Q&A: Sharper tells how they shut down the Falcons
New Orleans
Falcons running back Michael Turner (right) gets stopped for no gain by New Orleans Saints Jo-Lonn Dunbar (left) in the first half. Jason Getz / jgetz@ajc.com
Saints safety Darren Sharper played a key role in shutting down the Falcons offense on Monday night.
He played over the top of Roddy White and helped hold him to three catches for 42 yards.
Here’s what he had to say about the Falcons’ offense after the game.
Q: What was the key to shutting down the Falcons passing attack?
A: The main thing is that we knew who they were going to try to get the ball to. We keyed on certain players. But I think the main thing overall was that we had good coverage overall as a secondary. We have guys that can cover. That’s our strength as a team. They kind of played into our hands.
Q: How did you all stop the run after giving up 208 yards last week?
A: “That was one of our goals. We knew if we didn’t tackle well. It was our goal this week to not allow them to rush the ball. We knew with Michael Turner that was going to be a tough challenge. Our guys up front did a heck of a job and our linebackers did even better by not allowing him to get going.”
Q: How are you all viewing the playoffs? Hoping to still win the NFC South title?
A: “Well, we are in the tournament. That was our main goal. Just to have a chance to be in the tournament. Anything can happen. If Carolina can play their best game of history and beat these guys, we’ll have home field. That’s what we are rooting for. We have to make sure that we take care of our business and beat Tampa Bay, who is playing extremely well right now.”
–D. Orlando Ledbetter
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102 comments Add your comment
Von
December 28th, 2010
10:24 am
To those who say Atlanta didn’t lose anything after the loss….be for real! They lost a lot. A whole lot. “They felt they were invincible at home”. They felt “Matty Ice” couldn’t lose with time left on the clock”. “They knew they really…really should have lost in week to these same (unhealthy at that time) Saints aside from a missed chip shot FG…but the biggest thing that happened Monday night…The Saints cast doubt on the Falcons…now the Packers, Eagles, Bears and especially the Saints know they can come in the Georgia Dome and WIN!
ATLFalconFister
December 28th, 2010
10:27 am
Jborodawg, you contradicted yourself; bland play calling is exactly what you call being predictable.
Who dat?
December 28th, 2010
10:28 am
Trey – 17-14! It hurts bad doesn’t it?
ATLFalconFister
December 28th, 2010
10:28 am
Ive never heard an actual Falcons fan say that the Falcons are invincible at home. For starters no body is invincible anywhere in the nfl.
ATLFalconFister
December 28th, 2010
10:30 am
This is easily the easiest loss to swallow against the saints ive seen in a while. I Much rather face the saints (Still in the Ga Dome) coming off a loss WHEN IT COUNTS!!!!!!!!!!! its a fact that there is not much debate to. The saints where the more desperate team.
Who dat?
December 28th, 2010
10:32 am
ATLFalconFister – Way to spin it to make yourself feel better about getting beat!
Nick P.
December 28th, 2010
10:45 am
who dat:
how did you spin it when the falcons rolled into the superdome and kickced your butt in first matchup? fair is fair, both games were very even and at each others homefield, I dont know how anyone could conclude anything other than two very evenly matched up teams.
Who dat?
December 28th, 2010
10:52 am
Nick P. – I wouldn’t go as far as saying you guys kicked our butts. Our kicker missed a 29 yard FG in OT to win the game. I would call it more like being extremely lucky. But way to spin it to make yourself believe that you kicked our butts.
JONESBORO SLIM
December 28th, 2010
10:58 am
Saints win…yes but the end to this rival will be the rematch back here in three weeks…if YOU make it to the second round?…Sunday we’ll close out the season with Carolina here..not looking at it as an easy win..we’ll have a week to rest up for whom ever…so Saints take this WIN… you needed it more than us…but if that was your BEST I’ll give you a 4….good day….
Von
December 28th, 2010
11:00 am
You’re right FalconFister…the Saints were the more desperate team based simply on the playoff implications…but more importantly…they showed they’re the better team. I’ve been saying it all year. The Falcons are very good, but not on the same level as the Saints yet. This was the big stage…MNF…The time for the Falcons to show everyone they are elite by beating the champs. They didn’t. It showed last night…from coaching on down.
Nick P.
