ATLANTA — Jason Elam stood on the sideline with head bowed, figuring he had cost the Atlanta Falcons a win.
Then, a kickoff return and a quick pass gave him a second chance.
Atoning for his miss a few minutes earlier, Elam booted a 48-yard field goal on the final play to give the Atlanta Falcons a stunning 22-20 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
“I’ve been in some wild games,” said rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, “but I think this one trumps them all.”
In the last eight minutes, there was a goal-line stand by the Falcons, an 85-yard kickoff return by Atlanta’s Jerious Norwood, Elam’s first missed field goal in 31 attempts, a gutty drive by the Bears that culminated with Kyle Orton’s 17-yard TD pass to Rashied Davis with 11 seconds remaining and, finally, Elam’s winning kick after Ryan hooked up with Michael Jenkins on a 26-yard completion.
“That is one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been in,” first-year Atlanta coach Mike Smith said. “There were a lot of ebbs and flows.”
The Falcons erupted in a playoff-like celebration near the middle of the field. Smith lifted Ryan in the air. Elam was swarmed over by his teammates, having atoned for his 33-yard miss with his fifth field goal of the game, equaling his career high. He also connected from 29, 48, 32 and 41 yards.
