Gonzalez catches 21-yard TD pass from Ryan as Falcons tie Patriots 10-10 at halftime
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Tony Gonzalez caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to help the Atlanta Falcons tie the New England Patriots 10-10 late in the second quarter Sunday night.
Tom Brady's 1-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Mulligan and Stephen Gostkowski's 48-yard field goal gave New England a 10-3 lead earlier in the period.
Gonzalez was open on the right sideline after linebacker Don't'a Hightower bumped him in coverage and let the 13-time Pro Bowl tight end catch the pass easily and beat safety Steve Gregory to the right goal-line marker.
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Brady attempted just nine passes, completing five for 96 yards in the first half, but he has thrown a TD pass in 52 consecutive games, the NFL's second-longest career — and active — streak behind Drew Brees' 54 straight for New Orleans.
Matt Bryant kicked a 23-yard field goal to give the Atlanta Falcons a 3-0 lead on the opening drive.
The 13-play, 75-yard drive stalled at the 6 line when Ryan overthrew Gonzalez and Julio Jones in the end zone.
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New England's first drive ended when Kenbrell Thompkins dropped a pass that would've been a first down, and the Patriots had to punt.
Stevan Ridley energized New England's offense late in the first, catching a 24-yard pass and running three times for 26 yards to help set up Mulligan's TD catch that gave the Patriots a 10-3 lead early in the second.
The Falcons went three-and-out on their second possession due in part to a holding penalty on left tackle Sam Baker that wiped out an 18-yard run by Jacquizz Rodgers.
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Atlanta, which began the game with a 1-2 record, failed to convert a fourth-and-2 from the New England 7 midway through the second when Ryan threw behind Roddy White near the left sideline.
New England, off to its best start in six years, was trying to improve to 4-0 and tie Denver and Kansas City for the AFC's best record.
The Patriots had yet to face a quarterback this season as successful as Ryan. Others were rookies EJ Manuel of Buffalo and Geno Smith of the New York Jets and Josh Freeman of winless Tampa Bay.
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New England's defense had allowed just three touchdowns this year, but the Patriots' offense has only four touchdowns in 13 trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line for an NFL-worst 69.2 percent through three games.
Atlanta entered the game with a 34-7 record under coach Mike Smith at the Georgia Dome, but his defense looked confused on a 49-yard pass from Brady to Thompkins that set up Gostkowski's field goal.
Brady faked to Julian Edelman on a reverse and connected with Thompkins, who jumped to beat strong safety William Moore for the big gain.
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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org