December 28th, 2010
11:06 am
who dat:
one could argue that without the goaline fumble you would have lost again, to me there is no difference between a kicker missing a chipshot and a nonfumbling running back fumbling on the GOAL LINE, if we were lucky, then you were lucky as well! The game is full of moments like this, it goes with the territory, so luck is how you comfort your self after the first loss to us then it works for us the same way as well!
Nick P.
December 28th, 2010
11:08 am
who dat:
also, dont forget that you only actually had one successful drive against us, the other was result of our centers fumble (nothing to do with Aints defense), falcons shot themselves in the foot, really not the result of saints ferocious offense!
stendek
December 28th, 2010
11:13 am
Only fans who have been with Falcons since 1966 understand how truly deep this home defeat goes. New fans do not have a clue! First of all the Falcons are the Rodney Dangerfield of NFL. No respect. I must admit that respect has yet to be earned despite misleading overall record. This was a MUST WIN game for FALCONS! It does not matter if Falcons rip Panthers 100-0. Damage has already been done! Saints now KNOW they can defeat Falcons in Georgia Dome. Falcon defense will never play any better! Falcon offense can perform even worse. Does not bode well for possible third meeting in playoffs even at hallowed Dome. Anyone watch movie Replacements? Remember that well. With exception of missed tackles on blizes plus long late Saint drive I have never seen Falcon D perform so gallantly or courageously. Did somebody resurrect the Grits Blitz of Jerry Glanville? Sure looked like it! Offense resembled those of Chris Miller or Jeff George. Three plays then punt! The Saints said well in advance that, “We are coming to your house, slap your mother, beat you up, have our way with your sister then broadcast the entire scenario to the whole world.” THEN THEY DID! Guess Roddy White was too busy texting his greatness to bother catching any passes in most important game in Falcon franchise history. Thanks Roddy! Oh and thanks for that goal line fumble which kept Saints alive Michael Turner. Overrated untalented bum! Do not even get me started on the heartless Falcon center. A team destined for greatness would have kicked the Saints back to the Bayou then wished then well for another similiar treatment in a few weeks. Falcon offense rolled over and died! If Matt Ryan wishes to be considered among elite he MUST win games like this one! Such a defensive performance simply cannot be wasted. The Saints will adjust completely if there is a third meeting. Book on that! This one hurts as much if not more than playoff losses to Cowboys and Cardinals. Those were winnable too!
STENDEK
JONESBORO SLIM
December 28th, 2010
11:14 am
Right you are NICK P…I don’t think the Falcons showed their full hand…Saints didn’t look that good…and they did limit Roddy, and Tony on catches but Jenkins was never stopped….Saint had to have this win…..the way they played I don’t think they will make it back here in three weeks….
The Joker...
December 28th, 2010
11:15 am
Right on Nick P!!!!
It is funny how ESPN and sAINT’S Fans constantly talk about the Falcons getting lucky in Week 3 with that ’so called’ lucky chip shot field goal in overtime, but if they had examined the game completely, they would have realized that the sAINT’S were given great (lucky) opportunities to stay in that game; thus, meaning that that game should had never gone in to Overtime in the first place!!!! The real luck was that weird fumble by McClure along with that rare fumble by Turner on the goal line….
Nick P.
December 28th, 2010
11:23 am
who dat:
one more thing, if you are such an awesome team and defending superbowl winners, how come now for two games in a row you cant blow away or solidly beat the falcons? if we are as lucky which means really not good of a team, then how come you guys have so much trouble with us? How come the rest of the league has not been able to blow us out yet, the only solid loss we had this year was against the Eagles at their home field, are other two losses combined were by less than a touchdown (a loss in Pitt in OT by three, and by three to Aints), anyways, I have feeling you maybe a fifteen year old aints fan who does not really understand the game of football!
The Joker...
December 28th, 2010
11:24 am
Was just on msn.com and its also funny how the writers along with other sAINT’S Fans are running their mouths as if they just won back to back SuperBowl’s or in the sAINT’S case, the “Fluke Bowl”… when we tell it like it is we are called ‘Jealous Haters”, that’s fine with me, whatever it takes to get the point across…. We are not running and holding our heads down over one loss in our house, it was bound to happen one day… and it probably was going to happen to our arch rivals in a game in which they needed the win a little more than we did…It’s only going to make the Falcons stronger come playoff time…. Not trying to make excuses over the loss, we are just calling it as we see it… Bring on the Second Round of the Playoffs!!!!!!! We are Ready!!!!!!!!
stendek
December 28th, 2010
11:28 am
All corrupt members of officiating crew which calls dubious dual pass intererence should be fired on the spot! And about that roughing the punter call which was downgraded to running into for benefit of Saints…:(
STENDEK
Nick P.
