Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan, standouts from Week 7 vs. Giants

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 22: Head coach Dan Quinn of the Atlanta Falcons signals to an official during the second quarter against the New York Giants at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 22, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 22: Head coach Dan Quinn of the Atlanta Falcons signals to an official during the second quarter against the New York Giants at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 22, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
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On Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Atlanta Falcons held on for a 23-20 win over the New York Giants. Who were the team’s stars of the game?

Talk about a team that had high hopes and wound up with more than its share of bad luck? The Atlanta Falcons entered the 2018 season as the only team in the NFC to reach the playoff the past two years. Dan Quinn’s club was mentioned by more than one prognosticator when it came to reaching Super Bowl LIII in February.

But it’s been a very rough start to the year, due in large part to a rash of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Still, the team was coming off a 34-29 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the New York Giants came to visit on Monday night. It would be the Falcons’ fifth home game in seven weeks. And despite that win, the club had allowed a whopping 150 points in its last four games entering this prime time clash.

Both New York (433) and Atlanta (423) would rack up their share of total yards. And when it was all said and done, Quinn’s team won its second consecutive game — a first for the team in 2018.

The club’s 23-20 victory raised the Falcons’ record to 3-4. The team now has the week off before returning to action on November 4 at FedExField against the Washington Redskins. And while Quinn’s club is 3-4 and owns the only losing record in the NFC South, stranger things have happened in terms of bouncing back.

So who were Atlanta’s three difference-makers on Monday night? None should come as a big surprise.