5 reasons why the Falcons must beat Lions
- Andrew, Allen and Denise McMillan are big supporters of Matthew Stafford. (This was taken during Stafford’s first mini-camp with the Lions in May of 2009.) (By D. Orlando Ledbetter/Dledbetter@ajc.com)
FLOWERY BRANCH — The 2011 season hasn’t started quite exactly the way the Falcons envisioned.
“They haven’t had what they would consider a great start to the season,” Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said. ”But we can’t let them get on track.”
But they haven’t fallen completely off the map like say Minnesota (1-5), Indianapolis (0-6), Jacksonville (1-5) and Denver (1-4).
Here’s why the game against Detroit is so important.
If the Falcons can beat a team with a winning record they could establish a degree of legitimacy as a playoff contender. (It might be wise to forgot about the Super Bowl stuff, for now. That’s a pipe dream until they start stopping folks on third down. They are last in the league at 49 percent in third down inefficiency.)
The Falcons have victories over Philadelphia (2-4), Seattle (2-3), and Carolina (1-5). They have been beaten by Chicago (3-3), Tampa Bay (4-2) and Green Bay (6-0). There’s a pattern in there somewhere.
So here are five reasons why the Falcons must beat the Detroit Lions:
1. Beat a winner: The defending NFC South Champs need to knock off the upstart Lions (5-1) at Ford Field to show that they can beat a team with a winning record before going into the bye week.
2. Conference play: The Falcons already have three conference losses, one of the key playoff tiebreakers.
3. Consistency: They need to break another hideous pattern: L-W-L-W-L-W. They have been up and down this season and have not played with “consistency.”
4. Wildcard race: Barring a Wayne Fontes-styled collapse, the Lions will likely be at the playoff finish line. The Falcons need to get the head-to-head advantage over one of the NFC North teams. The Lions and Falcons could finish 10-6 like Green Bay and Tampa Bay did last season. Green Bay got the last seed and Tampa Bay was at home. We know how that worked out.
5. Better vacation: I’m sure the bye week is much more enjoyable for the team coming of a W.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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112 comments Add your comment
DHD
October 20th, 2011
5:54 pm
Only one reason to win….that is to win. What else is there?
to runforever
October 20th, 2011
6:31 pm
You talking about and 0-16 team that turner ran for over two hundred yards. Lions cleaned house and started over. Turner will not be running forever.If he gets a hundred yards he will be doing good. I hope he does run and get yards. That is the only way falcons win. They will not win with Ryan throwing forty times.Ryan is a clock manager. Not Pass to win QB like Brees, Brady , Rodgers and Stafford.
J.J.M.
October 20th, 2011
8:43 pm
no way grimes will guard megatron
Jordan
October 20th, 2011
9:20 pm
Isportsweb.com is planning to have a live chat during Sunday’s game, so come on by and chat it up with me and the other correspondents. Expect my usual preview post to make a link appearance in these comments tomorrow
DR. FALCON
October 21st, 2011
12:53 am
MATT STAFFORD PROBABLY HAS THE STRONGEST ARM IN THE LEAGUE! CHANCES ARE, THAT OUR SECONDARY WON’T SEE ANOTHER ARM LIKE THIS ALL YEAR! I’VE SEEN STAFFORD THROW LASER BEAMS DURING HIS 3 YEARS IN ATHENS. ACCURACY HAS ALWAYS BEEN HIS PROBLEM THOUGH. IF WE DON’T SACK STAFFORD, IT WILL BE A LONG AFTERNOON! SORRY MATTHEW, LOVE UGA, BUT HATE YOU THIS WEEK!!
Fantasy football: Start/Sit for Week 7 – amNY | Pro Football Insanity
October 21st, 2011
4:44 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
NoJoke
October 21st, 2011
9:33 am
The worst thing that could have happened is that Detroit lost last week. They no longer have the pressure of no losses. Atlanta’s D is not the 49ers by a long shot Calvin Johnsonon on Grimes or Robinson? are you kidding me.Atlanta dont have the offensive line that the 49ers had so stop comparing them. The Falcons best bet is a big dose of Turner and that wont be enough. Detroits run stopper Durant had been out the two previous games against chicago’s Forte and 49ers Gore. When he played, KC’s Charles and Minnesota’s Peterson and Tbay’s Blount all under went under 60 yards. He will be back this week and Turner wont look like Gore or Forte. Ryan not as mobile as Alex Smith and he will be gotten to early and often by Suhpa Man. Detroit 24-17
NoJoke
October 21st, 2011
9:35 am
runforever, the only two players from that 0-16 team is the kicker Hanson, O lineman Backus, and a rookie Calvin Johnson. dont believe the hype
NoJoke
October 21st, 2011
9:36 am
correction 3 players
NoJoke
October 21st, 2011
9:39 am
Lions rookie RB draft pick Leshoure out with torn Achilles in first game of training camp, he was expexted to be the starter. I am looking forward to these Atlanta and Detroit teams being real good for a while
Jordan
October 22nd, 2011
12:52 am
http://isportsweb.com/2011/10/22/falcons-head-motor-city-take-on-lions/
jojo
October 23rd, 2011
12:21 am
Go Birds!!! Matt Stafford will have a good day tho.