December 28th, 2010
11:35 am
Do we have anothe returner outside of Weems? it seems like in big games, he plays it too conservatively, i wish he would stop calling for fair catches and try more returns, we needed better field position, on one kick, the ball took a bunch of friendly waist high bounces and he refused to charge the ball and try and make a return out of it, we just were too gun shy in this game, we should have taken a bit more chances and at least tried to hit roddy on a long ball more often, he can out jump and out most of the aints defense if you would just commit to going to him more.
JONESBORO SLIM
December 28th, 2010
11:42 am
Stendek
Lets just take the lose for what it was and not blame the officiating crew…we GAVE them points by our own mistakes…I still say they didn’t see our full game plan….
Nick P.
December 28th, 2010
11:47 am
The saints did not beat the falcons, the falcons beat the falcons! as good as saints are supposed to be and as much as all the analysts are on the saints side, stroking it behind their computer screens, if the saints are as good as everyone wants them to be, how come they have yet to actually beat the falcons in a dominating fashion, after all we split the season and both games were decided by three points, only one real drive by the saints, but beneficiaries of two rare falcon turnovers, seems like the falcons beat the falcons, not that saints actually beat them.
True Falcon
December 28th, 2010
11:56 am
The Falcons Defense played a very solid game. As for Offense, the Saints left it up to Matt Ryan to beat them. They loaded the box to stop the run and played bump and run coverage and They tackled well on short our usual short routes. Matt Ryan will not throw the deep ball and cannot throw accurately for over 15 yards. The run would have been better if we had run straight at them. The Saints where killing our traps and stretch plays by getting up field.
1911A1
December 28th, 2010
12:07 pm
What was expected to be an offensive shootout turned out to be a defensive slugfest. Falcons D did a great job of pressuring Brees; Saints D did a good job taking away our running game. Both teams’ offenses were off-balance as a result.
Tony G. put it well in a post-game interview when he described this loss as a wake-up call. I expect to see an even better-prepared squad as we take on the Panthers and head into the post-season.
Nick P.
December 28th, 2010
12:21 pm
there is going to be slaughtering of panthers next sunday to be forgiven by the falcon gods! you can count on that! what happens afterwards in theplayoffs no one knows because anyhting is possible in the playoffs, just ask the 1998 vikings which were picked to be in the superbowl by everyone before the falcons handed them their heads and took their place.
T'VILLE DAWG
December 28th, 2010
1:05 pm
It seems the biggest play that happened but didn’t had the most impact, Roddy White cathches the ball down to the Aints 45 and the spineless official calls interference on both players. I have never seen such a thing in my life. It’s like 2 people betting heads or tails and 1 won’t bet because the coin he says is going to land on it’s edge, 1 time in a bazillion could it happen. The league has got to say something about it.
Mac
December 28th, 2010
1:06 pm
The Falcons have NEVER been worth a dam on Monday night football!!
Really & truly their record is much better than most of us expected..although against weaker teams!
I don’t see them advanceing in the playoffs..they might win one game..if that!
They just don’t have the offensive line..the defense is suspect at best!
jalex49
December 28th, 2010
1:10 pm
Lack of Class- Saints taking photo’s and stomping around on the Falcon logo. I hope the falcons never do something so disrespectable and stupid.
We won in N.O. and they won here. It’s a wash, no matter how you look at it!
Go Falcons.. put this behind you and concentrate of Carolina. There’s a lot at stake and you need to come through. Go Tampa Bay!!!
earltp
December 28th, 2010
1:23 pm
can someone explain to me why there was no review to re-spot the ball for third down as replay clearly showed the NO runner’s knee down over a yard from the gain line…not 2 chain links? What if his knee had touched 5 yards away and the refs missed it too? The dive for first down could have been more easily stopped and they have to punt instead of running out the clock.
mark
December 28th, 2010
1:35 pm
The saints did a good job shutting our passing game down, too many 3 and outs. We should have been more up tempo from the start, their defense works best when they are able to match formations and work in certin blitzes and coverages. Best drive of the night was in hurry up. Who cares how we are precieved, I watched a game last night were neither team looked that good on offense and made some really bad mistakes. Bring on the Saints Green Bay, Chicago the Eagles we will lock up home field and strap in and rock and roll.
terrell
December 28th, 2010
1:42 pm
Ed Hochuli = FAIL. Get this bum out of the league. Horrible calls, year, after year, after year.
