Lions vs Falcons Week 16 2021: Final Score 20

Final2021 Week 16

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GASun, Dec 26, 2021, 1:00 PM ET

Detroit Lions vs Atlanta Falcons, Week 16 2021

Detroit Lions

Away

Atlanta Falcons

HomeWon

Scoring by quarter
Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Lions	3	7	3	3	16
Falcons	0	10	3	7	20

DET 16ATL 20 Final

Passing leader
Matt Ryan
ATL · QB
13.1PPR pts
18/24, 215 YDS, 1 TD
Top fantasy scorer
Amon-Ra St. Brown
DET · WR
26.0PPR pts
9 REC, 91 YDS, 1 TD
Lions leader
Tim Boyle
DET · QB
10.5PPR pts
24/34, 187 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT
Defensive playmaker
Foyesade Oluokun
ATL
1 INT, 14 TKL

Falcons 20, Lions 16: Atlanta beats Detroit

Atlanta broke a 10–10 halftime tie, outscoring Detroit 10–6 after the break to win 20–16. Detroit outgained the Falcons 338–254, but the Falcons averaged 5.6 yards per play.

The Lions went 7-for-16 on third down and committed one turnover.

The two teams meet again in Week 13 of 2026. If you roster anyone from either side, run the start/sit call in Redraft Command and it will weigh your lineup, your opponent and your league scoring, not only the player rankings.

Key advantages

+0.6 yards/play ATL 5.6 · DET 5.0

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

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Why the Falcons Won

Atlanta won the efficiency battle.

Team stats comparison, Lions vs Falcons
Lions	Stat	Falcons
5.0	Yards per play	5.6

Other team stats
338	Total yards	254

68	Plays	45

1	Turnovers	1

44%	Third-down conversion	25%

38:05	Time of possession	21:55

Scoring Summary

The Falcons scored two touchdowns and two field goals; the Lions scored one touchdown and three field goals.

Scoring plays, Lions vs Falcons
Time	Team	Play	DET	ATL
1st quarter
3:25	DET	Riley Patterson 26-yard FG Takes lead	3	0
2nd quarter
10:53	ATL	Cordarrelle Patterson 6-yard TD run Takes leadYounghoe Koo XP	3	7
3:44	DET	Tim Boyle → Amon-Ra St. Brown, 20-yard TD Takes leadRiley Patterson XP	10	7
1:04	ATL	Younghoe Koo 53-yard FG Ties game	10	10
3rd quarter
10:11	ATL	Younghoe Koo 48-yard FG Takes lead	10	13
3:06	DET	Riley Patterson 37-yard FG Ties game	13	13
4th quarter
13:04	ATL	Matt Ryan → Hayden Hurst, 12-yard TD Game winnerYounghoe Koo XP	13	20
2:38	DET	Riley Patterson 26-yard FG	16	20

Fantasy Points: Lions vs Falcons, Week 16 2021

Fantasy leaders

Amon-Ra St. BrownDETWR26.0 PTSWR6
Kyle PittsATLTE16.2 PTSTE4
Matt RyanATLQB13.1 PTSQB20
Tim BoyleDETQB10.5 PTSQB22

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
Player	FPTS	FIN	CMP/ATT	Pass YDS	TD	INT	Rush ATT	Rush YDS	Rush TD	Rate	Start/Sit
Matt RyanATLQB	13.1	QB20	18/24	215	1	0	4	5	0	115.8
Tim BoyleDETQB	10.5	QB22	24/34	187	1	1	—	—	—	81.4

