History suggests Falcons are headed for a 9-7 campaign
Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez (88) scores a touchdown in front of Philadelphia defender Ellis Hobbs (31). AP
PHILADELPHIA – History suggests that the Falcons are headed for a 9-7 season.
This was the third season that the Falcons have opened with a 4-1 mark.
After the other 4-1 starts, the team finished 9-7.
Last season, they went 4-1 before losing consecutive games at Dallas and at New Orleans. A rash of injuries started to set in and the team finished 9-7.
The Falcons started 4-1 in 1995, before losing to the St. Louis Rams 21-19 to drop to 4-2. They never got on a roll and finished 9-7, but went to the playoffs where they lost to the Green Bay Packers, 37-20.
The Falcons best start was in 1986 when they opened the season 5-1-1, before losing five straight and closing out the season 7-8-1.
The franchise went 5-1 twice. In 2004, they went on to finish 11-5 and reached the NFC championship game. In 1998, they went 14-2 and went to the Super Bowl.
The Falcons have never started a season 6-1.
“We are 4-2, hopefully we can win next week and be 5-2 going into that bye week,” tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “We’ll still be sitting pretty. It’s not a time to panic. We just have to go out there and keep getting better in practice.”
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158 comments Add your comment
Falcons not there yet
October 18th, 2010
11:55 am
Dunta’s hit was solid, though he went a little high and launched (something the league is watching this year)
Rodney Harrison last night gave the best analysis, he said when guys get ready to hit hard like that they tend to stand up a bit, this caused the high hit. He didn’t say it was a bad helmet-to-helmet hit as did most announcers (that obviously never looked at the tape).
Also, Ditka was on Mike and Mike this morning and you could tell that he liked the hit – he kind of caught himself from saying it was a clean hit (I guess not to upset the league). Not saying Ditka is any kind of great analyst (I personally think he’s a knucklehead).
Definitely need a new offensive coordinator and Ryan definitely needs to take chances down field. Ryan plays like he’s scared to make a mistake. Atlanta is very robotic.
OldSchoolFootballFan
October 18th, 2010
11:57 am
No Mr. Gonzalez, U have to play better on the field. U had good practices before the Eagles game and U came out and stuck up the joint from the beginning whistle to the final gun. I can accept a loss as a fan it’s part of the game. I can’t accept paying money for tickets and overprices concessions to have a bunch of millionaires waste my time and money by giving a half-assed effort. I am an 11 year military veteran and former Naval Officer. Defeat in battle is inevitable eventually, but defeat without fighting spirit is cowardly and unacceptable. The Falcons PLAYED the game Sunday, I didn’t see any FIGHT!!! Buckle up your chin straps and play like MEN against the Bengals. The team my need to watch the final battle scene in the movie Glory prior to kickoff for motivational assistance. Try it, it may work.
Wendell Thomas
October 18th, 2010
12:04 pm
Are the Falcons really a 4-2 team or a 2-4 team? They should have lost to SF and NO. Can we beat elite teams with our predictable non-productive offense. Is the defenses okay or was Sunday’s game a reflection of what we have to look forward to for the rest of the season. Same old Falcons…get your hopes up just to let you down!
Falcon Jim
October 18th, 2010
12:17 pm
Joe Phish-Breath is back ! Missed that swamp humor yesterday when it was needed. He’s the Jr Samples of swamp humor. Here’s………………………….PHISH-BREATH ! !
ASHCAN.
October 18th, 2010
12:18 pm
Why all the excuses for the falcons? they just got beat down by a better team.Now they have to face T.O AND OCHO and please don’t look past cinn record.A win is a win but sometimes you have to look at how a team wins.Are they winning with out a doubt or from other teams mistakes?(N.O missed FG,SF fumble off INT).Reality is no matter how you win its a W but those wins like that are not gonna come every week expecially in the playoffs.DLED,your just being real about the falcons going or could go 9-7.But i see by the response of these falcon fans that after all these years of being hyped up about this team(and still get disappointed)there still in denial.Just because you change coaches and a over rated QB don’t crown you a good team,its just change with the same outcome.
