Atlanta Falcons: Birds Win! One Away from Super Bowl
Falcons Heavy Underdogs vs. 49ers
No Caption Needed! (AJC)
Our cardiac Falcons couldn’t make it easy on themselves or their fans could they? What a game, a thrilling finish, and the amazing death of the “playoff curse,” or whatever you want to call it. The Falcons came roaring out of the gates behind a huge crowd who were in their seats and loud from the first moment. The first half was a thing of beauty that saw the Falcons surge to a 20-0 lead, and even responding with their own touchdown on their first possession after the Seahawks took the opening drive down for a TD. Then, the wheels came completely off. Maybe a better analogy would be that they absolutely shut down in all phases of the game, seeing the Seahawks score 21 unanswered points. However, the Falcons found a way to win the game, needing only 31 seconds to do it. Kudos to the entire organization, from the players and coaches to Thomas Dimitroff and Arthur Blank and all the way to the support staff. It was a wonderful win in so many ways, even if it did almost send many of us into cardiac arrest. A look at the huge playoff win………….
Goodbye Playoff Albatross
Right Up There w/ Morten Anderson in '99 (AJC)
No two people on the planet are likely happier today than Mike Smith and Matt Ryan. For the past 5 seasons, all that has been said has been Smith and Ryan’s inability to win the playoffs. The 0-3 playoff record has been stated so many times by so many media members that it was not only annoying, but just complete overkill. It literally has been repeated thousands of times as an excuse to denigrate or outright ignore the success the Falcons have had. Some of it may have been a little justified, but using it as an excuse to trash them in week 3 of the regular season? It wasn’t pretty at the end and Smith darn near tried to give it away, but it’s done once and for all. The media elite will have to come up with another excuse to slam the Falcons because the “can’t win in the playoffs” garbage is gone forever.
Running Game was Thing of Beauty
Turner Big Day (AJC)
Where did that come from? The Atlanta Falcons have been one of the worst rushing football teams in the league the whole year and most of the times only ran enough to keep the defense at least somewhat honest. That was not the case on Sunday. Michael Turner ran for 98 yards on 14 carries with a long of 33 and Jacquizz Rodgers put on a highlight show when he trucked All-Pro safety Earl Thomas as if he were playing Madden. The offensive line was a big part of the running success and hats go way off to them. After being criticized so often and so heavily over the season, they showed up ready to play on Sunday and the running game was on track for most of the game because of it. The success on the ground also opened up the passing and play-action game, which was also a big reason for the win.
What Happened to the Defense?
Fans are still trying to figure out what happened that precipitated a complete defensive meltdown in the 4th quarter, that darn nearly cost them the game after being up 27-7 in the final quarter. It may not have been one thing in particular, but a slew of really awful performances, from the players to the coaching. The defensive pass rush was non-existent, as Russell Wilson had enough time to do his taxes in the backfield. It literally seemed on one play that he almost 10 full seconds to try and find someone, without nary a Falcon even close. Some of it was losing John Abraham, but it seemed as though the scheme wasn’t even that concerned on pressuring Wilson. One of the main reasons that Brian VanGorder “found another job” was his insanely soft zones where QBs could just sit back and pick them apart with ease. That fourth quarter zone was as bad a zone / scheme as any of those the previous 4 years, with maybe the exception of the loss to the Packers in 2011 in the playoffs.
Best Catch of All (AJC)
The Falcons also picked a terrible time to stop tackling well, after they had done such a good job of it in the previous 3 quarters. Maybe it was just a case of being way too confident with a 3 score lead with a quarter to go. Perhaps Coach Smith or Mike Nolan decided to just sit back in the zone and hope that the Seahawks wouldn’t have enough time or that the rookie QB would finally make a mistake (even though he gave no reason for them to think that). Zach Miller was made to look like Tony Gonzalez, Shannon Sharpe, and Kellen Winslow Sr. rolled into one. It was shameful how wide open Miller, Golden Tate, and Sidney Rice were in that fourth quarter. As fellow Cage member SOMEBODY said, it was like they were playing catch in the backyard. Maybe the entire team tightened up as the game was falling apart (the offense literally stopped doing anything, the coaches submarined, and even the special teams participated in the collapse). In hindsight, the fact is that the defense did a good enough job to keep them to 7 points for 3 quarters and decided to have a really bad last quarter. The Birds shouldn’t have that issue vs. the 49ers, since it projects to be closer for all 4 quarters rather than just 1.
