Playoff six pack: Matty Ice likes the Ice
Who wants to hit the sled? (D. Orlando Ledbetter/dledbetter@ajc.com)
FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan completed 24 of 28 passes in the team’s previous game against the Packers, but averaged only 5.9 yards per pass play.
The Packers’ zone-blitz package forced Ryan to get the ball out quickly.
“There are certain things you have to adjust to quicker compared to other defenses you get,” Ryan said. “There’s a lot of different looks that you get, but with that said, you don’t want to be out there playing too fast. As a quarterback, sometimes that can hurt you.”
The Packers sacked Ryan twice in the previous game. The Falcons spent part of their bye week working on zone-blitz looks in order to make sure there were no free runners to the quarterback.
Here’s today’s playoff six-pack:
-
Falcons get biggest bang for their playoff buck
-
INJURY REPORT: Owens could take over at nickel back
- Mike Smith, Mike Mularkey lauded by The Sporting News
-
Key matchup: Packers’ run offense vs. Falcons’ run defense
-
Ticket market weakens for Falcons’ game
-
Two-minute drill: Q&A with Curtis Lofton
–D. Orlando Ledbetter
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85 comments Add your comment
SawThat1nce
January 13th, 2011
12:20 pm
The Packers don’t have any blogs?
MKEphil
January 13th, 2011
12:21 pm
Hey Lister, Big Black, Wendell –
Why the hate?
It’s a football game. Between 2 very good teams. Falcons are favored and should be. 13-3 isn’t an accident. Packers are overachieving …have 14 on IR, including 6 starters and 4 more regulars. At ROLB, the current guy is the 7th string, the other six in front of him have all got injured. But the replacements are doing OK and the Packers have scoring weapons and a creative defense. Falcons balance is hard to break down. Should be tight game.
Packers fans generally are not jerks, no need for you to be. Let’s enjoy, OK?
SawThat1nce
January 13th, 2011
12:21 pm
Falcons will win by ten.
Common Sense
January 13th, 2011
12:29 pm
Just to bring you back to reality for a second, if you are going to compare stats between Rodgers and Ryan, you must first remember that Rodgers missed the equivalent of two full games with concussions. If he plays those games you can tack on another 500 yards and 5-7 TDs. He is also the most efficient passer of all time. That is a statistical fact, not an opinion. That is why you hear talking heads rave about him on NFLN and ESPN. Matt Ryan is good, no doubt. In a few years there is no doubt in my mind he will be top 5 on 100 of 100 ballots. For now though, the better QB this weekend is wearing green and gold.
old timer
January 13th, 2011
12:43 pm
Go Gabby Giffords!
ctfalconsfan
January 13th, 2011
12:43 pm
Ryan – Pro Bowler, Rogers is not in!!
That ends that discussion.
SawThat1nce
January 13th, 2011
1:00 pm
Two very good QBs, the stats don’t mean anything.
The most important stats will be turnovers.
If the Refs will call at least 25% of the penalties commited, that will be another important stat, as it will cripple the Packers defense with penalties.
The Packers are a good team, but they are not as good as they are being hyped up, to be.
Ghostrider
January 13th, 2011
1:18 pm
Johnny Fever
January 13th, 2011
11:47 am
Where are the saint idiots?
Aints Fans…..One and Done……
Ghostrider
January 13th, 2011
1:25 pm
I dont care If the Falcons win by 1…as long as they get the “W”
bucky44
January 13th, 2011
1:42 pm
The only way the Packers lose this game is if the refs give it to the Falcons. It’s obvious, even with all their injuries, that Green Bay is the better team. You Atlanta fans will find that out on Saturday night.
ctfalconsfan
January 13th, 2011
1:47 pm
Hey ghostrider, the aints and eagles fans fell by the wayside like the packer fans will come Sat night..
Next week we won’t have any packer fans but we’ll have to put up with bear fans on here telling how they are going to beat us.. It just goes with the territory of being #1!!
truth
January 13th, 2011
1:51 pm
bucky44
January 13th, 2011
1:42 pm
The only way the Packers lose this game is if the refs give it to the Falcons. It’s obvious, even with all their injuries, that Green Bay is the better team. You Atlanta fans will find that out on Saturday night.
BWAAA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!! Congrats! You have won the Idiot Of The Day Award with that post. Moronic cheeseturd.