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
Player	FPTS	FIN	POS	Rush ATT	Rush YDS	Rush TD	TGT	REC	Rec YDS	Rec TD	Start/Sit
Amon-Ra St. BrownDETWR	26.0	WR6	WR	2	19	0	11	9	91	1	Start/Sit →
Kyle PittsATLTE	16.2	TE4	TE	—	—	—	6	6	102	0
Hayden HurstATLTE	10.1	TE10	TE	—	—	—	2	2	21	1
Cordarrelle PattersonATLRB	8.3	RB33	RB	7	14	1	2	1	-1	0
Craig ReynoldsDETRB	8.1	RB34	RB	11	29	0	4	3	22	0
Jamaal WilliamsDETRB	7.7	RB38	RB	19	77	0	—	—	—	—
Josh ReynoldsDETWR	5.6	WR72	WR	—	—	—	7	2	36	0
Olamide ZaccheausATLWR	5.2	WR75	WR	—	—	—	4	2	32	0	Start/Sit →
Russell GageATLWR	4.9	WR77	WR	—	—	—	5	4	39	0
Kalif RaymondDETWR	4.7	WR78	WR	1	5	0	5	3	12	0	Start/Sit →
Mike DavisATLRB	4.5	RB46	RB	7	28	0	1	1	7	0
Tom KennedyDETWR	3.6	WR89	WR	—	—	—	2	2	16	0	Start/Sit →
Brock WrightDETTE	3.4	TE35	TE	—	—	—	3	3	4	0	Start/Sit →
KhaDarel HodgeDETWR	3.1	WR93	WR	—	—	—	1	1	21	0
Marvin HallATLWR	2.0	WR99	WR	—	—	—	1	1	10	0
Christian BlakeATLWR	1.5	WR108	WR	—	—	—	1	1	5	0

Fantasy Usage

Detroit Lions

Snap Share

Amon-Ra St. BrownWR59 snaps88%
Josh ReynoldsWR53 snaps79%
Brock WrightTE49 snaps73%
Kalif RaymondWR46 snaps69%
Jamaal WilliamsRB28 snaps42%

Target Share33 targets

Amon-Ra St. Brown33%, 11 targets
Josh Reynolds21%, 7 targets
Kalif Raymond15%, 5 targets
Craig Reynolds12%, 4 targets
Brock Wright9%, 3 targets
Other9%, 3 targets

Carry Share33 carries

Jamaal Williams58%, 19 carries
Craig Reynolds33%, 11 carries
Amon-Ra St. Brown6%, 2 carries
Kalif Raymond3%, 1 carries

Atlanta Falcons

Snap Share

Russell GageWR40 snaps87%
Olamide ZaccheausWR40 snaps87%
Kyle PittsTE36 snaps78%
Mike DavisRB26 snaps57%
Cordarrelle PattersonRB25 snaps54%

Target Share22 targets

Kyle Pitts27%, 6 targets
Russell Gage23%, 5 targets
Olamide Zaccheaus18%, 4 targets
Cordarrelle Patterson9%, 2 targets
Hayden Hurst9%, 2 targets
Other14%, 3 targets

Carry Share18 carries

Cordarrelle Patterson39%, 7 carries
Mike Davis39%, 7 carries
Matt Ryan22%, 4 carries

View full usage tableHide full usage table

Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
Player	SNAPS	SNAP %	TGT	TGT %	CAR
Amon-Ra St. BrownDETWR	59	88%	11	33%	2
Russell GageATLWR	40	87%	5	23%	0
Olamide ZaccheausATLWR	40	87%	4	18%	0
Josh ReynoldsDETWR	53	79%	7	21%	0
Kyle PittsATLTE	36	78%	6	27%	0
Brock WrightDETTE	49	73%	3	9%	0
Kalif RaymondDETWR	46	69%	5	15%	1
Mike DavisATLRB	26	57%	1	5%	7
Cordarrelle PattersonATLRB	25	54%	2	9%	7
Hayden HurstATLTE	22	48%	2	9%	0
Jamaal WilliamsDETRB	28	42%	0	0%	19
Craig ReynoldsDETRB	27	40%	4	12%	11
Tom KennedyDETWR	21	31%	2	6%	0
Christian BlakeATLWR	12	26%	1	5%	0
Lee SmithATLTE	11	24%	0	0%	0
Shane ZylstraDETTE	13	19%	0	0%	0
Godwin IgwebuikeDETRB	10	15%	0	0%	0
KhaDarel HodgeDETWR	8	12%	1	3%	0
Marvin HallATLWR	5	11%	1	5%	0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

PPRHalf PPRStandard

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

Biggest overperformer+6.7Hayden Hurst10.1 PTS vs 3.4 xFP
Biggest underperformer−6.2Josh Reynolds5.6 PTS vs 11.8 xFP
Highest expected volume19.8 xFPAmon-Ra St. Brown26.0 PTS scored