“Just a Mere Formality”
Should Spoon & Co. Even Show UP? (AJC)
Yes, that is actually what a writer for the San Francisco Examiner wrote in one of the most blatant, poorly written articles about the Atlanta Falcons, maybe ever. According to this writer, if that’s what we’re calling him, his vaunted San Francisco 49ers are the best team to ever grace the field in this game we call football. They have the best RB’s, OL, DL, LB’s, and overall team in the history of the NFL. David and Goliath? No, this is more like Goliath vs. an ant. Should the Falcons even show up or just forfeit to the greatest ever? In all seriousness, there’s nothing wrong with saying the Niners are better on paper and likely should be favored and may even win the game, but this is something altogether different. When the 49ers got blown out by the Seahawks, Giants, lost the Rams (and tied them), and even the Vikings, it’s all good to discard. But when the Falcons WIN the games that were close with bad teams, that’s a sign it’s a mere formality. Not to pick on this writer too much, because really he’s just representing what pretty much everyone in the media (including hometown media) are saying: these Falcons have no shot whatsoever. Luckily, we get to actually play the games. That David kid was pretty small, right?
Can Defense Contain Kaepernick?
Can Willy Mo & Crew Contain the Great QB? (AJC)
First of all, Kaepernick is not a rookie. He was taken in last year’s draft in 2011. So, even though it’s his first year playing, he’s not fresh out of college. After the Niners QB ran rings around the Packers and their poor gameplan, all involved are crowning him the next superhero of the NFL. And if the Falcons play as they did vs. Russell Wilson in the 4th quarter or Cam Newton in the second game, than he very well could set records rushing and passing. There simply is no denying that he is a special talent, but he’s not the first mobile quarterback that has been stopped, nor is he the first mobile QB that the Falcons have played this year. In fact, the Birds are 4-1 vs. all mobile QBs they’ve faced this year. Yes, they haven’t always done particularly well vs. mobile QBs, but they have found ways to win 80% of those games.
The defensive line is definitely undermanned and undersized against the Niners big and burly OL and the linebackers could surely use a touch more speed as well. First of all, you can’t imagine that Nolan will be running much type of man coverage the way the Packers got torched on and one benefit of running the 4-3 defense is it’s ability to plug gaps better and stop mobile QBs. Fellow Cage Member trademark detailed it best when describing how the old Tampa 2 defense used to not only contain, but downright destroy Michael Vick in his heyday here in Atlanta. Much like shutting down Marshawn Lynch vs. Seattle, Nolan will likely either use some type of QB Spy on Kaepernick, make the QB beat him with his arm, make Frank Gore carry the load, or some combination of them all. One idea might be to replace one of the LBs or nickel backs with William Moore, insert Chris Hope in as strong safety, and let William Moore track Kaepernick all over the field, having the speed and the hitting ability to slow down the talented QB.
How Should Falcons O Approach Niners Great D?
What a Catch! (AJC)
Even though they don’t have as good a secondary as the Seahawks, the 49ers have one of the very best front seven in all of football. Aldon Smith, Justin Smith, Patrick Willis, and Navorro Bowman make up a nightmare for any team because they stop the run so well, but especially get after the quarterback as good or better than anyone in the league. Are the Falcons doomed vs. the great Niners defense? As Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast my friend!” Yes, it will be a major challenge, but if you feel as though you can’t get it done vs. the best, what makes you think you have any shot at the Lombardi Trophy?
No team had scored higher than 17 points since around week 7 this season until the Falcons scored 20 points on them in the first half and then 27 in the third quarter. Even though the media elite will gush and rave over the Niners being the best defense since the 2000 Ravens, they can be scored on to. The question is how. The natural inclination would be to keep rolling with the hot hand of running the football. Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers put on a show on Sunday and racked up some major yards, most of them coming in just 3 quarters. Can the Birds do the same against a tougher defensive front 7? It sure would be nice, but the Niners will likely plan to stop the run anyway they can and surely not let Turner and Rodgers do what they did to the Seahawks defense. If the run fails, how long should they stick with it, and further, does playing clock control offense play into the Niners hands?
