Atlanta Falcons clinch NFC South title, get closer to top playoff seed
November 29, 2012 - Atlanta, Ga: The Atlanta Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud (28) jumps on the back of safety William Moore after Moore's first of two interceptions in their 23-13 win over the New Orleans Saints at the Georgia Dome Thursday night in Atlanta, Ga., November 29, 2012. JASON GETZ / JGETZ@AJC.COM
The calendar turned to December since the Falcons last played.
It’s the time of year when big football plans start to materialize.
“It’ll be fun for the teams involved,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “It ought to be fun for the fans and it’s going to be fun for the coaches. Football in December, it can’t get any better.”
The Falcons (11-1) wrapped up the NFC South title on Sunday. Denver’s 31-23 win over Tampa Bay (6-6) gave the Falcons a five-game lead with four games to play. New Orleans (5-7) is on playoff-life support and Carolina (3-9) is getting ready for next season.
The Falcons also picked up games on San Francisco (8-3-1) and Chicago (8-4) in the race for one of the top two playoffs seeds in the NFC, which come with a bye and a spot in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Falcons earned at least one home playoff game.
The playoff picture started to take shape after Sunday’s action.
In the AFC, Denver clinched the AFC West title, New England clinched the AFC East title and Houston clinched a playoff berth.
The Falcons will close out the regular season with games at Carolina at 1 p.m. Sunday, New York Giants on Dec. 16 at the Georgia Dome, at Detroit on Dec. 22 and Tampa Bay on Dec. 30 at the Georgia Dome.
If the Falcons sweep, they would have a franchise-best 15-1 mark. The 1998 Falcons, the franchise’s lone Super Bowl team, finished 14-2 under coach Dan Reeves.
The Falcons are the sixth team to start 11-1 since the NFL adopted a 16-game schedule with the 1978 season. Only one of them – the 1991 Washington Redskins – went on to win the Super Bowl.
The 1984 Miami Dolphins, who started 11-1, lost in Super Bowl XIX. The 1990 San Francisco 49ers lost in the NFC championship game. The 2003 Kansas City Chiefs and the 2008 Tennessee Titans lost in the division round.
The Falcons, after replacing their coordinators this offseason, have stormed to their second division title in the last three seasons. The Falcons went 13-3 in 2010, won the division title and entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Dirk Koetter took over from Mike Mularkey, who was named the head coach in Jacksonville. Mike Nolan, who coached with Smith back in their Baltimore days, replaced Brian VanGorder as the defensive coordinator.
They have won with basically the same personnel executing new schemes.
“It makes me realize that we have a very good football team and we have had a good football team since we’ve gotten here,” Smith said. “It’s a maturation process that you go through as you put a team together and you build.”
Smith also points to the team’s veterans for setting the tone as some of the younger players, like safeties Thomas DeCoud and William Moore, have blossomed.
Moore had a monster game against the Saints with 11 tackles and two interceptions. He played the marauding style of football that the Falcons envisioned when they selected him with a second-round pick in 2009.
DeCoud has a career high five interceptions.
Moore and DeCoud have combined for 10 turnovers – nine interceptions and one forced fumble – which have resulted in 30 points. They are responsible for nearly half of Atlanta’s 24 takeways this season.
“We’ve got some really good leaders,” Smith said. “You reflect back on the 12 games that we’ve played and one of the things you realize is that we’re a resilient team. We don’t blink. We focus on the next play. When you do that, you’re going to have a chance to be successful.”
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146 comments Add your comment
BILL
December 3rd, 2012
10:14 am
“WE DAT”!!!!!!
Gay Dawg
December 3rd, 2012
10:27 am
I guess now that my beloved dawgs are out I am all aboard the falcons train that is forming!
yeahsure
December 3rd, 2012
10:28 am
Matty Ice is from Philly and still supports ATLANTA based teams. Stop looking for reasons to knock him, because you’re failing. We are 11-1, NFCS Champs. He wears a Braves cap all the time. I could care less if he picks an ATHENS team to win the SEC or not.
