Falcons head coach Mike Smith's "24-hour rule" to put either a winning or losing effort in the rearview mirror has long since passed, but maybe not for Falcons safety Dwight Lowery. The defensive hero in the Week 10 win with an interception of Tampa Bay quarterback Josh McCown in the fourth quarter, Lowery showcased the kind of resiliency that has defined his career.
Originally selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round (114th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft, Lowery earned 19 starts in three seasons, totaling seven interceptions. In 2011, the Jets traded Lowery to Jacksonville, where he made the most of his new beginning, starting 11 games, logging 47 tackles, 10 passes defensed and two interceptions.
The next two seasons would test Lowery's perseverance. Nine games into his 2012 season, he was placed on season-ending IR. Following an offseason of hard work and entering 2013 with confidence, Lowery again found himself on IR, after just three starts.
Looking back at his first six seasons in the NFL, traded by the Jets and later released by the Jaguars, Lowery wondered what was next.
"I thought to myself, 'This is going to be a telling time of whether or not I'm ever going to play football again,' " Lowery said. "I prepared like I was going to play again and when I got the opportunity, I was ready."
Our photographers have combed through thousands of their photos and selected the very best images from the Associated Press from Sunday's win over the Buccaneers to feature in this Best of Gameday gallery.
WR Julio Jones battles through the Buccaneers' defense
DE Osi Umenyiora sacks Buccaneers' QB Josh McCown
WR Roddy White comes down with the ball
LB Paul Worrilow makes a flying grab onto Buccaneers RB Bobby Rainey
WR Julio Jones is too quick for Bucs LB Lavonte David
LB Paul Worrilow and DE Kroy Biermann combine on a tackle
QB Matt Ryan
WR Julio Jones leaps over Buccaneers S Major Wright
RB Antone Smith throws the stiff-arm
RB Steven Jackson leaves the Bucs behind him
S Kemal Ishmael grabs an interception to seal the win for the Falcons
QB Matt Ryan
WR Roddy White celebrates with T Ryan Schraeder and TE Levine Toilolo
DE Kroy Biermann takes down Bucs QB Josh McCown
WR Harry Douglas completes the two-point conversion
K Matt Bryant and P Matt Bosher
WR Roddy White
RB Steven Jackson finds a whole through the Buccaneers defense
S Kemal Ishmael and CB Robert Alford tackle Buccaneers WR Mike Evans
WR Roddy White celebrates his touchdown with T Ryan Schraeder
LB Joplo Bartu takes down Bucs QB Josh McCown
RB Steven Jackson
CB Robert Alford defends against a pass in the end zone
Falcons head coach, Mike Smith, shakes hands with Buccaneers head coach, Lovie Smith
Opportunity knocked on April 8, 2014, when the Falcons signed Lowery to the team. In his first season with the Falcons, he has started each of the team's nine games, recording 43 tackles, four passes defensed, a fumble recovery and the crucial pick to help secure the Falcons' third win of the season in Week 10.
The battle-tested Lowery approaches each week with the look of a warrior, showcased by the face paint he wears in games.
"I have a little bit of Indian descent," Lowery said. "So, as I've been doing it, it kind of gives me a tribal-warrior feeling. I feel like, as I continue to work and I continue to put time and effort in, I'll get better and I feel like that's what's happening."