Beautiful Play! (AJC)
One clue from the past that might could work is Falcons vs. Ravens, Thursday Night Football in 2010. Matt Ryan ran the no-huddle offense virtually the entire game and tore the stellar Ravens defense to shreds. He was 32 for 50 passing, with 316 yards, 3 TDs, and no INTs. Now, that doesn’t mean that it’s probably a good idea to have Matt Ryan throw the ball 50 times against such a great defense, but the Niners defense have many similarities to that Ravens. They have a great DL, great LB’s, studs at safety, but decent-at-best corners. The no-huddle is unpredictable and can not only help a blitizing team at bay, but also allows Matt Ryan to do what he does best which is call the shots, change the play if needed, and run the offense. In addition, it can also help wear out the strength of their team (LBs and Big DL). Maybe the Ravens game was just an element of surprise and maybe the Ravens depended heavily on substitutions, which the Niners do not. But it’s something that may help counter a tough, tough defense.
Bird Cagers Playoff Turn
Short and simple – will the Birds get it done on Sunday and be in the Super Bowl?
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854 comments Add your comment
The Time is NOW
January 18th, 2013
9:32 pm
JB Falcon (9:10) – “The playoffs is no time to play anything but the best football you know how to for a full 60 minutes.”
Absolutely.
Another observation: I like the Nolan factor, as well. He knows first hand where the weaknesses lie in many of the SF players from his time as head coach there. Yes, it’s been a few years. But quite a few of the players from his years there are still key players for this year’s team.
tidog
January 18th, 2013
10:05 pm
Isn’t great to be a Falcon fan. Rise up
tidog
January 18th, 2013
10:08 pm
Opps, isn’t it great to be a Falcon fan ? Rise up
Bigmama
January 18th, 2013
10:10 pm
Even though we (Falcons Fans) didn’t have a heart attack Sunday (whew) We know they can do it this Year! We are superbowl bound! THIS is the YEAR of the Falcon! We are going to win the superbowl in the NEW ORLEANS Superdome!
Mike
January 18th, 2013
10:13 pm
D3- I think it is fair to point out Dallas as a quality win. I understand we did not have a tough schedule. Maybe San Diego wasn’t as big as we thought at the time, but then Washington ended up being a bigger win then we thought. Lets not forget that New England entered the playoffs last year without a single win over a team that finished with a winning record. Then the Super Bowl Champs managed one win last year in the reg season vs a team who finished over 500. That would be the Patriots. I do not remember either team being dismissed like our Falcons are. NY Giants weren’t given a shot vs GB, but no one else would have been given a shot either. Right now I do not care about how much respect we are getting from the media…should we win this week we will not be given a chance in the SB. However a win there and that’s when we are going to have to hear how we were lucky that New Orleans was down, and San Fran did our dirty work by beating GB. In two weeks we could be the least respected SB Chamos ever, but non the less we could be SB Champs!
Slant Pattern
January 18th, 2013
10:17 pm
“VP: So what do you think we should do about the store manager?
AB: Wow! A raise? Promotion? What do you suggest, VP?
VP: I think we should fire him.” – GM
Funny but you left off the ending;
AB; Oh, and why is that? Sounds like he has things under control and running smoothly.
VP: Well, on the surface it looks that way but after closer research and going over the books I found some very serious problems. First, that store has very talented and helpful employess who used personal intiative and their own “magic” sales personalities to improve conditions..these were above and beyond their normal duties. The special employees in question offered “ice” cold drinks to the shoppers and then instituted a special program that rewarded repeat and “come back” business. The manager did not instigate these special programs, the best we heard was he didn’t interfere.
Lastly and most inportantly the books show record losses from retail “shrinkage” that overcame any good from the record sales. It seems the manager is old and remembers times when people used the honor system. The manager refuses to lock the doors at night resulting in almost anyone “coming back” in the store late at night. We have investigated and not found that the manager is working in conjunction with the thieves…he is just a good natured idiot that has not caught up to modern times.
AB; Nice work. My associates have already confirmed your story saving us the trouble of permanently terminating you along with Mr. Nice Guy. Tell Mr. Nice Guy his services are no longer needed, the “clean up crew” will assist in recovering the lost assets.
Patty!!… get me a scotch and the number to that manager on the West Coast, I like his style,very aggressive.
Greg Mendel
January 18th, 2013
10:37 pm
“Funny but you left off the ending.” — Slant Pattern
Roger, SP. You and the other Cage clairvioants have been predicting your own doom-and-gloom ending for months. And you’ve compiled a distinguished record of being wrong.
Matty Bicep
January 18th, 2013
10:43 pm
AB: But how did this store do before this new guy game here?
VP: It was the laughing stock of the company.
AB: So, where did all these great employees come from?