Usage and expected fantasy points
Player	PTS	xFP	vs xFP	Snap%	Usage	Rte%	Pass att	Car	Car%	Tgt	Tgt%
Amon-Ra St. BrownDET · WR	26.0	19.8	+6.2	88%	31% tgt	—	0	2	6%	11	31%
Tim BoyleDET · QB	10.5	15.0	−4.5	100%	34 att	—	34	0	0%	0	0%
Craig ReynoldsDET · RB	8.1	13.8	−5.7	40%	33% car	—	0	11	33%	4	11%
Matt RyanATL · QB	13.1	13.1	0.0	100%	24 att	—	24	4	22%	0	0%
Jamaal WilliamsDET · RB	7.7	12.2	−4.5	42%	58% car	—	0	19	58%	0	0%
Josh ReynoldsDET · WR	5.6	11.8	−6.2	79%	20% tgt	—	0	0	0%	7	20%
Kyle Pitts Sr.ATL · TE	16.2	10.1	+6.1	78%	27% tgt	—	0	0	0%	6	27%
Kalif RaymondDET · WR	4.7	9.1	−4.4	69%	14% tgt	—	0	1	3%	5	14%
Russell Gage Jr.ATL · WR	5.9	8.4	−2.5	87%	23% tgt	—	0	0	0%	5	23%
Cordarrelle PattersonATL · RB	8.3	7.9	+0.4	54%	39% car	—	0	7	39%	2	9%
Olamide ZaccheausATL · WR	5.2	6.7	−1.5	87%	18% tgt	—	0	0	0%	4	18%
Mike DavisATL · RB	4.5	6.2	−1.7	57%	39% car	—	0	7	39%	1	5%
Brock WrightDET · TE	3.4	5.1	−1.7	73%	9% tgt	—	0	0	0%	3	9%
Hayden HurstATL · TE	10.1	3.4	+6.7	48%	9% tgt	—	0	0	0%	2	9%
Jason CabindaDET · RB	2.6	3.4	−0.8	—	6% tgt	—	0	0	0%	2	6%
Tom KennedyDET · WR	3.6	3.4	+0.2	31%	6% tgt	—	0	0	0%	2	6%
Christian BlakeATL · WR	1.5	1.7	−0.2	26%	5% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	5%
KhaDarel HodgeDET · WR	3.1	1.7	+1.4	12%	3% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	3%
Marvin HallATL · WR	2.0	1.7	+0.3	11%	5% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	5%

Team totals: Lions 35 targets and 33 carries; Falcons 22 targets and 18 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Tim Boyle

DET · QB · 10.5 pts on 15.0 expected

24 of 34 passing for 187 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 15.0 expected.

Matt Ryan

ATL · QB · 13.1 pts on 13.1 expected

18 of 24 passing for 215 yards, 1 touchdown; 4 carries for 5 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 13.1 expected.

Best score since Week 9.

Amon-Ra St. Brown Ran hot

DET · WR · 26.0 pts on 19.8 expected

11 targets (31% of the team's), 9 catches for 91 yards and 1 touchdown; 2 carries (6% of the team's) for 19 yards.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 19.8 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Best fantasy game of the season.

Start/Sit: Amon-Ra St. Brown →

Craig Reynolds Unlucky

DET · RB · 8.1 pts on 13.8 expected

4 targets (11% of the team's), 3 catches for 22 yards; 11 carries (33% of the team's) for 29 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 13.8 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Kyle Pitts Sr. Ran hot

ATL · TE · 16.2 pts on 10.1 expected

6 targets (27% of the team's), 6 catches for 102 yards.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 10.1 points; efficiency supplied the rest.

Best score since Week 7.

Russell Gage Jr.

ATL · WR · 5.9 pts on 8.4 expected

5 targets (23% of the team's), 4 catches for 39 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 8.4 expected.

Fewest points since Week 10.

Josh Reynolds Unlucky

DET · WR · 5.6 pts on 11.8 expected

7 targets (20% of the team's), 2 catches for 36 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 11.8 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Fewest points since Week 11.

Hayden Hurst Ran hot

ATL · TE · 10.1 pts on 3.4 expected

2 targets (9% of the team's), 2 catches for 21 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 3.4 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Best fantasy game of the season.