JSS
October 18th, 2010
12:19 pm
Trent Dilfer never looked like Marino… The Ravens Defense openly mocked their own starting QB. That team played offense better than actual offense. Jamal Lewis and the Ravens D carried that team.
Waynester…
He launched himself 3 yards into the receiver! He caused a whiplash… Frame it anyway you like, the League sent the officials around this summer to the camps and told the players that those type of hits were going to be flagged! It was a penalty, you need to get over this obsession about that hit…
Falcons not there yet
October 18th, 2010
12:24 pm
the missed FG for NO was after Atlanta mis-managed a drive at the end of regulation to give Brees enough time to get into field goal range. If on third and fourth down we run, the clock ticks or they use their timeout, instead we give them time. We outplayed NO, the overtime drive was great (but Smitty had to tell Mularkey to run the ball)
SF, agreed, lucky win.
Theme for the season is the defense playing better but the offense not doing anything especially down field. We had 5 “3 and out’s” yesterday – that won’t work.
Monduj1
October 18th, 2010
12:27 pm
@DJ Sniper
Are you kidding me about Ryan’s arm strength? Just because he can heave it down the field 50 yards doesn’t mean he has a strong arm. Almost every QB in the league can heave it that far. The “strength” is in the velocity. In other words, his 50 yard throw takes an eternity to get there which allows the defense to overcome. He seriously under threw several balls yesterday and this is a consistent trend.
The Falcons are very lucky to be 4-2 and by all rights should be 2-4 and possibly 1-5. Hartley gave us one at N.O., Clements handed us another one against San Francisco and if not for an absolutely incredible play by Biermann we looked to be on our way to another loss to Cleveland with a hobbled Jake Delhomme at QB.
To the numb nuts still opining about T.O., how would he have helped our defense yesterday? Has he converted to QB or LT? The WRs weren’t the problem yesterday. His team is 2-3 right now, BTW.
Section 102 (40 yard 15th row)
October 18th, 2010
12:28 pm
DJ – Nice comments. However, get your radar gun on matt. It will show what we saw live yesterday and Falcoholic notes in his nice post. Matt ain’t got game deep, especially the underthrown wobbler to Roddy down the right sideline that RW84 almost came back and caught with two defenders on him. How many games in the NFL do you see multiple DB’s come back and be in position to intercept or come around and knock out the ball because they had time to react? Not as many as we saw yesterday. Watch McNabb or Favre sling it live and you’ll feel the difference. This partly explains why the falcons won’t spread the field deep as much as we’d like.
DefiantOne
October 18th, 2010
1:02 pm
This is a good team, not served well by its coaches in the two losses. Staid, boring, and predictable won’t cut it if you want to get over the top.
Doug
October 18th, 2010
1:08 pm
Our schedule is so favorable this year that I see us winning at least 10 or 11 games. The only teams left on our schedule that I think will be very difficult wins are Baltimore and New Orleans. And we’ve got both games at home. Not only are they the only teams on the schedule sitting at 4-2 or better, but they have the most talent of anybody left on the schedule.
ctfalconsfan
October 18th, 2010
1:58 pm
I was hoping to see our team step up as a or THE CONTENDER in the NFC but we are, sadly, a pretender!!
- Lucky wins against Saints and 49ers along with yesterdays beat down leaves me wondering where we are headed as an organization???
I HOPE WE BEAT CINCY 7-3 and as a result we fire Mularkey during the bye week. Our offense should be much more productive instead of predictable..
alanfalcon
October 18th, 2010
2:03 pm
The next win will come from effort and execution not hope to win.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GrowlerWilkinson
October 18th, 2010
2:11 pm
I dont know who the Falcons offensive coordinator is, but if it is Mike MuLarkey,the Falcons need a new offensive coordinator. I guess he is doing his job because his play-calling was very, very offensive. I was offended by the calls or the non-calls that were supposedly called. Continued 3-and-outs are completely unacceptable when you have a 1#:Pro Bowl Quaterback; 2#:three All-Pro receivers in Gonzales, Jenkins and White; 3#:three pro bowl runners in Jerius Norwood, Snelling and Turner and 4#:a Pro Bowl pass rusher in Abraham. There is no excuse with all the talent on the Falcons to be HAVING TROUBLE SCORING POINTS. This makes no sense when you have nothing but All PROS and PRO BOWLERS AT THE SKILL POSITIONS. The Falcons should have put up 50 points on the Eagles yesterday with Vick being unhealthy and a virtual non-factor. I gave up watching game after the Falcons went down 21-0. I quit on them because they were flatter than a pancake and gave virtually NO EFFORT AT ALL. If I had paid to see that game I would have DEMANDED A REFUND FOR MY TICKET PURCHASE.