FHZ
December 28th, 2010
2:02 pm
Falcons are too tight early in games..big games. Short play-calling with one very good WR.
I picked The Saints, and I will pick them again until the tight-offense loosens a bit, and they add more pass rush which won’t be until after The NFL Lock-out of 2011.
They’re defense appeared this game, I don’t see it holding up past The Saints, Bears, or Eagles.
No Mid-season trades.. No pass rush. Atlanta teams don’t feel the need to shake things up while they are winning. They wait for awful seasons to start certain players of others..
Their goal “5 year plan”, and it will take another season before they possibly win a Supervowl.
Von
December 28th, 2010
2:23 pm
The Falcons are what they are…a very good team. However, they have no back up plan based on their type of game. They are a run first time possession team. If the run is shut down they cannot win simply by throwing the ball. The Saints showed they can do both. They’ve obtained an 11-4 record with all of their starting RB’s missing at least six games. Bree’s can carry them and man did he prove that last night. The Falcon’s DO NOT want to play this team again. They might want to become huge Ram or Seahawk fans once the playoffs kick in.
JBK
December 28th, 2010
3:14 pm
Congrats to the Saints, they were the better team on Monday. However the Who Dat thing is getting quite annoying. You sound like someone who just got time off from your job at Taco Bell and saved every penny you have to buy a ticket.
Sorry, I forgot it was Burger King.
FairweatherFan
December 28th, 2010
3:18 pm
You can’t argue with their record but in the playoffs, the Falcons are going to be easy to defend and beat by the elite teams. One of the main things they need to do is stop running Turner on that slow-developing wide play where they’re zone-blocking and he is to hit the hole that is “supposed” to open somewhere. He is way too slow for this to work, and it hasn’t worked at all the last few games. He needs to run straight ahead and stop wasting plays. Our offense struggles when we have so many no-gain plays.
WhoDatBabee!!
December 28th, 2010
3:21 pm
You Falcons fans need to stop with the whining!!!! Get over it, we beat y’all! It don’t matter by how many points or how we did it, WE BEAT THE ATLANTA FALCONS IN THE GEORGIA DOME ON 12/27/10………You all have come up with every excuse in the book for the reason we won. fact of the matter is WE WON!!!!! and to the blogger calling the fans “Falcon Nation” I needyou to back the hell back with that saying!!!!!!! only team that has a nation of fans is the New Orleans Saints and we are the WHO DAT NATION!!!!!! y’all want everything we have even a SUPERBOWL RING!!!! but you won’t get none this year……..WHO DAT! WE DAT! REPEAT DAT!!!!!!
Falster
December 28th, 2010
3:24 pm
This is by far the most accurate comment (quote) of the day!…”Defense won it for the Saints and all the media talked about was Drew Brees. Brees is the one that kept the falcons in the game.
Anyway hates off to the Saints, defense showed up, stopped Turner, won the game despite Brees.”
BigTimeTECHFan
markit
December 28th, 2010
3:25 pm
I see some good positive comments from a segment the ATL. Really it’s what you have to do at this point because it’s been a good year. The record and the book says you should go far. History says that the Superbowl was within reach for 50% of the teams in your position. I think you’ll have home field throughout but I don’t tend to doubt that you’ll win the first playoff game. The fact is you haven’t really done anything and until you do, the talk is of the other segment of fans is just goofy and naive. It’s hard to explain but there’s just something about bad karma that talk like they had before the game leads to. It’s bluster and hyperbole because deep down you have doubts about whether this is really it. What changes that? Simple, a player or two on the field making the play when you absolutely must have it. I see big plays, all game long by the Falcons but not when you really need it against a team you must beat to put to rest some demons. I see it in big games for you this season also, but again so what if you lose to Baltimore, you still knew you had the Saints at home so how big is it really? You really needed this game more than you think. To say as “RC in the ATL” or others said, that you didn’t want it is just wishful thinking. When was the last time you thought Pittsburgh or NE thought, “hmm let’s only beat this division rival once this year in case we see them in the playoffs. Let’s take it less seriously and throw all our eggs into next week, because there are never upsets in the NFL”. Too funny really, but if it gets you through the day… For all the talk of Saints fans, and I agree some of it is inane, they can talk with confidence because they have done it many times since 2006. Not all the time, but enough that they are at least sure that they have a good a shot at doing it in any game they absolutely need like last night’s.