Stock Up, Stock Down

Detroit Lions

Stock up: Jamaal Williams led the backfield with 42% of the snaps after trailing Craig Reynolds before this game.
Stock up: Amon-Ra St. Brown played 88% of the snaps, up from a 72% season average.
Stock up: Josh Reynolds played 79% of the snaps, up from a 56% season average.

Atlanta Falcons

Stock up: Russell Gage Jr. played 87% of the snaps, up from a 71% season average.
Stock up: Olamide Zaccheaus played 87% of the snaps, up from a 52% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Lions defense and Falcons defense
Points allowed to	Lions D	Falcons D
QBs	18.2	18.8
RBs	26.6	24.6
WRs	34.4	36.6
TEs	14.1	12.4

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Atlanta opened at 71% win probability and passed 98% in the fourth quarter on the way to the win.

Falcons win probability

Key Swings

+22Patterson 6-yd TD run58% → 79%Q2 10:53
−24Boyle → Brown, 20-yd TD79% → 55%Q2 3:44
+12Koo 53-yd FG54% → 66%Q2 1:04
−14Patterson 37-yd FG76% → 62%Q3 3:06
+31Ryan → Hurst, 12-yd TD60% → 91%Q4 13:04

Swing in Falcons win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Lions vs Falcons
Detroit Lions	Measure	Atlanta Falcons
68	Plays	45
51%	Pass rate	60%
5.9	Yds / dropback	7.7
3.9	Yds / carry	2.6
7/16	Third downs	2/8

Efficiency edge Atlanta ran 23 fewer plays but gained 1.8 more yards per dropback.

Top targets
DET Brown 31% · Reynolds 20% · Raymond 14%
ATL Pitts 27% · Gage 23% · Zaccheaus 18%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Lions vs Falcons
Result	DET	ATL
Touchdowns	1	2
Field goals	3	2
Punts	2	2
Turnovers	1	1
Turnovers on downs	1	0

The Lions opened the scoring on their first possession, a 13-play, 54-yard drive that ended in a field goal.

All 16 possessions, drive by drive

Drive chart
Team	Start	Plays	Yards	Time	Result
ATL	Q1 15:00	6	7	4:01	Punt
DET	Q1 10:59	13	54	7:34	Field goal
ATL	Q1 3:25	3	4	1:36	Punt
DET	Q1 1:49	3	5	1:32	Punt
ATL	Q1 0:17	9	54	4:24	Touchdown
DET	Q2 10:53	11	75	7:09	Touchdown
ATL	Q2 3:44	7	43	2:40	Field goal
DET	Q2 1:04	6	22	1:04	Downs
DET	Q3 15:00	3	7	1:30	Punt
ATL	Q3 13:30	8	59	3:19	Field goal
DET	Q3 10:11	12	56	7:05	Field goal
ATL	Q3 3:06	10	71	5:02	Touchdown
DET	Q4 13:04	17	66	10:26	Field goal
ATL	Q4 2:38	3	7	0:20	Fumble
DET	Q4 2:18	6	28	1:45	Interception
ATL	Q4 0:33	1	-1	0:33	End of game

About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Lions vs Falcons Head-to-Head

The Lions and Falcons first met in 1966 and have played 40 times since.

All-time series: 26–14Lions lead, 40 meetings since 1966
Postseason: 0No playoff meetings
Largest Lions win: 31–61973
Largest Falcons win: 36–152002

Since 2021

1–1 Series tied

2 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. L = Lions win, F = Falcons win, outlined = this game.

2026 Meetings

Week 13 Lions at Falcons Sun, Dec 6, 2026 Upcoming

Recent Meetings

2023 Wk 3 Falcons at Lions, 2023 Wk 3 recap Sun, Sep 24, 2023 DET 20 ATL 6 DET W
2021 Wk 16 Lions at Falcons Sun, Dec 26, 2021 ATL 20 DET 16 ATL W

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Lions vs Falcons
Lions	Stat	Falcons
3-13-1	Record	7-10

19.1	Points per game	18.4

322.6	Yards per game	303.8

5.2	Yards per play	5.1

27.5	Points allowed per game	27.0

379.8	Yards allowed per game	364.4

Lions vs Falcons Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread: ATL −7.5Falcons failed to cover by 3.5
Total: 42.5Under: 36 points scored (by 6.5)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
Team	Implied	Actual	Difference
Falcons	25.0	20	−5.0
Lions	17.5	16	−1.5

Both offenses finished under the market's expectation, which matches the low fantasy output in the Fantasy tab.

