National Football League
Atlanta 23, Arizona 19
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, November 18, 2012
Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
Temperature: Dome
Head Official: Bill Vinocich
Attendance: 69630


Falcons 23, Cardinals 19:
Michael Turner scored the go-ahead touchdown from a yard out with 6:40 left and Atlanta survived quarterback Matt Ryan's worst game of the season to rally past visiting Arizona and preserve the NFC's best record.

Turner's run capped a seven-play, 70-yard drive that resulted in the only offensive touchdown of the day for Atlanta (9-1), which remarkably won despite six turnovers.

The Cardinals benched quarterback John Skelton in the first half after he completed 2 of 7 passes for six yards, and turned over the reins to rookie sixth-round draft pick Ryan Lindley, who finished 9-of-20 for 64 yards.

Ryan had thrown just seven interceptions through nine games, but he threw three in the first quarter and another late in the third to set up a Jay Feely 27-yard field goal that gave Arizona a 19-16 lead. His fifth of the day set up the Cardinals at the Atlanta 32 with an opportunity to win it, but Lindley threw incomplete on fourth-and-2 and the Falcons ran out the clock.

Arizona led 13-0 when it benched Skelton, but three Matt Bryant field goals and a 15-yard fumble return by Jonathan Babineaux - on a fumble by Lindley - helped the Falcons pull even at 16 at halftime.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Turner's go-ahead touchdown was his 56th as a Falcon, tying him with Andre Rison for the second-most in franchise history. … Atlanta improved to 28-11 under coach Mike Smith in games decided by one score. … Cardinals CB/PR Patrick Peterson left with a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter.

Top Game Performances
Rushing
Arizona   Atlanta
LaRod Stephens-Howling Player Michael Turner
22 Attempts 15
127 Yards 46
5.8 Avg Yards 3.1
1 Touchdowns 1
52 Long 10
Receiving
Arizona   Atlanta
Early Doucet Player Roddy White
5 Receptions 8
28 Yards 123
5.6 Avg Yards 15.4
0 Touchdowns 0
8 Long 37
Team Stats Summary
 
  Yards Scoring Defense
Team Tot Rus Pas TD FG INT Sck FF
Arizona 178 137 41 1 4 5 1.0 2
Atlanta 354 58 296 2 3 0 3.0 1
Upcoming Games
  • Atlanta will play their next game on the road against Tampa Bay. The Falcons have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
  • Arizona will play their next game at home against St. Louis. The Cardinals have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.