markit
December 28th, 2010
4:16 pm
Nick P, it’s clear you love your team but dude you have lost sight of the fact that in any NFL game, there is another team trying to beat you. McClure had a brain fart because he was worried about a defense that was in their grills all night. The Saints beat the Falcons. Ryan played below his standard because of the Saints defense. Brees played below his standards also, but in the end he made enough plays to win. Ryan did not. If he connects on some more passes they might have won and then you’d have nothing to say about play calls. But another team was on the field making it hard on him. I hope you have the suicide hotline number for next week because bad as they are the Panthers get paid also. You’ll still win but it may not be pretty because that’s how the NFL works.
SeenThisB4
December 28th, 2010
5:17 pm
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
drmondo
December 28th, 2010
5:57 pm
On top of all that, the Saints added insult to injury by having their pictures taken at the Georgia Dome near the team emblem. Talk about classless. I didn’t have a problem with the team before, just some of their “fans”. Now I think their lowlifes who deserve to be stomped in the playoffs. I hope we get to face them again and beat them down. Show no respect. They don’t deserve it.
mars
December 28th, 2010
6:53 pm
Playbook didn’t get opened. We just proved we could hang with the Super Bowl champs without really trying. We just saw a game of “bluff” by the coaches.
FalconsFan4Ever!
December 28th, 2010
7:48 pm
Guess what, nobody earns respect in the regular season. The only way you earn respect is by getting to the big show and winning. Make no mistake, it was a painful loss last night because it was to our division rival, but the overall goal is still achievable. We’ll see the Saints again, and that time it’ll be for the right to go to the NFC championship game.
WhoDatBabee!!
December 28th, 2010
7:51 pm
They didn’t stomp on the Falcons head, they only took a picture on it!!!! Something they have been doing for years when they play on the road and win!!!!! We have more class then any Falcons player can ever have, our players don’t go around trashing talking like that punk ass Roddy White did!!!!!!!
WhoDatBabee!!
December 28th, 2010
7:55 pm
All you ATL fans………KICK ROCKS!!!!!!!!!
drmondo
December 28th, 2010
8:02 pm
They leave the B*S* trashtalking to bandwagon fans?
Blake
December 29th, 2010
12:41 pm
It just chaps the Saints fans hides that Atlanta Is playing this well and that makes me feel very warm and fuzzy!
Blake
December 29th, 2010
12:44 pm
You know, they would be talkin’ the same smack to Bucs and Panther fans If their teams we’re In our position….how odd and funny they Is!
Blake
December 29th, 2010
12:47 pm
We’re about to take the division and home field away from you regardless of your win over us….We put ourselves In this position…How bout’ that for a dose of humble pie!
Blake
December 29th, 2010
12:51 pm
BTW…the Bucs may just smack you down In your building and then It wouldn’t matter anyway.It would be like watching a pack of wild vermin retreating to the coast….
RC in the ATL
December 30th, 2010
4:28 am
Markit,
Do you not read well? I never said the Falcons did not want this game. What I said was this game meant less to them than to NO. ATL was already in the playoffs, and needs to beat a 2-13 team at home to clinch everything. NO needed to win to make the playoffs.
And the Falcons did not lose to Baltimore…or Cleveland, for that matter…which is why NO does not control their own destiny next week. So why are you wasting your time talking about irrelevant things like games that Atlanta “could have” lost…games that NO in fact, did lose.
There really isn’t much subjectivity to this fact…if two teams are playing, and one has clinched a playoff berth and the other has not, then the team that has not clinched yet needs the game more than the team that has. That is what I said. Did NOT say the Falcons didn’t want the game.
I also pointed out that the Falcons perhaps did not open up the entire playbook, as a result, so as to save some stuff for a future game. And personally, I kind of think it was kinda stupid for one of the NO players to come right out and explain NO game plan for stopping Atlanta. You don’t think those words won’t be reviewed before the next time these two teams play?