Report card: Falcons grades for loss to chatty Panthers
CHARLOTTE — Here are the Falcons’ grades for the 30-20 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at the Bank of America Stadium.
GAME BALL: None awarded this week.
F — Quarterbacks: Matt Ryan’s numbers don’t look bad, but most of the action came after the offense contributed to digging the 23-0 hole by doing much of nothing on their first three possessions. He completed 34 of 49 passes for 342 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He had a passer rating of 94.1. The Falcons were 2 of 8 (25 percent) on third down conversions. That’s 3 of 19 (15.7 percent) over the last two games.
F — Running backs: Michael Turner had seven carries for 14 yards. Rodgers had 21 yards on four carries. After falling behind, the Falcons had to move away from the running game. Turner added a late rushing touchdown and has one in each of the last four games. He has eight rushing touchdowns this season.
F — Receivers: Roddy White had nine catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. Julio Jones needs three more yards to eclipse 1,000 for the season. White’s 4-yard touchdown was his 50th career receiving touchdown. He is one of three wide receivers in team history to record 50 career touchdown receptions, joining WR Terance Mathis (57) and Andre Rison (56).
F — Offensive line: Ryan was sacked twice and hit six times.
F — Defensive line: Defensive tackle Corey Peters had one of the few pressures on Carolina quarterback Cam Newton, but he got away. Vance Walker had the team’s only sack. There were three other hits on Newton. Walker’s sack was his third of the season which ranks tied for third on the team this season behind defensive end John Abraham (10.0) and defensive end/tackle Jonathan Babineaux (3.5).
F — Linebackers: The Panthers rushed for 195 yards on 32 carries. The Panthers rushed for 199 yards in the previous meeting. The Falcons need to figure out how to stop read-option quarterbacks. They could see Robert Griffin III again or San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick in the playoffs. Stephen Nicholas led the Falcons with nine tackles. Also, the problem against screens reared its ugly head on DeAnglo Williams’ 53-yard touchdown play. (See Carolina and Chicago games from 2011.)
F — Defensive backs: Steve Smith got loose for seven catches and 109 yards. Greg Olsen made a nice grab on his touchdown catch. Chris Hope made his first start as a Falcon and finished with two tackles.
F — Special teams: Why is the kicker out smack talking?
F — Coaching: Either the Falcons weren’t ready to play or they just got rolled.
NEXT UP: The Falcons (11-2) face the New York Football Giants (8-5) at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Georgia Dome.
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131 comments Add your comment
FactCheckk
December 10th, 2012
3:27 pm
More like “P” for pathetic. F is too high for yesterdays joke.
Denver Falcon
December 10th, 2012
3:38 pm
Coaching should get F—.
OL gets F–
thewholetruth
December 10th, 2012
3:39 pm
for all their effort this team is no drifferent than last year. Circumtance has let this team become 11-2 not talent. The G men will crush them at home, Suh will probably hurt Ryan and Tampa will whip up up on the rookie. They will loose in the first round having travel to a go to a good team. Season record 11- 5, loose in first round. Same Ole Same Ole
drewster
December 10th, 2012
3:42 pm
All I got to say is you play how you practice!! so what the hell were the falcons doing for ten days? Is this what’s gonna happen if the Falcons get a bye in the first round of the playoff’s . UH just like two years ago when we got b-slapped bye green bay ? That tell’s me the coaching staff doesn’t know how to keep a team focused with several day’s off.. so i got an idea why don’t ya’ll take three day’s off and come back wed and well skip around the field
holding hand’s for a few day’s before the next game!!!!!
Scott Pioli
December 10th, 2012
3:47 pm
This just in! Everyone thinks Tony G is still great. HIs Hands are great, but he is very slow and runs predictable routes An upgrade is needed badly. I may need a job next year, so I was hoping Diimitrof would find a place for me on his staff. What is this love affair with Turner? It took forever to dump Norwood, and the same goes with Turner. This guy should have been shown the door last year. Just like when Snelling tested the market, Not one darn team showed an interest in him nor would anyone had signed Turner.
Jerry Glanville's Beltbuckle
December 10th, 2012
4:05 pm
Dirk Koetter is completely in over his head, he calls safe, don’t want to loose plays. This is clearly one of, if not the BEST receiving groups in the league, we should be burning up scoreboard’s, just think what this same group would be with an aggressive, smart OC.
Quizz should be the starter for sure, it seems like they are scared to sit him, like he knows something on someone. geeeeezzzzz!!!!
