Falcons ride run game to first win of season over Seahawks

Cordarrelle Patterson rushed for a career-high 141 yards and a touchdown as the Atlanta Falcons outlasted the host Seattle Seahawks 27-23 Sunday afternoon for their first victory of the NFL season.

Marcus Mariota completed 13 of 20 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for a score for the Falcons (1-2).

Geno Smith was 32-of-44 passing for 325 yards and two touchdowns for the Seahawks (1-2), who lost their second in a row.

Mariota threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Drake London on third-and-7 with 35 seconds left in the third quarter to cap the scoring.

The game was delayed for 8 1/2 minutes midway through the fourth quarter after an unauthorized drone flew over the field.

Shortly thereafter, Falcons rookie running back Tyler Allgeier mishandled a handoff from Mariota and Uchenna Nwosu recovered, giving the Seahawks possession on their own 37-yard and line with 5:12 left.

Seattle drove to the Falcons' 24 before a holding penalty and a Grady Jarrett sack pushed the Seahawks back. Smith's desperation pass on fourth-and-18 was intercepted by Richie Grant with 1:17 to go.

Neither team led by more than a touchdown as the opening three quarters went back and forth.

Seattle's Jason Myers kicked a 32-yard field goal to open the scoring. Mariota capped Atlanta's first drive with a 1-yard dive.

The Seahawks regained the lead on an 18-yard scoring strike from Smith to tight end Will Dissly.

The Falcons tied it at 10-all on Younghoe Koo's 41-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the first quarter.

Patterson scored on a 17-yard run midway through the second to put Atlanta up 17-10.

The Seahawks tied it on Smith's 18-yard touchdown pass to DK Metcalf and Myers added a 31-yarder with five seconds left in the half to give Seattle a 20-17 lead.

Koo converted a 54-yarder on Atlanta's first possession of the second half to tie the score again.

Myers' 25-yarder with 3:11 left in the third gave Seattle a 23-20 advantage.

--Field Level Media

Final1st2nd3rd4thScore
Seattle SeahawksSeahawks10103023
Atlanta FalconsFalcons10710027
Seattle
Passing:Geno Smith 32/44 (325 YDS)
Rushing:Rashaad Penny 14 CAR (66 YDS)
Receiving:Tyler Lockett 9 REC (76 YDS)
Atlanta
Passing:Marcus Mariota 13/20 (229 YDS)
Rushing:Cordarrelle Patterson 17 CAR (141 YDS)
Receiving:Kyle Pitts 5 REC (87 YDS)
Season Series
SeattleStatsAtlanta
1-0Vs0-1
38Points25
5Touchdowns3
1/1Field Goals2/2
31/35 (299 yd.)Passing37/54 (434 yd.)
20 CAR (84 yd.)Rushing21 CAR (72 yd.)