Realistic Falcon Fan
October 18th, 2010
2:17 pm
Everybody can see that our QB is not, has not, and I wonder will he ever develope the skillset required to do battle with the top teams in the league. As I read the comments, it is no bazaar observation that evryone can see his feet, vision, decision making, accuracy and mentality lacks the maturity at this stage in his career. As much as we would like to have a savior to proceed the Vick tenure. Matty Ice has not been the same since his first year. It woul be safe to say he has REGRESSED since entering the league. While our observations appear to be the same, do you really think the coaching staff do not know or see theses weaknesses. There is a reason why the ball is not stretched (thrown) deep down the field. No screen plays, no stepping up in the pocket. Sooner or later the team will start loosing confidence because they all watch films together the last time I checked. So I do not think it is not talked about among the team. Colt Mccoy makes his debut against the Steelers and throws for 281 yards. Matty Ice after three years goes against the Eagles and throws for 250-something. C’mon Falcons coaches and owner, Rise Up? Call a spade a spade. We could use a QB if we want to win…..
Falcon Jim
October 18th, 2010
2:26 pm
SeenThisB4 = Cheese Steak = atlapp = Kew.
ctfalconsfan
October 18th, 2010
2:36 pm
Realistic Falcon Fan – I’m not ready to give up on Ryan just yet but agree he has regressed from his rookie season. He panics way too quickly in the pocket. (Of course having Baker protecting your blind side, who could blame Matt for being jumpy).
I never thought that I would feel the same way about Ryan dropping back as I did Vick!
With Vick in the pocket, I was thinking sack, fumble, interception, over throw or a rare completion. I thought with Ryan in the pocket that I wouldn’t think like that anymore but I find myself very nervous when he is passing especially on a passing down.
cejay
October 18th, 2010
2:38 pm
SeenThisB4 = Cheese Steak = atlapp = Kew = ashcan
Bama Falcon Fan
October 18th, 2010
2:49 pm
Said in other pre-season post on guessestimate of the 2010 season that Falcons would be 13-3 or 12-4 for the season. Pitt=L, Pho=W, NO=W, SF=W, CLE=W, Phi=L, Cin=W, TAM=W, BAL=W, STL=W, GB=L, TAM=W, CAR=W, SEA=W, NO-W, CAR=W – Worst case could be loss with either Bal or NO. Dude get over it. Very few teams have ever went 16-0 or even 15-1.
ctfalconsfan
October 18th, 2010
2:51 pm
DOL – You and the other sports writers need to start putting pressure (through your articles) on the Falcons to fire Mularkey ASAP.
Living up north I can tell you that both the New York and Boston media would be ripping into their OC’s for such horrible game planning. You guys need to take the gloves off and stop with the softball questions after a beating like this and instead start asking Mike Smith the tough questions that need to be addressed!!
ctfalconsfan
October 18th, 2010
2:55 pm
Bama Fan – I don’t disagree that one would look at the Philly game and see a potential loss for ATL.
However it is the manner by which we lost that has me concerned.
(It’s also the manner of which we won against Saints, 49ers and Browns that also has me concerned!)
The score was much closer than the actual game as we were manhandled in every aspect by Philly. At least the Special teams didn’t give up any big plays as they have done all year.
This team needs a lot of work to get to 11-5 or 12-4..
Ken Strickland
October 18th, 2010
3:06 pm
In Sunday’s gm, we witnessed everything that’s wrong with the Falcons. Our coaching staff keeps thinking we can continue doing what we did in yr one and doing it the same way it was done then, even though teams have caught up to what we’re doing. Even though our OL aint bad, it’s certainly not good or strong enough to manhandle good teams with talent and a clue.