VP: The store manager hired them.
AB: ALL of them?
VP: Well, not all of them, some were left over.
AB: From the laughing stock store?
VP: Yea,
AB: So, guys who were part of the laughing stock store were able to be turned into productive, efficient, valued employees by this leader?
VP: Gulp, yea?
AB: And you called him an idiot?
VP: Well, not really and idiot….
AB: YOUR FIRED.
Matty Bicep
January 18th, 2013
10:49 pm
Fact is, I think Ryan is a top 5 QB, I think Smitty is a top 5 coach.
For all your so called analysis, you will not acknowledge that on the last play of the game, Smitty outsmarted your left coast coach by anticipating the blitz that let to the only hit of Ryan on the day, that resulted in an pick, AND took advantage of the mismatch on TG that his blitz caused. In the end, under the pressure, Smitty outsmarted Carroll. Game, Set Match.
Matty Bicep
January 18th, 2013
10:57 pm
30 seconds left, we run the same play we ran that beat Chicago with 11 seconds left, well before Koetter ever got here.
On the next play, we made adjustments, and stopped a safety/CB blitz that let to a pick, and an unblocked hit on Ryan, AND took advantage of the LB matchup on TG that was caused by this blitz.
How can you say that Smitty is not the chess master? Like I said, let Smitty relax and start winning playoff games like he wins regular season games…..This could go down as one of the best systems in history…..in spite of Smitty.
Matty Bicep
January 18th, 2013
11:07 pm
VP: But please, if you let me bring in the West Coast guy, I promise you, will have the #1 store in the company…
AB: Really, why?
VP: This west coast guy is young, innovative, he has a new inventory system that is super creative and will insure even higher sales.
AB: Really, what is it called?
VP: The H back inventory system.
AB: YOUR ARE SO EFFIN FIRED
falcon21
January 18th, 2013
11:11 pm
Unreal, later Cage.
Slant Pattern
January 18th, 2013
11:18 pm
“Roger, SP. You and the other Cage clairvioants have been predicting your own doom-and-gloom ending for months. And you’ve compiled a distinguished record of being wrong.” – GM
Last time I checked getting rid of Mularkey worked pretty well for us. I remember many clueless non change types like yourself saying how bad it would be without him. Care to name all those other wrongs? Oh wait, who are you and why would I care?
Paddy O
January 19th, 2013
1:31 am
Our defense actually played lights out – Nolan has a fantastic scheme going on – with alittle help from Carroll and the rookie who blew at least 3 points at the end of the first half. the 3rd quarter they adjusted, we kept our scheme – they scored, we scored. However, about half way through the 3rd quarter – we started trying to run it – get that TOP and burn the clock. I was standing in the dome at that point and sat down – bemoaning our offenses transfer to premature Smitty Ball. It would NOT work for that long. Shortly there after, my friend with me said “if we have a turn over, we could be in trouble”. Very quickly after that, there goes MR2 with an interception – that forced our D back onto the field too quickly – and, they marched right down. Plus, Bosher has 2 lousy punts. Easy field position. Our D was tiring – but, kept the run stopping mentality in place. Then, as stated, we did have a quick 3 and out on passing. I believe bad punt – and you have what you have. But, there was a ton of missed penalties against Seattle on our D line. Finally, MR2 came in from the 27 yard line – 2 quick nice receptions, Matt Bryant trots out and bangs it home. BUT, Bosher still needs a mulligan on that last kick off. That COULD have been the VERY worst call in NFL history. But, as we stated on the way home: We first snatched defeat from the jaws of victory; before we then snatched victory from the jaws of defeat; we almost did one final wrong snatch. A bad snatch will ruin you for a lifetime. BUT, we won!!!!! Overcame a gigantic MR2 error – very tough to do generally – and overcame team paralysis pretty much the entire 4th quarter. OUR players MUST win this game. If Ryan is not hammered to the ground – we should win! GO FALCONS!!!!
Paddy O
January 19th, 2013
1:32 am
HONESTLY, by the time the 4th quarter rolled around, I wanted to choke the living manure out of the RISE UP SOB. Also, who knew TV time outs disrupted the game so much?
DHunt
January 19th, 2013
1:35 am
I have to give a standing ovation to everyone who participated in the store manager pipe dream. Effin’ brilliant by all parties involved. If I didn’t know better, I would swear you guys were sitting around smoking a bong together to have come up with that much classic repartee on the fly like that. Kudos gentlemen…kudos.
