NFL game summary for 09/23/1979:
Jeff Komlo threw two touchdown passes and Rick Kane scored on a 26-yard touchdown run to give Detroit its first regular season win. Atlanta took a 16-10 third-quarter lead on a one-yard touchdown run by Steve Bartkowski and Tim Mazzetti's field goals of 22 and 26 yards. Detroit regained the lead in the fourth quarter when Komlo (19 of 35 for 289 yards) hit Luther Blue with a 13-yard touchdown pass. On the Lions' next possession, Kane's touchdown run capped a three-play, 45-yard drive that gave Detroit a 24-16 lead. Three plays later the Falcons came back to make the score 24-23 on Haskel Stanback's 55-yard touchdown run.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 152.7 (10) | 241.0 (4) | 393.7 (3) | 4 |
| DEFENSE | 137.7 (15) | 236.3 (25) | 374.0 (23) | 6 | |
 | OFFENSE | 135.0 (17) | 166.5 (19) | 301.5 (21) | 9 |
| DEFENSE | 195.5 (27) | 158.5 (10) | 354.0 (19) | 3 |
Line: Falcons by 3½
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons (2-2-0) | 0 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 23 |
| Detroit Lions (1-3-0) | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
( 0- 7) DET Freddie Scott 15 yard pass from Jeff Komlo (Benny Ricardo kick) ( 3- 7) ATL Tim Mazzetti 24 yard field goal ( 3-10) DET Benny Ricardo 20 yard field goal (10-10) ATL Steve Bartkowski 1 yard rush (Tim Mazzetti kick) (13-10) ATL Tim Mazzetti 26 yard field goal (16-10) ATL Tim Mazzetti 22 yard field goal (16-17) DET Luther Blue 13 yard pass from Jeff Komlo (Benny Ricardo kick) (16-24) DET Rick Kane 26 yard rush (Benny Ricardo kick) (23-24) ATL Haskel Stanback 55 yard rush (Tim Mazzetti kick)
ATL DET
First Downs: 11 22
Rushes-yards: 28-144 36-151
Yards/rush: 5.1 4.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 12-25-158-1 19-36-289-0
Sacked-yards: 3-32 4-40
Net pass yards: 126 249
Net yards/pass: 4.5 6.2
Total net yards: 270 400
Total plays: 56 (50% run) 76 (47% run)
Yards/play: 4.8 5.3
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 1-1
Turnovers: 1 1
Penalties-yards: 2-34 5-44
Attendance: 56,249
Passing:
ATL: Steve Bartkowski, 12 of 25 for 158 yards (1 int) DET: Jeff Komlo, 19 of 35 for 289 yards and 2 TDs; Scott Hunter, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
ATL: Lynn Cain, 11 for 36 yards; William Andrews, 7 for 22 yards; James Mayberry, 5 for 20 yards; Haskel Stanback, 3 for 64 yards and 1 TD; Steve Bartkowski, 1 for 1 yard and 1 TD; Bubba Bean, 1 for 1 yard DET: Dexter Bussey, 15 for 64 yards; Bo Robinson, 9 for 25 yards; Rick Kane, 6 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Jeff Komlo, 3 for 12 yards; David Hill, 1 for 15 yards; Lawrence Gaines, 1 for 2 yards; Horace King, 1 for -2 yards
Receiving:
ATL: Wallace Francis, 3 for 50 yards; Alfred Jenkins, 2 for 37 yards; Haskel Stanback, 2 for 4 yards; William Andrews, 1 for 34 yards; Dennis Pearson, 1 for 13 yards; James Mayberry, 1 for 9 yards; Lynn Cain, 1 for 6 yards; Bubba Bean, 1 for 5 yards DET: Leonard Thompson, 4 for 55 yards; David Hill, 3 for 61 yards; Freddie Scott, 3 for 55 yards and 1 TD; Luther Blue, 3 for 54 yards and 1 TD; Gene Washington, 3 for 28 yards; Dexter Bussey, 2 for 23 yards; Bo Robinson, 1 for 13 yards
Kick returns:
ATL: Tom Pridemore, 3 for 53 yards; Dennis Pearson, 2 for 43 yards DET: Rick Kane, 4 for 84 yards; Leonard Thompson, 1 for 11 yards
Punt returns:
ATL: Dennis Pearson, 1 for 60 yards DET: Leonard Thompson, 3 for 65 yards; Ken Ellis, 1 for 8 yards
Interceptions:
DET: Luther Bradley, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
ATL: John James, 8 for 357 yards DET: Larry Swider, 8 for 307 yards
Field Goals:
ATL: Tim Mazzetti, 3/4 DET: Benny Ricardo, 1/3
ATL: Steve Bartkowski, 12 of 25 for 158 yards (1 int) DET: Jeff Komlo, 19 of 35 for 289 yards and 2 TDs; Scott Hunter, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
ATL: Lynn Cain, 11 for 36 yards; William Andrews, 7 for 22 yards; James Mayberry, 5 for 20 yards; Haskel Stanback, 3 for 64 yards and 1 TD; Steve Bartkowski, 1 for 1 yard and 1 TD; Bubba Bean, 1 for 1 yard DET: Dexter Bussey, 15 for 64 yards; Bo Robinson, 9 for 25 yards; Rick Kane, 6 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Jeff Komlo, 3 for 12 yards; David Hill, 1 for 15 yards; Lawrence Gaines, 1 for 2 yards; Horace King, 1 for -2 yards
Receiving:
ATL: Wallace Francis, 3 for 50 yards; Alfred Jenkins, 2 for 37 yards; Haskel Stanback, 2 for 4 yards; William Andrews, 1 for 34 yards; Dennis Pearson, 1 for 13 yards; James Mayberry, 1 for 9 yards; Lynn Cain, 1 for 6 yards; Bubba Bean, 1 for 5 yards DET: Leonard Thompson, 4 for 55 yards; David Hill, 3 for 61 yards; Freddie Scott, 3 for 55 yards and 1 TD; Luther Blue, 3 for 54 yards and 1 TD; Gene Washington, 3 for 28 yards; Dexter Bussey, 2 for 23 yards; Bo Robinson, 1 for 13 yards
Kick returns:
ATL: Tom Pridemore, 3 for 53 yards; Dennis Pearson, 2 for 43 yards DET: Rick Kane, 4 for 84 yards; Leonard Thompson, 1 for 11 yards
Punt returns:
ATL: Dennis Pearson, 1 for 60 yards DET: Leonard Thompson, 3 for 65 yards; Ken Ellis, 1 for 8 yards
Interceptions:
DET: Luther Bradley, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
ATL: John James, 8 for 357 yards DET: Larry Swider, 8 for 307 yards
Field Goals:
ATL: Tim Mazzetti, 3/4 DET: Benny Ricardo, 1/3