This is getting truly embarrassing, I hate to admit it, but we could be 8-5 or worse, I had tremendous hope in the beginning of the season when we were throwing vertical, swarming the defense and in general just getting after it, it was a breath of fresh air.
There are no guarantees for getting back to this situation again, someone needs to step up (Mr. Blank, TD) and let these coaches know this is NOT going to be tolerated.
Heres hoping, LETS RISE UP!!!!
Birdman of Falcatraz
December 10th, 2012
4:06 pm
We need a player with the guts of Sean Williams from UGA to step up and call out his teammates for their complete lack of passion and guts. This team is all finesse, and when it gets ugly they cannot compete by throwing everything they got onto the field. Either their plan works to a T, or they fall apart when challenged. 11 times the plan has been good enough, twice we have played teams emotionally more in the game than us. The playoffs is where the emotions must be higher as teams are more evenly matched.
Jerry Glanville's Beltbuckle
December 10th, 2012
4:07 pm
Sry guys, I meant sit Turners pork chop self!
Big Ray
December 10th, 2012
4:08 pm
Retired – so if the Falcons continue to have successful regular seasons, and get stomped in the playoffs, you’ll be happy? As of right now, that’s where we are headed.
extremus
December 10th, 2012
4:08 pm
I must be getting caught in the spam filter, Mr. Ledbetter. Could you please check to see if my (lengthy) post is in there? Thanks in advance.
Esquire is in the HOUSE
December 10th, 2012
4:12 pm
Big Ray
December 10th, 2012
4:08 pmRetired – so if the Falcons continue to have successful regular seasons, and get stomped in the playoffs, you’ll be happy? As of right now, that’s where we are headed.
****************************************************************
I’ll tell ya what would make me happy, getting reunited with my childhood idol, Jerry Sandusky.
nobody
December 10th, 2012
4:26 pm
pathetic….nothing ever changes in this organization….historically, they play no better than their opposition…and on some days, worse…especially when the opponent is equally pathetic…
Answer This
December 10th, 2012
4:30 pm
Wow DLed tell us how you really feel! Lol. Do you think they going to smile when they see you coming? I appreciate your honesty and thanks for holding them accountable! Now the question is will they read this and try to smash your laptop and show how angry they really are? DLed I so hope you stirred up a nest of Angry Birds and that they look at you with anger and they sit out to prove a point! I know that they may not but I think and hipe you called some folks out and that you stirred the pot to make the Nation Rise Up. Be angry birds be very angry and show DLed that his words hit home!
63-39-5
December 10th, 2012
4:56 pm
they never started the running game
Dan
December 10th, 2012
6:15 pm
Falcon offensive line hasn’t kept anyone out of backfield this year no reason to think all of a sudden they will stop Giants passrush. This team has been off in most of the games this year and anyone who knows a thing about football that if you can’t block you got no shot
michaelgee
December 10th, 2012
6:30 pm
Michael Turner is done. No Burst, no power, we need to draft a fleet power back.
dman55
December 10th, 2012
7:04 pm
I read several comments that generally support the falcons overall efforts this season It’s true, the birds are 11 wins and 2 losses. The truth of the matter is, they played 8 of those games well. Matt Ryan and the offense moved the ball with precision. The defense played lights out with intensity and imagination. That was against the “weak” part of the schedule. The past 5 games have have been another storey. All phases of the game have been going down like the Titanic. Games have been lost by the opponents, not won by the Falcons. Matt Ryan is throwing interceptions or throwing the ball inaccurtately. It seems to me he is playing scared. Throwing the ball in places that his receivers have to make almost miracle catches. The running game has been absent in 85% of the games. The line play is a major part of this along with a running back that seems to run with his eyes closed. How many times have you seen Michael Turner crash into a mass of bodies when there is a running lane 2 feet away. I was sceptical when the Howie Longs of the world didn’t recognize the Falcons progress. Now I know he was absolutely right. These Falcons are 1 and done in the playoffs. I feel very bad for Tony Gonzalez. You’re a damn good man Tony…the dirty birds don’t deserve you..go ahead and retire
R OReilly
December 10th, 2012
7:10 pm
Rather not play in the playoffs if we are going to play like we did against the Kittys.
jeff
December 10th, 2012
7:11 pm
Either you are a Falcon fan or not….. this scorecard and most of the comments are from fair weather fans. Look at the record this year and in the past years since Smith and Ryan came to Atlanta!!!!! just ignorant negative comments and ignorant scorecard. Any given Sunday.. any thing can happen but have faith they will get things together and will have both play off games played at home
One and done!