Reality Check
January 13th, 2011
2:09 pm
Why are Falcons playoff ticket sales down?
bucky44
January 13th, 2011
2:16 pm
Sorry if the TRUTH hurts. An organization as stupid as Atlanta’s that trades away a future Hall of Fame QB (you know who I’m talkin about) doesn’t deserve to win. Besides, you guys are the most pathetic fans in professional sports! Just ask the Falcons, Hawks, and Braves. We around America read about it everyday.
ctfalconsfan
January 13th, 2011
2:16 pm
RC, these are tough economic times and fans know ATL will beat the pack so they are saving their money for the Championship.
Regardless, the game is sold out..
ctfalconsfan
January 13th, 2011
2:19 pm
bucky44, i can tell u aren’t too bright..
Everyone knows favre would have been out of the league after a couple of seasons down here because he partied hard. Playing in GB there was (still is) nothing else to do there so he focused on football. Favre has stated this himself..
regardless of our fans, ATL is going to win big time on SAT night..
bucky44
January 13th, 2011
2:59 pm
Actually ctfalconsfan…………Wisconsin was voted the #1 party State. Whether or not that’s a good thing is open for debate. You guys keep rippin on our State. I can tell ya it’s the most beautiful State in all America! I wouldn’t change it for the world. Besides what the heck is so good about Georgia?? ” Favre would have been out of the league after a couple of seasons”? Keep tellin yourselves that. Don’t ever recall hearing himself say that.
Ken Strickland
January 13th, 2011
4:12 pm
MILWAUKEE SPORTS FAN-Unlike Milwaukee fans, Atlanta fans have far more to do than siting in the stands eating cheese and jumping up and down cheering until their blockage clears up. Besides, you’re playing in the ATL, so your 90yr history won’t do you any good. Enjoy the ice, snow and cold weather, because that’s about all you’ll get to enjoy come Saturday night.
BUCKY44-Farve’s problem in Atlanta was his inability to deal with the vibrant night life here, and his drinking. It’s odd that he could come to what you claim is the nations #1 party state, and immediately turn everything around. Making beer and cheese, and consuming large quanitities of both, doesn’t automatically make your Wisconsin a party state.
ln29576
January 13th, 2011
4:32 pm
Falaints’, aint never won a superbowl. Better hope you don’t run into the other birds in the superbowl. And I don’t mean the seahags
old timer
January 13th, 2011
4:32 pm
I come in here because I am a big Braves fan and post a little during baseball season. It’s easy for me to pop in and the discussion is mostly intelligent, as it is with the Braves. Any Packer fan who doesn’t fear the Falcons is not very bright, but that cuts both ways. You gotta fear the Pack just as much. A last-second, 3-point win set up by a penalty isn’t exactly making Packer fans think we are overmatched here. Still, I think the Falcons outplayed the Pack that day and a Packer win would have been a steal, which of course you always take if you can get it. It’s just too bad that this isn’t the NFC championship game and the winner is going to face off against the AFC because these are the two best NFC teams. That’s probably how it will work out, but you never know. Chicago/Seattle can win on any given Sunday.
randy regal
January 13th, 2011
4:39 pm
after reading comments from atlanta fans all week it shows how classless they really are, falcons are a good team too bad there fans are morons
ctfalconsfan
January 13th, 2011
4:43 pm
in29?? – FYI.. FALCONS would not play Seahawks in SB as they are also in the NFC…
- If you are referring to BAL winning the SB they probably have less of a chance than Seattle..
PITT owns you and Flacco plus you wouldn’t get by NE either.
Both you and the pack need to be happy with the season you have had but the ride is about to end for both these teams..
Indumb
January 13th, 2011
4:48 pm
In29whatever, might be better if resisted that urge to type today. The more you do, the dumber you sound.
randy regal
January 13th, 2011
4:51 pm
atlanta fans are right along philly fans rotten!!!
bucky44
January 13th, 2011
5:07 pm
Old Timer-I do agree with everything you said except the “fearing the Falcons”comment. We fear nobody. I do feel this is the NFC championship game too.
Ken Strickland-Favre use to appear on a Packer TV show that was hosted by Paul Hornung. He was drunk everytime he was on that show. He had the same problem here until Deanna got him off of alcohol. Just ask his old drinking buddies, Frank Winters and Mark Chmura how much he liked to drink. He always said the problem with Atlanta was Jerry Glanville. And I’m sure seeing Deion Sanders and MC Hammer fondling each other on the sidelines didn’t go over well with him either.
ln29576
January 13th, 2011
5:29 pm
ctfalconsfan and lndumb, fact remains,
Falaints ant never won a superbow.
Ed the bag
January 13th, 2011
5:35 pm
The inferiority complex of Atlanta sports fans is stunning…I pity all of them.
