Game report: Falcons 24, Jaguars 12

A quick look at the Jaguars' 24-12 loss to the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., Sunday

ATLANTA, Ga. – The Jaguars had scrap, grit and fight.

The Atlanta Falcons had Julio Jones.

And if Jones wasn't the only reason for the Falcons' 24-12 victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Sunday afternoon, the All-Pro receiver and the Falcons' talented offense were big reasons another gutty Jaguars effort fell short.

Jones caught 10 passes for 166 yards, and the Falcons' offense was good enough – and opportunistic enough – to convert three red-zone opportunities into touchdowns. The Falcons took a 14-0 lead five minutes into the game, and maintained momentum thereafter.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan completed 32 of 45 passes for 384 yards and a touchdown. The Falcons outgained the Jaguars, 518-288.

The Jaguars fought in the second half to overcome that statistical dominance.

Rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II after completing just three of 10 passes for 21 yards in the first half, completed 10 of 21 passes for 160 yards and one touchdown in the second. His 42-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to wide receiver Chris Conley cut a three-score Falcons lead to 24-12 with 12 minutes remaining.

The Jaguars regained possession with 8:19 trailing by the same score. Minshew converted a fourth down with a 14-yard pass to Conley and another with a 23-yard pass to wide receiver Keelan Cole. But Minshew's fourth-down pass to wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. was incomplete with 4:30 remaining, ending the Jaguars' last real chance to make it close.

Minshew, making his third consecutive start and 11th of his rookie season, completed 13 of 31 passes for 181 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette rushed for 71 yards on 15 carries.

The Jaguars registered one sack Sunday – by defensive end Dawuane Smoot in the fourth quarter. They intercepted Ryan twice – one by cornerback Tre Herndon in the second quarter and another by safety Jarrod Wilson in the third quarter.

Step by step: 

*The Falcons took a quick 7-0 lead on the game's opening possession with an easy six-play, 82-yard drive that running back Devonta Freeman ended with a 17-yard run untouched around the left side. Four plays after Jaguars wide receiver Michael Walker fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Ryan passed eight yards to Freeman for a 14-0 lead to cap a four-play, 25-yard drive for a 14-0 Atlanta lead with 9:28 remaining in the first quarter.

*The Jaguars cut the lead to 14-3 with Josh Lambo's 40-yard field goal with 9:32 remaining in the second quarter; a seven-yard pass from punt formation from punter Logan Cooke to safety Cody Davis and a 23-yard run by Fournette keyed the 11-play, 62-yard drive. Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo converted a 23-yard field goal with :10 remaining in the half to give the Falcons a 17-3 halftime lead.

*The Jaguars' defense continued to stifle the Atlanta offense in the third quarter, with Wilson intercepting Ryan midway through the period. The Jaguars turned that into a 27-yard field goal by Lambo that cut the Falcons lead to 17-6 with 2:29 remaining in the quarter.

*The Falcons pushed their lead to three scores – 24-6 – on their first possession of the fourth quarter, with running back Qadree Oillison scoring on a three-yard touchdown run with 13:36 remaining in the fourth quarter. Minshew's 42-yard touchdown pass on the ensuing drive pulled the Jaguars to within 24-12 with 12:00 remaining.

Injury report:The Jaguars reported no injuries Sunday.

Notable:Lambo's two field goals meant he has converted 30 of 31 field goals this season, a 96.8 percentage that ranks first among NFL kickers this season with at least five field-goal attempts. … Herndon's second-quarter interception gave him three for the season; Wilson's third-quarter interception was his second of the season. … Chark played Sunday after being listed as questionable on the Jaguars' game-status report Friday; the Jaguars' seven inactives Sunday were quarterback Josh Dobbs, wide receiver C.J. Board, linebacker Preston Brown, offensive linemen Tyler Gauthier, defensive tackle Carl Davis, tight end Charles Jones and defensive tackle Dontavius Russell.