D man
December 3rd, 2012
10:31 am
Wow, how did the Falcons win the South? The “experts” said we would finish 3rd this year behind NO and Carolina. Just goes to show you what they know…
Joey The Bull
December 3rd, 2012
10:48 am
So Drew Brees, do you still think this is your division? We have 2 of the last 3. So I will officially call it. “The NFC South is now officially the Falcons division”. “We know it, the Saint’s know it”.
bringbackthepacmanatlantahawkslogodarnit
December 3rd, 2012
10:50 am
I am happy for the falcons, but too much heartache the last few months between the Dogs and Braves to get excited yet. Deep down I am scared of what January brings.
Esquire
December 3rd, 2012
11:18 am
Sir Isaac Newton
December 3rd, 2012
9:19 am
What comes up, must come down. The higher you climb, the harder you fall.
*******************************************
THE HIGHER WE SOAR THE SMALLER WE APPEAR TO THOSE THAT CANNOT FLY.
Syd
December 3rd, 2012
11:19 am
Please save your comments until after they win a game during the playoffs. Too much early celebration.
Who Dat has a ring!
Hi haters!!!!
Stay awake in school
December 3rd, 2012
11:23 am
Syd
December 3rd, 2012
11:19 am
Who Dat has a ring!
——————————————————–
We speak english here, not ebonics or what ever that jiberish is called……
True Falcon Fan
December 3rd, 2012
11:29 am
Don’t tell anybody “YOU” saw this first on AJC blog — Here Ya Go — Go Falcons GO!!!!!!!!!
NFC Divisions: AFC Divisions:
East div Winners: NYG 9-7 Pats 12-4
North div Winners: Chi 11-5 bye Ravens 13-3 bye
Wild card: GB 10-6 Pitt 10-6
Cin 10-6
West div Winners: SF 10-5-1 Den 12-4
Wild card: Sea 10-6
South div Winners: Atl 14-2 bye Hou 13-3 bye
First round: Wildcards: GB@Sea = Sea Pitt@Cinncy = Pitt
NYG@SF = SF Pats@Den = Pats
Second round/Divisional: Sea@Atl = Atl Pitt@Hou = Hou
SF@Chi = SF Pats@Rav = Rav
Conference Championship: SF@Atl = ATL Ravens@Texans = Ravens
Super Bowl:
Ravens@ Atlanta = FALCONS “WINNERS” of their first SB
Russdawg
December 3rd, 2012
11:31 am
OK Matty “Roll Tide” Ice why don’t you man up now and win a playoff game!
I wash my shorts in “Tide”
Matty Moron
Go Birds, Please try not to embarrass yourselves and ATL again like,um, the last two post seasons
Samantha
December 3rd, 2012
12:12 pm
It took long enough. It really doesn’t matter anyway because they will lose the first game in the playoffs like they ALWAYS do. 2 points.
Jst Askn
December 3rd, 2012
12:21 pm
Samantha, what are you talking about? The Falcons last won the NFC South in 2010. Took long enough…what rock have you been hiding under?!
Super Bowl Process
December 3rd, 2012
12:35 pm
Atlanta Falcons … NFC South Champions !
nail in the coffin
December 3rd, 2012
12:39 pm
`
Who Dat have a sorry 5-7 record and are out of the playoffs.
KC Falcon
December 3rd, 2012
12:47 pm
Mike and Phil and the rest of the trolls are still out there. The contrarions. They think (he thinks- multiple screen names from one person, of course) they’re funny. That’s all they have in their sad existense. Sick Choke is ready to lob in something about Eli Manning or Matthew Stafford
Look fellas, you have to be consistent. When Cutler loses like he did Sunday, you have to rememeber that and start firing the bullets. The 49ers lost too…really?
Come on trolls, just open up and let the Falcons bandwagan slide on in.