Ed the bag
January 13th, 2011
6:09 pm
True Falcon Fan – Will you be here on Sunday, win or lose? You talk a good game, let’s see if you can back it up and eat some crow on Sunday (if necessary).
Not sure what you meant by “Today your playoff QB record…”, but the Packers have been a contender almost every year since the early 90’s. Since ‘91, the Packers have appeared in 24 playoff games, including 2 Super Bowls, with a record of 13 – 11. During that same period, the Falcons have appeared in 11 playoff games, including 1 Super Bowl, with a record of 5 – 6.
As a fan who who sticks with his team through the good and the bad, I’ll take GB’s recent history over your scrubs all day long, and that includes this Saturday.
See you here on Sunday, if you have the guts…but I doubt you will. Guys like you tend to turn into jelly when the going gets tough. No matter, I will getting fired up to watch what will most likely be the hightest rated TV event of all time…Packers vs. Bears for the NFC championship at Soldier field!!! You know, two teams that actually matter in the NFL.
OldTimer
January 13th, 2011
6:35 pm
The Packers assume that they are going to win this game. I can’t stop them from winning it. Only the Atlanta Falcons can.
Snap the damn ball.
randy regal
January 13th, 2011
6:44 pm
oldtime may the best team win!!!
old man
January 13th, 2011
7:44 pm
hey, old timer, nice to meet you!
ICE2
January 13th, 2011
7:58 pm
Hudson grille in mid-town is having a packers peprally friday night. I used to love that place..I will never go again….TURNCOATS….Be careful turning your back on your city as it may do the same to you……RISE UP ATL……
old timer
January 13th, 2011
9:05 pm
Lot of old guys on here. Old Timer, you are right. None of us can decide it. Let’s snap the ball indeed.
D man
January 14th, 2011
9:05 am
Matt Ryan- time to grow up and shut all of these nye Sayers up. You have a great opportunity to take the next step upward. Don’t leave the field with any regrets. Failure is not an option. The only option is winning. Lead this team of well prepared men to victory. There is not a finer set of men playing football anywhere in this great nation. You are the one who will lead them through the turmoil of 60 minutes of battle. Fear nothing but defeat. Rise up young man, it’s your time…
Ken Strickland
January 14th, 2011
10:47 am
BUCKY44-I didn’t know what straightened him out, but I knew he didn’t go cold turkey immediately after arriving in Green Bay. At any rate, it’s not how many times you fall down that counts, it’s how many times yor managed to get up, and he got up big time, to his credit. And Jerry Glanville was an egotistical, self serving, attention craving moron.
He parlayed one successful season into an image that he couldn’t live up to. However, he did have to contend with the worst owners in Football, the Clampetts(Smith family)who dismantled the team rather than spend money to resign key players. They weren’t concerned with winning. The Falcons were nothing more than a huge tax writeoff to them.
Packer fans like to make a big deal of what they think is a vaunted DEF. But when you consider they’re ranked 18th in stopping the run, which is below average, and running the ball is what we do best and often, you’d think they’d have enough sense to notice the problems this presents for them.
They do have an excellent pass DEF, but we don’t have to rely on the pass, they do. Why, because they don’t have much of a rushing OFF, which makes them one dimensional. I believe the Falcons rushing DEF is ranked 10th in the NFL. So, Packer fans, here’s the INTELLIGENT, LOGICAL, COMMON SENSE analysis of the gm.
1-A solid Falcon rushing DEF against a weak Packer rushing OFF.
2-A solid Falcon rushing OFF against a weak Packer rushing DEF.
3-A well balanced Falcon OFF vs a one dimensional Packer OFF.
4-A solid Falcon special team against a Packer special team that cost them the gm against the Falcons.
5-The 13-3, division winning, #1 seed Falcons, against the 10-6, lowest seeded Packers, who have a losing 3-5 road record.
6-A Packer team that’s already lost once to the Falcons this yr.
7-Playing the Falcons in the GA Dome, where they’ve only lost 2 gms in 3yrs with Matty Ice at QB.
8-A Packer team that thrives on capitolizes on taking advantage of other teams mistakes vs a team that makes the fewest mistakes, and has the fewest penalties, in the NFL.
9-A Packer team that’s one dimensional and extremely dependent upon the arm of its Probowl QB vs a Falcon team that relies on the arm of its Probowl QB, the legs and blocking of its Probowl RB’s, and the hands of it Probowl WR and TE.
10-GOOD LUCK PACKER FANS, YOU’LL NEED ALL YOU CAN GET TOMORROW NIGHT, BECAUSE THE ATLANTA “DIRTY BIRD” FALCONS ARE GOING TO THROW OUT SOME STINKING CHEESE.