Our OL just doesn’t consistently run block well enough to make our rushing OFF consistently dominant. Our OL also doesn’t give QB MRyan enough time to make all of his reads, or our receivers enough time to complete their routes. OC MMULARKY IS STILL TRYING TO BEAT DEF’S BY KEEPING EVERYTHING BETWEEN THE TACKLES, AND REFUSING TO THROW SWING PASSES TO OUR RB’S OUT IN THE FLATS.
You’d think somebody on our coaching staff would take into account the difficulty we have defending our flats, and return the favor. Sending your RB’s into the flats is far more effective then holding them is as blockers. First, usually a LB is assigned to go out and cover the RB in the flat, which takes him out of the play, and prevents him from blitzing . Secondly, it usually creates a mismatch, and gives the QB an option or outlet. Thirdly, it spreads the DEF, rather than allowing them to sack the line and run or pass blitz.
Our play calling and overall OFF has become too predictable, and teams with schemes and talent have taken advantage of it for the last 2yrs. We don’t run any quick slants or outs, especially on 1st down. When teams are blitzing heavily, other than holding our RB’s and TE in to block, we don’t do anything to make them pay. Quit slant, outs, swing passes to or RB’s, TE, RB and WR screens are very effective against blitzes.
Instead of doing any of these things, which other teams routinely do, we consistently put all of the pressure on our OL to pickup the blitzes. And when they don’t, we offer no alternatives. Yes, we are a running team, but we do all of our running between the tackles. Yes, we have a Pro Bowl TE, WR and QB, but we limit who we pass too and how we pass.
Smitty needs to fire MMularkey and do what other teams with stagnant OFF’s are doing, and that’s hire an OFF coordinator with an OFF mind and system that will expand our OFF potential.
Lesa
October 18th, 2010
3:09 pm
C’mon DLed. I expect better from you. Just because the Falcons lost one game, does not mean the whole season is shot. Sheesh!! We have a soft part of the schedule coming up and the Falcons will rack up some wins. The Falcons are still the class of the NFC.
Falcon Jim
October 18th, 2010
3:20 pm
cejay,
I just went back and read ASHCAN. Yup, you are right. This guys got more persona’s than Eve.
Eskoballa
October 18th, 2010
3:24 pm
oh cmon first pittsburg now philly. jeez people, teams cant win them all, besides we not the only ones 4-2. bears, ravens, chiefs had losses to so y dont ya jump on them too. point of the matter: like pittsburg loss, we ll jes get back up and win. it is still too early to predict records and playoff. i guarantee we ll be on a streak again next week then after bye. you make mistakes, you learn from them…bottom line.
Eskoballa
October 18th, 2010
3:26 pm
and also, its odd how our 2 losses are from pennsylvania teams.
Edward
October 18th, 2010
3:27 pm
9-7 is being just a bit pessimistic isn’t it. The Falcons are 4-2 and are coming off a road loss in Philadelphia where the Eagles were yet to win a game this season until yesterday. The Falcons are well coached and will get things back under control this week back at the Georgia Dome against the Bengals, with a bye week after that and Tampa Bay to follow the Falcons should be 6-2 when the Ravens come to Atlanta for a Thursday nighter. Call me the ultimate optimist but I see 11-5 perhaps 12-4 out of this team.
JustAMinute
October 18th, 2010
3:29 pm
All of you guys on here talking about how lucky the Falcons were against the 49ers and Saints need to relax. One play can change the course of a game, and just because it happens at the end doesn’t mean that a team is lucky to win.
Yea against the Saints we got a break at the foot of Hartely, but that is why they play the game. In my opinion the Saints were lucky to even have a chance to win that game. How fortunate were the Saints that a punt grazes off of DeCoud’s foot and stays on the sideline to be recovered? In my opinion if the Falcons don’t lose the ball there, then they salt the game away anyways.
In the 49ers game our defense dominated Smith and Gore, and without their punt block for a touchdown that game is not even close anyways. I would say that they got pretty lucky too.
Furthermore, if the Falcons had came away with a touchdown out of the 3 field goals against the Steelers then I think we win that game too.
