Thrilling Showdown in London: Jacksonville Jaguars Dominate Atlanta Falcons in Spectacular 2023 NFL International Series Opener

The Jacksonville Jaguars triumphed in their 10th game in London, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 23-7 at Wembley Stadium on Sunday to commence the 2023 NFL International Series. Calvin Ridley returned to haunt his former team by scoring the opening touchdown in the first quarter, seizing a flawless pass from Trevor Lawrence and covering a distance of 30 yards.

In the second quarter, Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder experienced a significant setback, throwing two interceptions on consecutive pass attempts. Unfortunately, one of these interceptions was returned for a touchdown by the Jaguars, leading to a 17-point lead for their team at halftime.

However, Ridder managed to partially redeem himself in Atlanta's first drive of the second half. He successfully connected with his wide receiver Drake London, resulting in a touchdown.

The Falcons were unable to overcome the deficit as London's attempted touchdown catch on fourth down in the late fourth quarter was frustratingly out of bounds. The second-year wide receiver's second foot landed outside the playing area.

As time dwindled, the Jaguars managed to make sufficient plays to run down the clock and secure their second win of the season. Meanwhile, the Falcons drop to a 2-2 record.

The game on Sunday marks the beginning of the NFL's five international games in their ever-growing International Series. This month, two games will be held at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the Jacksonville Jaguars facing the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens challenging the Tennessee Titans. Following this, two games will take place in Germany at the Frankfurt Stadium. On Sunday, November 5, the Miami Dolphins will compete against the Kansas City Chiefs, and a week later, the Indianapolis Colts will go head-to-head with the New England Patriots.

Lawrence later clarified that despite not being the most aesthetically pleasing, he and his team managed to overcome the challenges and secure the victory.

"Although there were moments of uncertainty, we are a determined bunch who always manage to find a way to succeed," said the 23-year-old, who will be celebrating his birthday in London during the Jaguars' two-week stay in the UK. He shared this with ESPN on the field at Wembley Stadium.

That's what I communicated to the team before starting the final drive. We should take control of the game and conclude it on our own conditions. Let's construct a successful drive and derive satisfaction from it. And that's exactly what we accomplished.

Although we didn't manage to score a touchdown, it was significant to utilize those four minutes to cover a distance of 60 or 70 yards, consume the clock, and secure a field goal.

Ridley celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Falcons.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

Back over the pond

Since Jacksonville started playing games in London, the city has become a second home for the Florida team. Shahid Khan, the team's owner, is also the owner of Fulham, a Premier League team based in London. Sunday's game marked the Jaguars' 10th appearance in London, which is the highest number among all NFL teams. They have participated in every London series since 2013.

Result: Consequently, the UK has fostered a loyal following for the team, with a significant portion of the 85,176 attendees on Sunday being devoted fans.

During the second drive of the day, the home team took the lead, with Ridley - originally selected by the Falcons in 2018 and subsequently traded to Jacksonville in 2022 - concluding an exceptional nine-play, 72-yard drive as he was located by Lawrence at the back of the endzone.

The Falcons had a difficult time generating effective offense in the first half. Quarterback Ridder had a forgettable second quarter, possibly having three interceptions, but one was dropped by Williams, despite the ball appearing to be easily intercepted. In the opening half, Ridder, who is in his second year, finished with subpar stats, completing only nine of his 14 passes for 73 yards and throwing two interceptions.

Jaguars defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris (95), linebacker Josh Allen (41) and linebacker Travon Walker (44) celebrate against the Falcons.

Kirby Lee/USA Today Network/Reuters

However, things improved shortly after halftime for the Falcons with Ridder finding London for a short touchdown pass to give Atlanta renewed hope.

The Falcons' offense, which had been inactive before, came alive after the touchdown, especially due to the impressive performance of rookie running back Bijan Robinson. His agility and quickness helped the team escape difficult situations multiple times.

Although the Falcons managed to advance down the field, they were unable to increase their score. On the other hand, Jacksonville extended the gap between the two teams with the successful kicking of Brandon McManus.

Atlanta thought they had scored a touchdown in the middle of the final quarter when London jumped the highest to catch a pass from Ridder, but his second foot was out of bounds. This marked the end of the Falcons' hopes of winning and returning to Georgia.

The victory was ultimately secured when the Jaguars' defensive end, Josh Allen, achieved his third sack in a remarkable performance, causing Ridder to fumble the ball, which was then recovered by one of his teammates.

With the Jags also playing next week in London, its a winning return for the UKs adopted team.