MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts is special.
With some opportunistic defense and a passing attack centered Pitts, the Falcons are officially back on the road to respectability in the National Football League.
With a hard-fought 30-28 victory over the Miami Dolphins, the Falcons improved to 3-3 to reach the .500 mark for the first time since early in the 2019 season.
Pitts, who finished with six catches for 135 yards, caught a 28-yard pass with two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard in coverage to move the Falcons into field-goal range late.
Six plays after Pitts’ big catch, kicker Younghoe Koo’s made a 36-yard field goal to lift the Falcons to victory.
The Falcons have not been at the .500 mark since starting the 2019 season 1-1. That team preceded to drop its next six games.
In 2018, the Falcons beat Washington to improve to 4-4 on Sept. 4, 2018. But that team preceded lose their next five games. The last time the team had a winning record was after the 2017 season when they went 10-6 and went to the playoffs as a wildcard team losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles.
Big interceptions for safety Jaylinn Hawkins and linebacker Foye Oluokun were key to help hold off the Dolphins and second-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Veteran quarterback Matt Ryan tossed two touchdowns passes, including a 49-yard bomb to lead the offense.
Ryan fumbled in the fourth quarter — caused by Miami defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah and recovered by Nik Needham — at Atlanta’s 40.
Pitts, who was taken with the fourth overall pick in the draft, had more than 100 yards receiving for the second game in a row and made a spectacular one-handed grab along the sideline in the second quarter.
Here are the five things we learned from the victory:
1. Hawkins the ball hawk: With the Dolphins on the move and trailing 10-7 late in the second quarter, Hawkins intercepted a pass in the end zone that was intended for tight end Durham Smythe.
It was the second game in a row with an interception for Hawkins.
2. Pitts’ one-handed grab: On the next play after Hawkins’ interception, tight end Kyle Pitts got open up the sideline on Miami safety Eric Rowe and pulled in a 39-yard pass with his left hand.
The big play jump-started a drive that finished with a 36-yard field goal to give the Falcons a 13-7 halftime lead.
3. Special teams mix bag: The Falcons activated linebacker Daren Bates from the practice squad and he started on the kickoff coverage team.
The special teams also contributed with Ade Ogundeji blocking a Jason Sanders’ 49-yard field goal attempt.
After the Dolphins closed with one-score to make it a 20-14 game, the Falcons offensive stalled at the 50-yard line.
The Falcons punted and pinned the Dolphins’ inside their 10-yard line. Wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus made a nice tackle on returner Javon Holland for no gain. T.J. Green also was credited with help in the tackle.
Later, the Falcons survived a scare when Zaccheaus let a punt roll through his legs.
After the Dolphins cut it to 27-21 in the fourth quarter, Hawkins was called for an illegal block above the waist. The Falcons drive started at the 9-yard line.
4. Bombs away: Ryan tossed a 49-yard touchdown pass to Russell Gage in the third quarter to put the Falcons up 20-7 early in the third quarter.
5. Interception streak: Before Howard’s interception of Ryan in the fourth quarter, Ryan had thrown 155 passes without an interception. Howard snatched the pass off of wide receiver Calvin Ridley.