The team has had the ball bounce their way a few times late in the game, but they obviously played well enough to win.
They did play poorly against the Eagles yesterday though.
MV77777!11
October 18th, 2010
3:38 pm
YOU KNOW WHAT????????????????????
SOME OF THE FANS IN ATLANTA & THE TV FANS & BLOGGERS DONT UNDERSTAND. THEY ARE HURTING THIS FALCON TEAM WITH ALL THIS BULLSH#T….. REDNECK BULLSH#T….HATERS. MR.AUTHUR BLANK YOU ARE CRAZY AS HELL TO LET THESE FANS TELL YOU IN SO MANY WORDS HOW TO RUN YOUR TEAM. (FU#K THEMMMM) SHOP AT LOWES!!!!!! AT THE RATE THIS SH#T IS GOING MR. BLANK YOUR GOING TO LOSE ALL YOUR GOOD PLAYERS BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO PLAY FOR REDNECKS. FROM MCKAY ON DOWN BUDDY!!!!!…ITS ALMOST TO LATE FOR YOU MR .BLANK.(HOMEDEPOT OR THE FALCONS) THATS WHY 25,000 OF YOUR OLD FANBASE AN MYSELF SUPPORT MICHAEL VICK (EAGLES). BE A MAN !!!!! A OWNER LIKE JERRY JONES… WITH SOME BALLS…..
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JustAMinute
October 18th, 2010
3:38 pm
One more thing on all of this lucky talk. If David Tyree drops the ball against the Patriots in the Super Bowl then New England would have won and been the first team to go 18-0. I didn’t hear everyone talking about how lucky the Giants were to win.
Realistic Falcon Fan
October 18th, 2010
3:45 pm
Lesa – There are no soft schedules in professional football. If you cannot see what we all see, what happens when we meet another caliber team? My Point. We are currently a long way from the class of the NFC. Get Real…..We need to make improvements and changes now to even have a chance at being a top notch team. Not to poke at you but you are not REALISTIC, or just don’t know the game of football..
ShempHoward
October 18th, 2010
3:54 pm
All I wanted to see yesterday was the MIKE VICK versus MATTY ICE showdown. VICK WOULD HAVE OUTGUNNED AND OUTPERFORMED ICE BY A COUNTRY MILE AND THIS IS ALL I WANTED TO SEE.
AceRichards
October 18th, 2010
3:58 pm
Shemp: I agree with you totally! I know most fans wont admit it, but they know they wanted to see if Ice was better than Vick, which he is not. Its the same thing in the NBA each year when the playoffs begin, MOST FANS WANT TO SEE KOBE and LABRON play in the finals to see who is better. LaBron has won a couple of MVP trophies yet the majority of fans know that Kobe is the best player. The best way to decide is if they both are in the same arena at the same time so that you can make your assessments simultaneously.
Joe Tess Fish House
October 18th, 2010
3:59 pm
I have a felling the Falcons wont finish beter then 5 – 12
Realistic Falcon Fan
October 18th, 2010
4:01 pm
MV777777!!11 – Guy WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU WRITING? YOU SOUND VERY IGNORANT AND NOT SLIGHTLY INTELLIGENT. SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE JUST SAYING THINGS WITH NO SUBSTANCE OR FACTS. YOU CONTRADICT YOURSELF. YOU ARE INTITLED TO YOUR OPINION, BUT GOOD LORD MY MAN????????????
ctfalconsfan
October 18th, 2010
4:03 pm
To all the guys talking about luck, I agree teams need to be lucky but they also need to be good.
I’m questioning how good we really are?? Or at least how good is our coaching staff?
I look at the big picture and yes while I love a win against the Saints, 49ers and Browns I also know that we were lucky against the Saints and WE SHOULD HAVE DOMINATED the 49ers and Browns which we didn’t. This is a concern.
The Defense I’ll let slide as they have done a GREAT job, up until yesterday, and are exceeding expectations but our offense is plain terrible. Very few points scored against PITT, 49ERS, Browns, and Eagles. The offense BY FAR is not coming close to even meeting expectations. This needs to be addressed now with the firing of Mike Mularkey..
