Los Angeles Rams

Falcons score 10 seconds into game thanks to Rams' botched kickoff return

Published Dec. 14, 2016 8:38 a.m. ET

Nunzio Ingrassia

That didn’t take long. The Falcons jumped out to a 7-0 lead just 10 seconds into their game against the Rams on Sunday, a sequence that would be pretty impressive if Atlanta had been on the receiving end of the opening kickoff.

Instead, the Rams were set to have the opening possession until Michael Thomas mishandled the kickoff, which was recovered by Paul Worrilow at the 3.

Matt Ryan needed just one play to make Los Angeles pay, connecting with Justin Hardy for a 3-yard touchdown to give the Falcons a quick lead. A disastrous start for a Rams team that came into Sunday's game having lost seven of their past eight games.

The opening kickoff today in LA?

The Rams fumbled it.
And ATL recovered on the THREE yard line. #ATLvsLA https://t.co/Vbo3vD132p
— NFL (@NFL) December 11, 2016