That’s why I come to the Cage to read myself to sleep every night.
Rise Up.
Paddy O
January 19th, 2013
1:35 am
Greg – that 4th quarter collapse makes the Smitty Ball opponents wrong? AGainst a rookie QB? I’m not seeing wrong. But, if we win the next game, Smitty has at least another 2 years at the helm. If we win in the SB, Mike Smith can write his own ticket – he’ll be here as long as Ryan – possibly another decade?
Paddy O
January 19th, 2013
1:37 am
I think Mike Smith makes a lot of fans pull their hair out – but, it appears the players respect him and enjoy playing for him. Smith has them beleiving they are one big happy family working the family farm, and if we all pull together, we’ll make a million on those soy beans. Could very well happen. We have a TON OF TALENT. And, Mike Smith is loyal to a fault – one characteristic of his that I prefer over “toss ‘em over the side” Belicheck.
Paddy O
January 19th, 2013
1:40 am
MB – the problem with you is you make everything personal. Whose west coast coach? Dont be such a blasted dimwit. We almost lost a game in the 4th quarter we were up by 20 points to. THAT is bad. We just happen to have a very cagey QB who pulled our fat from the fryer – like he has been doing since the Chicago game. To think we win BECAUSE of Smith is bit too pollyanna. but, that is your MO.
Paddy O
January 19th, 2013
1:44 am
dhunt – the store manager thing – almost all versions – was pretty funny – not as funny as the shotgun marriage one, but mighty funny. it also demonstrated individuals mindsets. very interesting. I really hope we win. dang, I’d be so effffing happy.
TimeToFlyLikeAFalcon
January 19th, 2013
3:13 am
RISE UP, The Birds will Fly to Victory!
They will have to throw long, medium, and short passes to win this game. They have to mix it up to keep the 49ers defense guessing. They also really really need to get Turner and Rodgers in the run game. We need our running backs to help us get yards, because we can’t just expect Matt Ryan and the Receivers to be the entire offense.
It’s not fair to Matt Ryan or the Receivers if our running backs can’t do their part. The running game will be important but so will Matt Ryan and the offensive coordinator mixing up the plays long, medium, short passes and a good run game.
The Falcons Defense has to have a spy to make sure that Kaepernick won’t run on them too often. This game is a winnable game for The Falcons but they have to be at their best, everyone has to show up. The offense and defense has to put a masterclass performance on if they really want to get to the Super Bowl and win it. No one ever said it would be easy, so time to prove all the Haters and Naysayers wrong and show them what this Atlanta Falcons team is made of.
Wings
January 19th, 2013
7:34 am
Some of the best reading this morning ever. You have to love Home Depot.
Some good stuff from AJC article:
http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/football/big-trade-jones-has-falcons-brink-super-bowl/nT2WM/
“Julio is all business,” Fox NFL analyst Howie Long said. “Julio might as well be in a suit with a briefcase because he is all business. Roddy is a great compliment to him because he’s so tough, so physical and so animated.”
All of a sudden, I have more confidence that we will win on Sunday.
trademark
January 19th, 2013
7:48 am
!
http://www.ajc.com/news/ap/crime/49ers-crabtree-questioned-in-sexual-assault-case/nT2Z9/
Big Ray
January 19th, 2013
8:55 am
Sp, do I need to give you Stats lessons on sample sizes? But to cut to the chase.
Speaking of sample sizes…one must be careful. A sample size of 16 regular season games revealed that the Falcons were one of the worst teams at running the ball, and the Seahawks were one of the best at stopping the run.
Surely that would have indicated that Atlanta would NOT have had a snowball’s chance in hell at running on Seattle last week. Yet, that is not what happened. Instead, Atlanta put up more running yards in one game than they had all season long.
So much for sample size….
Flo-Ri-Duh
January 19th, 2013
9:20 am
First – you have to stop Gore. Second – don’t let Kaepernek get outside of the pocket. Third – cover Crabtree and rough him up. Fourth hold the TE up on the line with the pass rush. Fifth – pray that Abraham has a miracle recovery. On offense – screen passes and misdirection to slow the rush. Play 1st down like it’s 2nd down and 7. In other words. – short to mid range passes on 1st down – Gonzales. On second down – go deep. We need TD’s in this game – not field goals. Formula for victory – score first. Lead at the half and finish strong. NO TURNOVERS.
