the fourth quarter, when Atlanta was marching into Bears territory. It pushed Atlanta’s field goal attempt deeper, and kicker Younghoe Koo missed the 48-yard attempt.

Hicks finished with 1.5 sacks and five QB hurries.

"We are not afraid to fight,” Hicks said. “We are not afraid to have our backs against the wall. Do we want to be in situations in the fourth quarter where we need a score in order to win? We don't want that all the time. But over the course of a football game, you find yourself in that position and you have to be able to fight out of it.”