Playoff buzz: Fox analyst Jimmy Johnson believes Falcons are ready
By MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM
Falcons vs. Seahawks
Because of their recent playoff flops, the Falcons didn’t always receive a lot of accolades from national media this season, even as they posted the NFL’s best record. But Fox analyst Jimmy Johnson, the former Cowboys coach, is among those who believe the Falcons are finally ready to win a playoff game after going 0-3 in the past four seasons.
“I think a lot of it is that, not just the fans, but the coaches and players said ‘Let’s do what we have to do to get ready for the playoffs,’” Johnson said on a Wednesday conference call. “I think during the season there was a lull there. They had a pretty good run, they had a good record and they knew they’d be in the playoffs, so they were like, ‘Let’s hurry up and get to the playoffs.
“Now I think, especially with the bye — even though they’ve got a bear of a team with Seattle, as hot of a team as there is in the league — I think Atlanta will be ready for this ballgame. I think they will be better prepared for these playoffs than anytime previously.”
Tickets
There were nearly 7,000 tickets to the game available at major reseller StubHub.com Wednesday afternoon, and fans who hold out might be able to get a bargain later in the week.
TiqIQ, a company that aggregates the resale ticket market, reported relatively weak demand for the game. According to TiqIQ, the average price of $163.69 for the game as of late Wednesday was the lowest of this weekend’s playoff games and the lowest-priced second-round game since at least 2009.
When the Falcons faced the Packers in the second round of the 2010 playoffs, the average ticket price was $284.73, according to TiqIQ.
View from Seattle
Are the Seahawks a tough, physical team that wears out its opponents, or do they have too much attitude and cross the line?
Seattle Times columnist Jerry Brewer takes the former view and says the Seahawks have developed an identity against their opponents, with the attitude to “take them to a point they’re unwilling to match.”
“More than athleticism, more than skill, more than desire, the Seahawks are defined by their toughness,” Brewer writes. “They aim to take every football game to a physical and mental brink. Can the opponent go there? Or rather, will the opponent go there? …
“They’re coming straight at you, at maximum speed, again and again and again. Can you match it? Will you match it?”
But Eric D. Williams, writing for The (Tacoma) News Tribune, writes: “(The) Seahawks have steadily gained notoriety around the league as a team that likes to trash talk and play physical to the whistle — sometimes through the whistle. And that aspect of Seattle’s play was evident in the Seahawks’ big road win against Washington in the NFC Wild Card game Sunday.
Cornerbacks Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman, along with receiver Golden Tate, all had running battles with Redskins players. Sherman could be heard by Washington players telling Redskins coach Mike Shanahan that he was scared to throw his way. …
Browner body-slammed Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon at the end of Earl Thomas’ interception in the second quarter. … But Seattle finished with only four penalties for 30 yards, so (coach Pete) Carroll said his team handled those minor dust-ups.”
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72 comments Add your comment
Ray
January 10th, 2013
11:50 am
And the Falcons are going to make Seattle wish they were at home with NYG and not even on the field.
You played Piss POOR against a team with a 1 legged QB, and it takes you 3 quarters to finally take the lead?
Oh another note missing like 5 guys on defensive side of the ball.
Yeah I’m going for the Curb Stomp 45-10
roddy+julio+tony+harry+quizz+matt
January 10th, 2013
11:53 am
Seattle is going to have a tough time trying to cover all of these guys….then bam get the run game going, then once they come up wr screen to julio, then they bite on julio screen to quizz, then they bite quizz , bam screen to roddy. then bam 35 yards to tony G. Look for turner to have a breakout performance this game also. this is why we limited his carries. Nolan’s amoeba D makes a comeback this week. Bank on it.
LeftCoastin
January 10th, 2013
11:59 am
I’ve never seen a newspaper and commenters post so much about what the opposing fan base and national media thinks and says. I thought we in Seattle were the worst at playing the ‘no respect’ card because of where we are located and our general sub par performances in all athletics. Atlanta puts this to a whole new level.
Anyways, I think the wr duo for atl is the best in the league, but what scares me the most is trufant guarding that dude (forgot his name) in the slot. Tru is a TERRIBLE cover guy and I can see Ryan picking him apart. Julio and RW will get theirs, but I don’t think consistantly enough to break the hawks back.
Cannot wait for this game…go hawks.
Realistic
January 10th, 2013
12:45 pm
Wilson>Ryan
Dennis
January 10th, 2013
12:56 pm
Somebody must’ve paid Johnson handsomely to say that. I can’t recall hearing him say a single thing good about the Birds all year.
Mike "CHOKE" Dogs To Death
January 10th, 2013
1:12 pm
“More than athleticism, more than skill, more than desire, the Seahawks are defined by their toughness,” Brewer writes. “They aim to take every football game to a physical and mental brink. Can the opponent go there? Or rather, will the opponent go there? …
“They’re coming straight at you, at maximum speed, again and again and again. Can you match it? Will you match it?”