Flo-Ri-Duh
January 19th, 2013
9:21 am
Falcons certainly have a chance. Seahawks blew out 49′ers in their 2nd meeting and lost to them by seven in the first game. Key is for Falcons to score first.
Big Ray
January 19th, 2013
9:33 am
Funny how Pat Y does not mention Smittys 44-1 when having a lead at half time lead
Most likely because we are in the playoffs, and therefore talking ABOUT the playoffs…where regular season records mean what?
You yourself just said Mike McCarthy looked like a genius and then got whooped.
And sorry, but you can’t talk about “facts” and sample sizes out of both sides of the mouth.
Here’s a fact – Smitty has now “graduated” to 1-3 in postseason play. Whether you like the sample size or not does not change the fact.
Here’s another fact – Winning a lot in the regular season guarantees two things:
1) You get to the postseason.
2) You are judged by postseason success or failure, because it is the next level. Nobody plays or coaches in the NFL to be champions of the regular season.
If this was so, then the the Lombardi trophy would go to the team with the best regular season record.
By the way, McCarthy is 74-38 in the regular season. Is he inferior to Mike Smith?
His postseason record is 6-4. Mike Smith would have to go 5 and 1 in the playoffs to equal McCarthy’s record if we’re going to keep up with like sample sizes.
You might wish to find a different comparison.
DHunt
January 19th, 2013
9:36 am
Paddy, as I have no dog in that fight, I’m feeling like the objective outside observer. MB is everything you said, but he’s also just the other side of the Fire Smitty coin. Things can get a bit caustic coming from that side of the room too. There are valid points to be made on both sides of the Smitty argument
Finally, the game is tomorrow. Seems like some folks have been driving themselves into a frenzy, agonizing over the “what ifs” in this game. I’m stuck on the what if the Falcons play a complete game this week. What if the protection holds up and our receivers do what we know they can do? What if the Running backs have even a halfway decent day running the ball, and chip in with a few timely catches as well. What if the defense comes out with another effort like they brought to the Giants, Saints, or Broncos game? I heard Mortenson say he didn’t know if the niners could be beat if they played their best game, and it occurred to me that I have not once heard any national media person say that about the Falcons ALL YEAR LONG, much less in the lead up to either playoff game. You would think the Falcons haven’t played a good game all year, the way no one seems to think they are even capable of one. We KNOW the Falcons are more than capable of playing a complete game on offense and defense. So if all the prognostication is based on what Kaepernick did last week, then the Falcons history is far more compelling than the Niners history.
After tomorrow, the media will have to spend two weeks trying to pretend the Falcons still can’t beat the so-called great teams. I’m going to enjoy hearing all that backpedalling and backtracking.
Greg Mendel
January 19th, 2013
9:36 am
Paddy O:
I wrote the Home Depot dialog to express a general opinion, not on something specific, and tried not to be confrontational. I don’t think Smitty is above criticism, or that Cagers shouldn’t criticize. The point was “perspective.”
A few days ago, the litany of Smith’s faults expanded to include his pacing on the sideline and the complexion of his face. Perception is one thing, opinion another, and facts something else entirely. To me, the fact that Smith’s team is about to play for the NFC title should earn him a little slack.
BTW, I agree with what you mentioned about Smitty (loyalty, teamwork) that I think gets overlooked. I think there are fundamental, unflashy things Smitty does that have contributed to team stability and success.
At any rate, I’m hoping all Cagers will be celebrating tomorrow night.
Big Ray
January 19th, 2013
9:42 am
Flo-Ri-Duh ,
I’m all for roughing up Crabtree, but the guy I really think we should hit A LOT is Colin Kaepernick. That young fella needs to be humbled, and quickly.
I’m looking for Sean Weatherspoon to be the man on this.
We’ve had trouble finishing strong, not leading at the half.
I don’t think we’ll forget about Gore, but we may want to do two things as far as pressure and attacking the running game. First, use Babineaux at DE (at least some of the time) and incorporate Dent into the game as much as we did against Seattle. He was effective…
LRD
January 19th, 2013
9:44 am
Just think.. soon all this chatter will be just that.. chatter.. and we will be seeing if we are going to NOLA or not.
The Dome will be super LOUD tomorrow.. and if all the falcon swag seen over the last 2 days.. the wagon is fillin up
Flo-Ri-Duh
January 19th, 2013
9:52 am
Prediction: Kaepernik gets less than 50 yards rushing and has TWO passes intercepted. One by DeCoud and one by Samuel. Gore has close to but less than 100 yards rushing. Falcons score first and lead at the half by three. Ryan throws THREE TD passes – two to Roddy White and one to Jones. FALCONS win by SEVEN.