What's next:The Jaguars will play host to the Indianapolis Colts at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville Sunday a

ATLANTA, Ga. – The Jaguars had scrap, grit and fight.

The Atlanta Falcons had Julio Jones.

And if Jones wasn't the only reason for the Falcons' 24-12 victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Sunday afternoon, the All-Pro receiver and the Falcons' talented offense were big reasons another gutty Jaguars effort fell short.

Jones caught 10 passes for 166 yards, and the Falcons' offense was good enough – and opportunistic enough – to convert three red-zone opportunities into touchdowns. The Falcons took a 14-0 lead five minutes into the game, and maintained momentum thereafter.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan completed 32 of 45 passes for 384 yards and a touchdown. The Falcons outgained the Jaguars, 518-288.

The Jaguars fought in the second half to overcome that statistical dominance.

Rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II after completing just three of 10 passes for 21 yards in the first half, completed 10 of 21 passes for 160 yards and one touchdown in the second. His 42-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to wide receiver Chris Conley cut a three-score Falcons lead to 24-12 with 12 minutes remaining.

The Jaguars regained possession with 8:19 trailing by the same score. Minshew converted a fourth down with a 14-yard pass to Conley and another with a 23-yard pass to wide receiver Keelan Cole. But Minshew's fourth-down pass to wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. was incomplete with 4:30 remaining, ending the Jaguars' last real chance to make it close.

Minshew, making his third consecutive start and 11th of his rookie season, completed 13 of 31 passes for 181 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette rushed for 71 yards on 15 carries.

The Jaguars registered one sack Sunday – by defensive end Dawuane Smoot in the fourth quarter. They intercepted Ryan twice – one by cornerback Tre Herndon in the second quarter and another by safety Jarrod Wilson in the third quarter.

Step by step:

*The Falcons took a quick 7-0 lead on the game's opening possession with an easy six-play, 82-yard drive that running back Devonta Freeman ended with a 17-yard run untouched around the left side. Four plays after Jaguars wide receiver Michael Walker fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Ryan passed eight yards to Freeman for a 14-0 lead to cap a four-play, 25-yard drive for a 14-0 Atlanta lead with 9:28 remaining in the first quarter.

*The Jaguars cut the lead to 14-3 with Josh Lambo's 40-yard field goal with 9:32 remaining in the second quarter; a seven-yard pass from punt formation from punter Logan Cooke to safety Cody Davis and a 23-yard run by Fournette keyed the 11-play, 62-yard drive. Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo converted a 23-yard field goal with :10 remaining in the half to give the Falcons a 17-3 halftime lead.

*The Jaguars' defense continued to stifle the Atlanta offense in the third quarter, with Wilson intercepting Ryan midway through the period. The Jaguars turned that into a 27-yard field goal by Lambo that cut the Falcons lead to 17-6 with 2:29 remaining in the quarter.

*The Falcons pushed their lead to three scores – 24-6 – on their first possession of the fourth quarter, with running back Qadree Oillison scoring on a three-yard touchdown run with 13:36 remaining in the fourth quarter. Minshew's 42-yard touchdown pass on the ensuing drive pulled the Jaguars to within 24-12 with 12:00 remaining.

Injury report:The Jaguars reported no injuries Sunday.

Notable:Lambo's two field goals meant he has converted 30 of 31 field goals this season, a 96.8 percentage that ranks first among NFL kickers this season with at least five field-goal attempts. … Herndon's second-quarter interception gave him three for the season; Wilson's third-quarter interception was his second of the season. … Chark played Sunday after being listed as questionable on the Jaguars' game-status report Friday; the Jaguars' seven inactives Sunday were quarterback Josh Dobbs, wide receiver C.J. Board, linebacker Preston Brown, offensive linemen Tyler Gauthier, defensive tackle Carl Davis, tight end Charles Jones and defensive tackle Dontavius Russell.

What's next:The Jaguars will play host to the Indianapolis Colts at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville Sunday at 1 p.m.