********************************************
I got news for you, Jerry Brewer. The Falcons are pretty big and strong, too. This is professional football. The Seahawks do not have a monopoly on toughness. All this “tough” talk is scaring nobody.
roddy+julio+tony+harry+quizz+matt
January 10th, 2013
1:16 pm
everyone else > realistic
Mike "CHOKE" Dogs To Death
January 10th, 2013
1:18 pm
Realistic
January 10th, 2013
12:45 pm
Wilson>Ryan
***************************
More reality:
Falcons 2012 record>Seahawks 2012 record
Falcons at home>Seahawks on the road
404 to the bowl
January 10th, 2013
1:20 pm
everyone else > harry potter > large print calendars > Realistic (the aints fan trolling above)
ASHCAN!!!!!!
January 10th, 2013
1:42 pm
Gonna see how fast these ATL fans turn on there team and eat there words. I see these fans talking big boy talk. Remember now WAIT TIL NEXT YEAR is the falcons theme.I’m not a seattle fan but think they have the better team. When a team can’t stop the run and can’t run(Falcons) that spells trouble. And this has been proven so it’s fact and can’t be denied. Not saying it can’t br fixed but it havnt thus far. Falcons best pass rusher(ABE) is gonna be hitting around 80% game time is a minus. I’m taking names like i’ve done the last 3 years.
PMC
January 10th, 2013
1:56 pm
So the Seahawks are a hot team because they won 7 or 8 in a row….
Did this Falcons team not win 12 in a row in the same season?
That's why the play the game
January 10th, 2013
2:11 pm
This will probably be the most competitive of all playoff games this weekend. Falcon fans believing this they are going to blow out the Seahawks are not being realistic. This is a team that scored over 40 points like three games in a row. The winner of this game will be the team who is able to impose their style of play. The Falcons get a big game out of Gonzales, if Ryan throws to him, they should win. Everyone knows if Lynch gets over 100 it does not look good for the Falcons. I hope for a clean game but at this stage turnovers can easily make the better team lose.
I usually just read but...
January 10th, 2013
2:15 pm
Seattle Times columnist Jerry Brewer = homer cheerleader. What did you expect to hear out of a Seattle Times columnist? For Seattle, it’s kicking game DEAD. It’s pass rush pretty much the same. Rookie QB coming to dome. Yep they gonna kill the Falcons(sarcasm)
BuzztheKiller
January 10th, 2013
4:30 pm
I can understand the media’s doubt about the Falcon’s based on their playoff performance the past three years. That is fine and they will all be on the bandwagon (at least until next week against the 49ers or Packers) after they beat the Seahawks this week. What I don’t get is this sudden love affair with Seattle. Seriously, Seattle? They had to have a terrible replacement ref call to beat the Packers at home early in the season. All this “tough” talk is a joke. It won’t be easy, but Falcons win at home.
L.A. Mont
January 10th, 2013
5:17 pm
I’m hearing all this talk about the Seahawks secondary….some about their D-line and nothing about their LB. So that tells me they are vulnerbale in the middle. Watch out or Gonzalez and Rogers. Get ‘em Falcons! Rise Up, Section 319!
Big Russell
January 10th, 2013
5:56 pm
Jimmy sez:
“Now I think, especially with the bye — even though they’ve got a bear of a team with Seattle, as hot of a team as there is in the league — I think Atlanta will be ready for this ballgame. I think they will be better prepared for these playoffs than anytime previously.”
Being “ready” and “better prepared” is hardly a ringing endorsement of your Falcons. I’d take a “hot” team over a cold, rested on the couch team ANY day!
Big Russell
January 10th, 2013
6:10 pm
Jones, White < Browner, Sherman…“U Mad Bro?”
UGA ECONOMICS MAJOR
January 10th, 2013
7:26 pm
why is Seattle considered an elite team..with 5 losses to mediocre teams and the falcons have beaten the 3 TIMES IN SEATTLE WITH THE SAME PLAYERS AND HAVE ADDED EVEN MORE WEAPONS…I THINK ITS A NO BRAINER WITH A ROOKIE QUATERBACK..GEORGIA DOME WILL RATTLE HIS SHORT A&&..ATLANTA 31 SEATTLE 13…FALCONS HAVE WAYYYYYY TOO MUCH TALENT AND EXPERIENCE
UGA ECONOMICS MAJOR
January 10th, 2013
7:31 pm
A ROOKIE QUATERBACK COMING INTO THE GEORGIA DOME TO PLAY A PLAYOFF EXPERIENCED FALCON TEAM….GET OUT OF HERE…FALCON COULD BE UP BY 20 AT HALFTIME
falconfreak
January 10th, 2013
8:31 pm
Be afraid seattle. be very afraid. You are playing the best team in the NFL.
Noah
January 10th, 2013
9:40 pm
I enjoy what you guys are up too. This kind of clever work and exposure! Keep up the good works guys I’ve included you guys to my personal blogroll.
D man
January 11th, 2013
8:59 am
Washington Hawk – “when has our QB not looked like a rookie in the playoffs?”
Answer= this year…