December 10th, 2012
7:28 pm
I can’t take this team anymore!!! They give me no hope for the playoffs…too many MAJOR problems all around, and not something you get fixed in Dec or Jan (despite what the coaches and players try to tell us). One thing is for sure, none of us can say, “we didn’t see it coming.”
Great Falconi
December 10th, 2012
7:36 pm
If I played for this team and read this horsebleep coming from a beat writer, I wouldn’t say a word to the guy. D-Led isn’t a fan. He’s not the fans’ representative. He’s a beat writer. He isn’t a columnist. He’s supposed to ask some questions and report on the team without pulling the jerk routine. If Schultz (and it would be Schultz and not Bradley) wants to go off on the Falcons, that’s perfectly fine and expected in a case like this. That ain’t D-Led’s job.
Booby Cox
December 10th, 2012
7:37 pm
Don’t worry Falcons! The Braves will make you look good in about 6 months…
ctfalconsfan
December 10th, 2012
7:38 pm
@Jeff.. I’m a true Falcon fan and while I think DOL’s scorecard is a little harsh what do you expect?
We looked terrible yesterday! The final score was much closer than the actual play on the field..
I think CAR scored on their first 4 or 5 possessions. Our offense was on the field then quickly back off the entire first half. I think we hade less than 20 yards of offense in the first half?!?!? crazy bad!!
Don’t get me wrong 11-2 is a GREAT record but as I’ve said all season I’d rather finish with a 4-0 record in DEC heading into the play-offs with momentum than a 8-0 to start the season in SEP/OCT.
t’s all in how you finish and we need to step!
GaDawgY'all
December 10th, 2012
7:38 pm
The Braves didn’t even MAKE the first round. At least the Falcons will have a bye week before they lose so we can say they made it farther than los bravos!
GaDawgY'all
December 10th, 2012
7:40 pm
The Falcons have looked weak all season against a lightweight schedule and some ‘barely” wins. Atlanta continues to be the best regular season town in America but playoffs….”PLAYOFFS? PLAYOFFS?”
ctfalconsfan
December 10th, 2012
7:42 pm
Don’t bash DOL for the grades.
I want DOL asking tough questions and calling out players and coaches for poor play.
He’s not there to be a cheerleader for the team!!!
HeyNow
December 10th, 2012
7:43 pm
Report this comment. Please.
Right now...
December 10th, 2012
7:45 pm
…there is no guarantee that we will get the first round bye – we may lose on the “wild card” weekend, just like the past couple of years…
Nnless things get better, I see us no better than 12-4 (losses to NY and Detroit), with SF getting the home field for the playoffs at 12-3-1, and us losing the tiebreaker to GB for the other bye slot (I think) – then we will probably lose to Seattle in the first round…
TomBrady
December 10th, 2012
7:45 pm
No one on the Falcons is nearly as good looking as I am much less a playoff caliber player. Losers. Can’t get no ladies and can’t win in the post season.
TommyNobis
December 10th, 2012
7:47 pm
This team looks awful and scared. How DID they win even 11 games? Wow.
JJ
December 10th, 2012
7:54 pm
DOL, what happend to D3’s fan blog? No where on ajc site?
Sportaree
December 10th, 2012
8:02 pm
JJ, Wabe, Big Ray do any of you have any idea what happend to the Cage?
JJ
December 10th, 2012
8:06 pm
Sportaree,
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-fans/2012/12/09/atlanta-falcons-birds-embarrassed-by-panthers/?cp=8
TNScott
December 10th, 2012
8:47 pm
Our biggest failure was giving away the farm and rebuilding the Browns for Julio Jones followed by going cheap on the D-Line getting Ray Edwards instead of ponying up Julius Peppers. Falcons won’t be a championship team until the lines are upgraded on both sides of the ball. Falcons could easily one and done in the playoffs this year.
tmc
December 10th, 2012
9:01 pm
i would change them all to F-
chuck
December 10th, 2012
9:12 pm
I think Coach Smith is darn near a miracle worker for having this team at 11-2. For a playoff team, this team has a lot of holes. They need multiple offensive linemen, multiple defensive linemen, and a RB. The weakest part of the Atlanta team is their horrid offensive line. The problem is that the teams that make the playoffs will destroy the Atlanta OL. Case in point was last year’s first round playoff game that Ryan watched while laying on his back. The same guys that couldn’t block the Giants are back and history tells us they still won’t be able to protect Ryan in a first round playoff game. The question is what the Falcons think of Hawley and Holmes going forward. IF they think they can be the center and a tackle of the future then I would suggest that the future is getting very close.