Firing Mike Mularkey propelled the Steelers into the Super Bowl!!! The time is now to dump the dead weight!
cejay
October 18th, 2010
4:07 pm
ShempHoward
October 18th, 2010
3:54 pm
All I wanted to see yesterday was the MIKE VICK versus MATTY ICE showdown. VICK WOULD HAVE OUTGUNNED AND OUTPERFORMED ICE BY A COUNTRY MILE AND THIS IS ALL I WANTED TO SEE.
———————————————-
Well, at least you got your name right !! hahahaha—- stooge !!
DJ Sniper
October 18th, 2010
4:08 pm
Why are people in here pushing the panic button on Matt Ryan? Some of you act like he’s the second coming of Trent Edwards or any of the other 467 quarterbacks that have played for the Miami Dolphins since Dan Marino retired. I won’t sit here and say that he’s perfect by any means, but he’s not nearly as bad as some of you make him out to be:
1. People are saying that he’s regressed, but looking at his numbers, he’s on pace to throw for just under 3800 yards. He threw for 3440 as a rookie and would have gotten close to that number or surpassed it had he not had the toe turn injury last season.
2. You take Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, or Drew Brees and put them in our offensive system and their numbers probably won’t look so good either. Those three guys play for teams that air the ball out and take deep shots down the field instead of leaning towards the dink and dunk stuff that we run. Also, our pass blocking hasn’t been up to snuff this season, especially yesterday.
This team does have some areas to address in next year’s draft, but QB is not one of them. Open up the playbook and let Ryan have full command of the offense and we will see much different results. We can already see the difference when he runs the no huddle.
MV6
October 18th, 2010
4:10 pm
The flag for unnecessary roughness on the Jets DB was total bs on Lloyd in the Broncos-Jets game, he catches it near the sideline, gets hit & no helmet to helmet bs, & gets flagged for late hit which was a joke! Is this pro football??? or ballet??? The NFL is ruining pro football with all the bs rules, pretty soon all the recievers & running backs will be wearing red no hit jerseys too!
DJ Sniper
October 18th, 2010
4:11 pm
Also, can somebody tell me exactly when Mularkey was given the boot by the Steelers?
cejay
October 18th, 2010
4:15 pm
SeenThisB4 = Cheese Steak = atlapp = Kew = ashcan = shempHoward = MV77777!11
Big O
October 18th, 2010
4:20 pm
Before the season began, I predicted a 10-6 season for the Falcons. It still looks pretty reasonable. I saw one play yesterday where the ball was hiked and Ryan instantly rared up and threw the ball to a sideline receiver before he looked at his other receivers. It turned out Gonzolaz was wide open in the end zone, but Ryan never even looked. So the Falcons QB still has some growing to do along with the other young players before it gets playoff time. Plus despite all the o-line praise I’ve heard, we may need a few better players there yet also.
Falcon Jim
October 18th, 2010
4:21 pm
cejay, that makes the seven faces of Eve! !
HA HA HA
Falcon Jim
October 18th, 2010
4:22 pm
I’ll bet Cheese Steak’s boyfriend wore him out last-night after their victory.
cejay
October 18th, 2010
4:29 pm
Yes, ole Cheese steak, for someone that was here talking so much crap before the game and has not come back to rub our nose in it, makes you think…hhhmmmmmmm. Maybe now that we’ve mentioned him , he’ll “mysteriously” (wink,wink) show up !
Fan
October 18th, 2010
4:35 pm
9 and 7. What a joke. Try 7 and 9. Big hype at the beginning of the season. Now begins the BIG fallout.
cejay
October 18th, 2010
4:36 pm
SeenThisB4 = Cheese Steak = atlapp = Kew = ashcan = shempHoward = MV77777!11 = fan
SawThat1nce
October 18th, 2010
4:40 pm
The Falcons will finish 2010 12-4.
SawThat1nce
October 18th, 2010
4:43 pm
The Eagles had a better game plan yesterday, that was the difference.
SawThat1nce
October 18th, 2010
4:44 pm
I think that going back 15 to 20 years to predict the outcome of the 2010 season, is anti-smart.