DHunt
January 19th, 2013
9:53 am
Crabtree having a Eugene Robinson moment for the Niners. Wonder if that is going to be a major media point over the next two days, especially after the Falcons put that beat down on them.
Big Ray
January 19th, 2013
9:56 am
Dhunt ,
Well said. Whether I agree with it or not, though….the trend around the League doesn’t run towards quick firings of head coaches that enjoy success in regular season. It’s the guys who get to the postseason repeatedly, but do nothing when they get there.
On the one hand, that cannot be said of Smitty anymore. On the other hand, 1-3 with one miss at making the playoffs is not a lot to hang your hat on when you consider a guy like Lovie Smith was fired with a 3-3 playoff record (and yes, his regular season record is less than Smith’s, but once must also consider what kind of QB he’s been working with, particularly prior to Cutler, along with major injuries in what seems like every year).
Smitty has another day, tomorrow, to either add to his record or detract from it. We shall see.
That one playoff win is probably enough to extend him some goodwill from the one man whose opinion matters. Then again, how tomorrow’s game plays out might or might not determine that yet.
Stay competitive, win or lose, and Smitty goes back to work the next day and next season beyond that.
Get blown out, and all bets may indeed be off.
Win it all, and he’s untouchable…you don’t win SBs in spite of the head coach, I do know that…
Big Ray
January 19th, 2013
10:04 am
Greg Mendel ,
I think Smitty’s loyalty is probably a HUGE thing with his players. I would imagine that none is more appreciative than Sam Baker. Todd McClure has to have his back, too. Even Mike Turner, who saw his carries reduced..but was then given a vote of confidence in the playoff game last Sunday.
We’ve also seen the other side – you don’t earn it? You don’t get it. Isn’t that right, Mr. Edwards?
There is a place for loyalty. Of course, it can be argued that loyalty also breeds towards the Apprenticeship Program, which I think sometimes takes too long to develop guys, personally.
As for Bill Belichick…well…can’t say too much negative about the way he does things. Seven appearances in the SB in the last 12 years…
Uhh…who else has that kind of record?
DHunt
January 19th, 2013
10:05 am
“you don’t win SBs in spite of the head coach, I do know that…” – Big Ray
That is going to be a very interesting conversation, and after we win the Super Bowl, I will be looking very closely to see how the Fire Smitty crowd reacts. Because even when the Falcons win the Super Bowl, many of the criticisms of the Falcons head coach will still be valid.
Flo-Ri-Duh
January 19th, 2013
10:05 am
Falcons are playing in the Dome where they only lost ONCE this year – the final meaningless game against Tampa Bay. Don’t underestimate the advantage for the Falcons of being in the Dome. Big question – Abraham? Falcons need a complete four quarter effort like they had against the Giants. 49′ers aren’t invincible (lost 4 & tied 1). ESPN is all about California and THEY want the 49′ers to win. The key to pressuring Kaepernick is to not let him roll out and stop Gore and the run game.
Wings
January 19th, 2013
10:09 am
Big Ray you are on it today!!!!!
I have to wear the same clothes to my young (22) nephew’s house tomorrow as I did last Sunday. He has requested it of all attendees. He is the one in my family who takes the Falcons’ fight into the future. I have had the Super Bowl quest for too long since the beginning. I noticed there are several honorary captains tomorrow from previous teams. Steve Bartowski, Warrick Dunn, Tommy Nobis, Jeff Van Note and Jessie Tuggle will represent the Falcons as honorary captains on Sunday
DHunt
January 19th, 2013
10:10 am
The Five Stages of Media Coverage of the Falcons
Denial – Nothing the Falcons do is ever good enough.
Anger – Media personalities stay mad about how the Falcons win games
Bargaining – media personalities swear the Falcons will get some respect IF they win a playoff game
Depression – How dare the falcons beat the team we just knew would beat them.
Acceptance – Well they won the Super Bowl, so actually we always knew they had it in them.
Flo-Ri-Duh
January 19th, 2013
10:14 am
Mike Smith and his coaches are the BEST the Falcons have ever had – PERIOD. Been watching and waiting for the Falcons to win a Super Bowl since 1966 – their 1st year of existence. To bad they whiffed on Edwards deal but they have successful most of the time with their draft and their acquisitions. Falcon fans need to get JET DECIBEL LOUD when 49′ers have the ball. Kaepernicks never played a playoff game on the ROAD.
