Ryan tosses three scores as Falcons rout Jags

Atlanta, GA – Matt Ryan and Roddy White hooked up on two 14 throttling at the Georgia Dome.

The Falcons (9-5), who scored 24 unanswered points in a comeback win over the Panthers on Sunday, put up the first 41 points Thursday night to cruise to their fourth win in five games.

Ryan also threw a touchdown pass to Julio Jones and finished with 224 yards on 19-of-26 passing in less than three quarters. White caught 10 passes for 135 yards, while Michael Turner ran for 61 yards and a score in the rout.

John Abraham had 3 1/2 sacks and forced a fumble that led to a touchdown to highlight an Atlanta defense that held the lowly Jaguars (4-10) to 207 yards, most coming in the fourth quarter when the outcome was already determined.

Maurice Jones-Drew was the only offensive threat for Jacksonville, amassing 112 yards on 17 carries. Blaine Gabbert, the fourth straight rookie quarterback the Falcons have faced, completed 12-of-22 throws for 141 yards and a touchdown, but threw an interception and two lost fumbles.

Atlanta continued its push to an NFC wild-card berth with a wire-to-wire beatdown. Ryan capped a seven-play, 75-yard opening drive with a touchdown pass to Jones, who turned a four-yard in route upfield and raced in for a 29- yard TD.

Matt Bryant added a 33-yard field goal later in the first quarter, and Turner went in from five yards out early in the second after Jarett Dillard muffed a punt.

White scored on a six-yard reception in the back of the end zone with 1:49 remaining in the half, and a Gabbert fumble resulted in a Bryant 31-yard field goal just before the break.

On the third play of the second half, Abraham came up with a strip-sack of Gabbert, and Corey Peters recovered the loose ball at the Jacksonville 13-yard line and rumbled into the end zone untouched.

White's 29-yard catch-and-run made it 41-0 with 6:38 left in the third.

The Jaguars, who crushed Tampa Bay on Sunday, 41-14, finally got on the scoreboard when Zach Potter returned a blocked punt 46 yards for a TD.

Chastin West's 16-yard touchdown grab in the fourth capped the scoring.

Game Notes

Atlanta trails the NFC South-leading Saints by a 1 1/2 games and visits New Orleans next week...Jones logged 85 yards on five receptions...The Falcons are 22-0 when Ryan has a 100-plus rating. He recorded a 137.3 rating on Thursday...On White's first touchdown, he and Ryan passed Steve Bartkowski and Alfred Jenkins for most TD connections in franchise history. The duo now has 33.