Esquire
December 3rd, 2012
12:51 pm
Barely a mention of the Caints: http://tinyurl.com/bomnu3c
Dum-Bass
December 3rd, 2012
12:56 pm
The same thing will happen to the Falcons that has happened to the Braves and the Bulldogs. It will be either before the Super Bowl, or possibly at the SB. There is a name for it, and Georgia fans have come to recognize it lately. It’s called the “Hotlanta Syndrome” or the “ATLJINX”. They will lose in a heartbreaking fashion and local sportswriters will “poo-poo” it and local fans will just accept it as being inevitable. Mediocrity is alive and well in Atlanta, GA!
Section 212
December 3rd, 2012
1:04 pm
Hopefully this mini-bye week gives us the rest to sharpen and focus on what we need to do to step our play up for the playoffs. Will be great to shut all the “experts” up. Go Falcons!!!
Esquire
December 3rd, 2012
1:18 pm
XLIV44
December 2nd, 2012
8:05 pm
I’m getting a kick out of these comments YA”LL had the top seed 2 years ago and CHOKED. Home Field and CHOKED. Ya’ll have a better chance of seeing Santa Claus then Getting to and Winning a Superbowl.
***************************************************
Let’s see, the first year the NFL has proven the Caints were playing to hurt and maim (and paying out bounties) was when they went to THEIR ONLY Superbowl. How long do the Caints fans think that cheatin’ stinkin’ SB is going to mean a damn thing, they should get an asterisk. Hell, KC hasn’t seen another one since 1969, I think it will be much longer for the Caints. Brees has screwed them with his contract, Payton is leaving……… Poor Buffalo…………….they quit living in the past just like the Caints should do. What happended to the Caints Thursday night……………looks like they CHOKED big time.
Hope ya’ll enjoy THE MIGHTY MIGHTY FALCONS playing in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in 62 days!!
Esquire
December 3rd, 2012
1:19 pm
WAIT………………..WHAT’S THAT………………….BY GOD, IT’S SANTA CLAUS…..!!!!
Pamela
December 3rd, 2012
1:21 pm
2 points – playoff.
Esquire
December 3rd, 2012
1:21 pm
http://tinyurl.com/c5y6ww5
Esquire
December 3rd, 2012
1:24 pm
Pamela
December 3rd, 2012
1:21 pm
2 points – playoff.
*******************************
Your saying that if we played the Caints in a playoff game that all we would need is 2 points? I mean we only needed 10 to eliminate you from having any chance of playoffs ………..too bad.
We’re done with you. Well……………………………………..BYE.
Esquire
December 3rd, 2012
1:39 pm
5-6-7-8
Everywhere we goooO,
Everywhere we goooO,
People wanna knooOw,
People wanna knooOw,
Who we aaa are,
Who we aaa are,
So we tell theem, So we tell theem,
We are the FALCONS!! We are the FALCONS!!
MIGHTY MIGHTY FALCONS, MIGHTY MIGHTY FALCONS !!
OHH AHH OHH YEEAHH
Esquire
December 3rd, 2012
1:45 pm
To the Caints fans and the sons and daughters of Caints fans:
You admit that the players had a bounty system and you also cheated the year you went to the Super Bowl. Good for you, that’s the first step:
We admitted we were powerless over the bounty system – that our lives had become unmanageable.
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves and our Bounty system.
Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to the world the exact nature of our wrongs.
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. An impossible task if you are SceneThisB4
Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings, though God said the aforementioned had too many shortcomings to overcome.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, which was often, promptly admitted it.
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to the bounty participants and fans alike, to practice these principles in all our affairs.
FOOTBALL RUNNERS » Atlanta Falcons clinch NFC South title, get closer to top playoff seed
December 3rd, 2012
2:11 pm
[...] game. The 2003 Kansas City Chiefs and the 2008 Tennessee Titans lost in the division round.” Click here for full article Share on Facebook [...]
Uninvolved
December 3rd, 2012
2:16 pm
We all admit it’s OK for now, but the playoffs is just a different story, and the superbowl game is just a game another notch higher. Do we honestly believe we can get there? No, I do not think so either.This is all based only on our team’s performance. No games, or politics.