Their almost equally horrible defensive line is also not of playoff quality. The top 12 or so teams will rush at will against these guys or have their QB stand back there and pick apart the Atlanta secondary.
The Falcons desperately need to address at least one of these weaknesses in free agency and then have an outstanding draft. They need all 7 or more picks in the next draft to make the team and several to be major contributors. Depending on Hawley and Holmes, the Falcons could use an almost all new OL except for Konz. The same goes for the DL. We really need to make Abraham a 3rd DE and bring him in on passing downs to extend his career. The silly trading away of draft picks in the past has come back to haunt this team.
vesaversa
December 10th, 2012
9:47 pm
We only need 1 win out of 3. I say continue playing vanilla and pack it in against the NYGs and rest the hurting starters. Play hard against the Lions to win. Pack it in against the Bucs. Home field advantage, didn’t show the Hartsfield D and rested starters. Aints and Cats watch us on TV win playoffs.
Joe 12-Pack
December 10th, 2012
9:57 pm
D-Led, I think you are being too nice.
gcs
December 10th, 2012
9:58 pm
This season is over. They may win the first round but it’s over after that.
Time to start molding a new QB to replace Mr. 3&out.
SOS
December 10th, 2012
10:05 pm
Smitty keeps saying that “we’ll learn from this and we’ll learn from that” How long has he been saying this?
Forever! Along with the words “process”, “resilent”, “it’s fixable”, blah, blah, blah
SOS
Rip
December 10th, 2012
10:07 pm
When you have a LONG HISTORYof letting fans down, it is hard to change and it will continue to come out.Yep I hear you, these fair weather fans, yea right, We know football and if you take the shades off and not down that last bud. you will be able to clearly see, this team has so many holes in it that you would need stone mountain to fill them. To bad your season ticket is only good for the first stop after that you will be at home with the rest of the ants fans, only they have a SB ring but the falcons have homers
Ms.Atl
December 10th, 2012
10:32 pm
I don’t know about y’all but I prefer for the falcons to get their butts whipped before the playoffs having already secured a spot and the division as opposed to barely squeaking by and not getting punched in the mouth. I think this is great for this team. To all you bandwagon fans please get real when was the last time the falcons have been 11-2. That butt whipping they took showed they can’t rest on their record and they must get better if they don’t want to be embarassed in the playoffs.
Michael M.
December 10th, 2012
11:09 pm
ha ha ha ha…………..D-Led ….you better hope the players don’t read this with all the F’s on it or they might get you……I like to fell out the chair laughing..F,F,F,F,F,F……… I thought they played better in the 2nd half but came out short at the end.
Why did it take them so long to get started ? I know , that gets a F too.
Michael M.
December 10th, 2012
11:12 pm
I got to hang with the Team……it is good for them to lose a few games now and get hot in the playoffs and hopefully D-Leds ” Grades ” will be A’s and maybe some B’s………………………………………..
Birdhouse
December 10th, 2012
11:13 pm
For some reason the offense started vanishing for entire quarters at a time. Sunday they were MIA for a whole HALF. What gives, is Mularky still here?
Michael M.
December 10th, 2012
11:21 pm
Absolutely nuts sometimes they are unstoppable and then sometimes they play like they are lost out there….puzzles me too !
Esquire
December 10th, 2012
11:26 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
5-6-7-8 WHO DO WE APPRECIATE???? GOOOOO FALCONS!!!!!!
WHERE’S MIKE’S COX????? I NEED IT BAD TONIGHT!!!! Please???
Michael M.
December 10th, 2012
11:32 pm
sending up smoke signals…………..lol……..
Michael M.
December 10th, 2012
11:35 pm
D-Led………………..when you see the players again you need to warn them that the Giants will be here Sunday and it would be good if they got out there on the football field and played hard for the full 60 minutes and tell them not to embarrass us ………………..lmao !
DR. FALCON
December 11th, 2012
12:29 am
YOU PEOPLE ARE SICK! WE’RE 11-2! LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE STEELRS,AT HOME! LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HOUSTON TEXANS! WE HAVE A CAHNCE TO PAYBACK OUR NEMESIS: THE GIANTS! LEDBETTER, GIVING AN “F” ALL THE WAY AROUND, IS A COP OUT! DAMN! YOU’D THINK WE WERE 2-11! UNBELIEVABLE!