Betting Trends

Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

Detroit Lions

Against the spread: 10–5
Over/under: 5–10
ATS as underdog: 10–5
ATS on the road: 5–3

Atlanta Falcons

Against the spread: 6–9
Over/under: 6–9
ATS as favorite: 3–3
ATS as underdog: 3–6
ATS at home: 1–6

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Lions vs Falcons Fantasy Outlook for 2026

One meeting is left on the 2026 schedule: Week 13 in Atlanta. Here's how to decide who to play in your league.

Keep Exploring

2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Amon-Ra St. BrownDET · WR

Lions vs Falcons Game FAQ

Who won the 2021 Lions vs Falcons Week 16 game?

The Atlanta Falcons beat the Detroit Lions 20–16 in Week 16 of the 2021 season. The game was played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA, on December 26, 2021. See the Falcons' 2021 schedule.

What was the final score of Lions vs Falcons?

The final score was Falcons 20, Lions 16. The teams were tied 10–10 at halftime, and the second half went Lions 6, Falcons 10.

What happened in the Lions vs Falcons game?

Atlanta broke a 10–10 halftime tie, outscoring Detroit 10–6 after the break to win 20–16. Detroit outgained the Falcons 338–254, but the Falcons averaged 5.6 yards per play. Amon-Ra St. Brown led all players with 9 catches for 91 yards and a touchdown, plus 2 carries for 19 rushing yards.

What was the game-winning score in Lions vs Falcons?

Matt Ryan's 12-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Hurst with 13:04 left in the fourth quarter gave the Falcons a 20–13 lead they never gave up.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Lions vs Falcons?

Amon-Ra St. Brown led the game with 26.0 PPR fantasy points, the WR6 of Week 16, on 9 catches for 91 yards and a touchdown, plus 2 carries for 19 rushing yards. Kyle Pitts was next with 16.2 (TE4). See Amon-Ra St. Brown's 2021 game log.

Who led Lions vs Falcons in passing, rushing and receiving?

Matt Ryan (ATL) led all passers with 18 of 24 for 215 yards and a touchdown. Jamaal Williams (DET) led in rushing with 19 carries for 77 yards. Kyle Pitts (ATL) led in receiving with 6 catches for 102 yards.

How many fantasy points did Amon-Ra St. Brown score against the Falcons?

Amon-Ra St. Brown scored 26.0 points in PPR leagues, 21.5 in half-PPR and 17.0 in standard scoring against the Falcons in Week 16 of the 2021 season, on 9 catches for 91 yards and a touchdown, plus 2 carries for 19 rushing yards. He drew 31% of his team's targets.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Lions vs Falcons?

Hayden Hurst outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 10.1 PPR points on 3.4 xFP (+6.7). Josh Reynolds fell furthest short, with 5.6 points on 11.8 xFP (−6.2). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

Who had the highest expected fantasy points in Lions vs Falcons?

Amon-Ra St. Brown had the most fantasy opportunity in the game, worth 19.8 expected PPR points (xFP) at league-average rates, and scored 26.0. Expected points measure the volume of a player's pass attempts, carries and targets, not how well he used them.

How did the Falcons beat the Lions?

The Falcons beat the Lions 20–16 because they averaged 5.6 yards per play to 5.0. Matt Ryan's 12-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Hurst put them ahead for good.

What is the all-time Lions vs Falcons record?

The Lions lead the all-time series 26–14 across 40 meetings since 1966.

When did the Lions and Falcons last play before this game?

Before Week 16 of 2021, they last met in the 2020 season on October 25, 2020, when the Lions beat the Falcons 23–22.

What was the closing spread for Lions vs Falcons?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Falcons −7.5, making the Atlanta Falcons 7.5-point favorites, with a closing total of 42.5. That implied about 25.0 points for the Falcons and 17.5 for the Lions.

Did Lions vs Falcons go over or under the total?

The game went under. The consensus closing total was 42.5, and the teams combined for 36 points, 6.5 under the number.

Who covered the spread in Lions vs Falcons?

The Lions covered as 7.5-point underdogs against the closing line of Falcons −7.5. The final margin was 4 points.