Nothing, but the facts.
skyrock
December 3rd, 2012
2:44 pm
One goal down, a few more to go!! Go Falcons!!!!
1 & done
December 3rd, 2012
2:46 pm
2 tds & 6 picks in last 3 games, hey Matty Ice, it’s me destiny.
Reminder.....
December 3rd, 2012
2:50 pm
Just 2 seasons ago the Falcons were 13-3, division winner, hosting a playoff game and got ripped 48-21. Having home field is no guaranteed advantage.
The Real Rick
December 3rd, 2012
4:27 pm
Enjoying the seaon for all its worth….the playoffs will take care of themselves…for me, so far this season has been fun to watch and I hope it continues until January. Given the expectations I had at the begining of the season…this is fun to see……!!!!
RunninWithTheDawgs
December 3rd, 2012
5:17 pm
I went over to Bleacher Report to see stats on Montee Ball. BR says we are one of the teams that could use Ball because of our dominating pass attack and our VERY GOOD OFFENSIVE LINE. hmmm…… I must be missing something here.
Mitch Crane
December 3rd, 2012
5:27 pm
These are my comments.
hbcuclassics
December 3rd, 2012
6:13 pm
Black College Power Poll
Week 14
1. Bethune
2. Winston Salem
3. Tennessee State
4. UAPB
5. Jackson State
6. Tuskegee
7. NC A&T
8. Howard
9. Alabama A&M
10. Alabama State
http://www.hbcuclassics.com
KC Falcon
December 3rd, 2012
6:35 pm
It’s in the wonderful spirt of the holidays that Choke has donned a dress and is back as ‘Samantha” and “Pamela.” Not cleaver enough for a newshound.
KC Falcon
December 3rd, 2012
6:40 pm
2 tds & 6 picks in last 3 games> 5 free ones thrown to the Falcons by Brees, who has lost his last 2 games while Ryan has won BOTH those games, including the one over NO-LA!
Fan since 66
December 3rd, 2012
7:06 pm
http://www.ajc.com/ap/ap/sports/super-bowl-favorites-all-guesses-are-under-review/nTL4B/
DR. FALCON
December 4th, 2012
12:34 am
COACH SMITH: COACH OF THE YEAR! MATT RYAN: MVP! JOHN ABRAHAM, SEAN WEATHERSPOON, WILLIAM MOORE, AND THOMAS DECOUD: ALL-PRO!
Samuel
December 4th, 2012
7:02 am
I think this team will go as far as Matt Ryan takes them. In Comparison, Flacco and the Ravens have won playoff games, mainly with a good defense.Matt has to go through December playing at a high level and well into the playoffs, would bold well for the Falcons…..
Main Man
December 4th, 2012
9:15 am
The NEW NFL Power Rankings have been posted:
http://dirtybirdrock.blogspot.com/2012/12/week-13-power-rankings.html
Answer This
December 4th, 2012
10:47 am
WAIT THERES NO SANTA CLAUS?
Thats almost like saying the Atlanta Falcons are not 11-1
And have not clinced the NFC South in week 12…………………..
I'm Drew Brees Damnit
December 4th, 2012
8:53 pm
And this is ,, oh, what,, ok ,, nevermind,, LOL
ricocarty21
December 4th, 2012
10:32 pm
Mt starting to look good just in time for big games!!!
ricocarty21
December 4th, 2012
10:36 pm
Coach Smith is keeping the loose end tied together just enough!! If we could get some luck with some injury avoidance in the next couple of weeks, hopefully we will be good for the playoffs.
Trash Talk | DIRTYBIRD BLOG
December 8th, 2012
12:41 pm
[...] right, he said the 3-9 Panthers are better than the 11-1 Falcons. Atlanta is in first place and has clinched the NFC South while the Panthers are in last place. Keep talking Carolina. The last thing you want [...]