Flo-Ri-Duh
January 19th, 2013
10:18 am
YEAR of the DIRTY BIRD! After TWO interceptions the pressure on Kaepernick and the 49′ers coaching staff will be unbearable. Will they make a change at QB in the 4th quarter?
Matty Bicep
January 19th, 2013
10:18 am
PaddyO@ 1:40 AM. My reference to the West Coast coach was playing off SPs reference a few post above it…no reason to call me names, apology accepted….and it is not me who takes it too serious.
Unca' Bob
January 19th, 2013
10:35 am
Big Ray
January 19th, 2013
8:55 am
Masterful observation!
Wings
January 19th, 2013
10:57 am
Reminder for all of us:
When you’re arguing with an idiot, make sure the person you are speaking to isn’t doing the same thing.
Big Lou
January 19th, 2013
11:01 am
All I care about is a competitive game on Sunday with the 49ers and Falcons. Win or lose… I just don’t want one of those blowout let-downs of Falcon’s past.
The Crabtree incident is interesting. I wonder if it will effect his focus this week. It might mean that Vernon Davis could be getting the ball more.
One thing to not though… the fans need to do a better job than last Sunday. They started getting too quiet when Seattle came back. They need to learn to be loud no matter what! Don’t spend money on tickets if you’re gonna half-azz it. The teams, especially defense, feeds off that crowd.
Greg Mendel
January 19th, 2013
11:06 am
Big Ray & DHunt:
Good points. Regarding “loyalty,” I think the word “patience” is a better fit sometimes. Some players written off by fans last year have performed well this season. There may be a number of reasons — injuries, new coordinators, new schemes, etc. — but Smith stuck with them. Maybe he thinks their potential is worth it, even if his fingers are crossed. In Edwards’ case, I think Smith saw a lost cause and present danger, and acted quickly.
I give Smitty the credit he’s due. I think he’s the best Falcons HC ever. But, honestly, I’m not going to say he’s the best HC we COULD have. We all want a team that’s as consistent (and consistently feared) as the Patriots. I don’t know if Smitty is the man who can build and lead the Falcons to become such a team. Right now, though, I can’t think of a replacement guaranteed to be better.
Matty Bicep
January 19th, 2013
11:06 am
Like I said, if you already have a opinion Smittys performance in a game that has yet to be played, your not objective. I am not a pollyanna, I am objective. The head coach is judged by everything, who he surrounds himself, with how his players execute his plan, how they respond to adversity, and about a million other things, including game plan and scheme.
Smitty gets a lot of A+’s, a few A’s, a few B;s, and until this past week, an F in winning playoff games. Now he is up to C-. But an F in winning playoff games sure best an incomplete.
Lovie Smith? his downfall was he could never find an OC, or an O line coach…..As a manager, hiring good people is #1, if you cannot master that, yours screwed. A 3-3 playoff record is not worth dirt if you can’t get to the playoffs anymore.
Finally, comparing playoff records is silly, for winning wild card games will pump up the Ws over a better all around coach who gets his teams a bye. Really, it is not how many wins you get in the playoffs, but how far you get.
An in regards to Mike McCarthy, he is a great coach, yet, look what the team we are playing did to his team this year.
tidog
January 19th, 2013
11:11 am
In the words of the famous wrasttler Ric Flair ” to be the best you got to beat the best”. The season’s end is working out ideally for the Falcons and the Rise Up Nation. You couldn’t write a better dramatic ending for the Falcons. Underdogs in the conference finals and undoubtly the Superbowl also, the team no one thought had a chance wins the Lombardi Trophy in New Orleans. Beating the best to be the best so bring on the 49′ers and Brady and lets get ready to rumble. Rise Up
Matty Bicep
January 19th, 2013
11:13 am
There ya go Greg, if Bill B, or another Harbaugh brother become available, I might advocate a coaching change, but taking a shot on an unproven assistant, or some retread who proved incapable of making the playoffs consistently is not appealing to me. All we need is some guy come in here like a Lovie Smith who cannot hire good coaches to screw up what we have.
Matty Bicep
January 19th, 2013
11:23 am
But the interesting thing about M McCarthy, he is 6-4 in the playoffs, 4-0 one year, and 2-4 the other 6 years in the league…..And it was not like he inherited a laughing stock of a franchise, he inherited Brett Farve.