LIVE from New Orleans, as Falcons go for the upset
If John Abraham is doing this to Drew Brees, the Falcons have a chance against New Orleans. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
NEW ORLEANS –Good morning. I’m looking forward to actually watching some football today since I really didn’t see any last night in Starkville.
The good news for the Falcons is that no matter what happens in today’s game against the New Orleans Saints — and I do believe they have a legitimate chance to win — they will be fine this season. That’s not the case at Georgia, which not only lost last night at Mississippi State but had yet another player — freshman linebacker Demetre Baker — arrested this morning for underage possession of alcohol and DUI. That makes 10 arrests for the Bulldogs since the spring to pair with a 0-3 record in the SEC.
By comparison, the Falcons are Camelot.
There obviously were some good signs in last week’s 41-7 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The Falcons ran the ball effectively, with Jason Snelling having a breakout game (three touchdowns) after Michael Turner left with a groin strain. Quarterback Matt Ryan also was sharp.
But the Saints are at another level. Ryan will face a stronger pass rush and play in a tougher environment in the Superdome than last week.
The biggest step up today must come from the defense. In the first two games, the Falcons faced a third-string quarterback in Pittsburgh (Dennis Dixon) and a last-resort starter against Arizona (Derek Anderson). Today, the opposing quarterback is the MVP of the Super Bowl, Drew Brees.
The New Orleans offense has not been as explosive as a year ago. The Saints have won their first two games by scores of 14-9 and 25-22. But Brees has completed 74.3 percent of his passes (55 of 74) for 491 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. It’s imperative the Falcons get pressure on him, and that starts with John Abraham.
The lone starters out for the Falcons are wide receiver Michael Jenkins and safety Erik Coleman.
That’s it for now. I’ll check back shortly. How do you feel about the Falcons’ chances today?
♦
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2,596 comments Add your comment
Mick
September 26th, 2010
2:57 pm
Stupid refs should have called this right the first time and called him down.
O'Brien
September 26th, 2010
2:57 pm
we need to get the TD here
SolidTonyG
September 26th, 2010
2:57 pm
Refs come through. Unbelievable.
Ramguy
September 26th, 2010
2:57 pm
I stand corrected
Jeff Schultz
September 26th, 2010
2:58 pm
Ryan overthrows Gonzalez.
FrontRow
September 26th, 2010
2:58 pm
ya but they made us burn a challenge
willy
September 26th, 2010
2:58 pm
scary play
bigdave
September 26th, 2010
2:58 pm
hell is this.. run the ball!!!
5150 P.O.A.D.
September 26th, 2010
2:58 pm
Now we have to score for sure. If a terriable call happens now we don’t get to challange and that is so wrong.
Geoff
September 26th, 2010
2:58 pm
Man what a bad pass. Come on Matt
playmeortrademe
September 26th, 2010
2:58 pm
now this is where the NFL should change the rule. You win your last challenge you get another challenge. Now there’s no stopping the refs from jobbing the Falcons with no challenge flag.
"Chef" Tim Dix
September 26th, 2010
2:58 pm
Ankiel HR.
bigdave
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
run it on 1st.. ! out of a 2 wide out set.. empty backfield..?
willy
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
I say they get in! We have the Mojo. georgia fans are gone
Falcons@Saints 2010
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
try Snelling?
SolidTonyG
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
Falcons2010 changed his name to SolidTonyG since two others using Falcons have appeared after I took a fantasy football break. No problem.
ATLJim31
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
Spread them out to run!
Scooter
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
Ughh
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
Field Goal U like UGA
Vinings
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
Use the $MM qb.
ATLJim31
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
horrible. just horrible play calling.
kick the FG!
mmgtfan
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
Mike Mularkey and Michael Turner, FAIL!!
ommyTa
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
Bobo has taken over the play calling.
O'Brien
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
Why run the same play twice? Where is the play action?
SCFALCON
September 26th, 2010
2:59 pm
pathetic play calls
willy
September 26th, 2010
3:00 pm
How much clock was that?
playmeortrademe
September 26th, 2010
3:00 pm
WHYYYYY???? SNELLING JUST BROKE OFF A HUGE RUN AND YOU DON’T GIVE HIME THE BALL??!!!
STUPID!!!!!
DAWGS NOT FORD TOUGH
September 26th, 2010
3:00 pm
Bobo making the calls for the Falcons?
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
3:00 pm
3 POINTS
UGABugKiller
September 26th, 2010
3:00 pm
God dang, does Mike Mularky know how to kill a drive, or doesn’t he?
Jeff Schultz
September 26th, 2010
3:00 pm
Not a touchdown but Falcons converted the fumble into 3 pts. lead for first time today. 17-14.
falcons86
September 26th, 2010
3:00 pm
turner is SO SLOW shouldve used snelling! I was calling for snelling on 2nd and 3rd! Or tony again man turner is slow
Ramguy
September 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
I guess the OC never learns….he got away with it one time and I guess he thought they could do it again.
FrontRow
September 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
3 points and 5 minutes off the clock
Dawgs73
September 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
Whatever happened to play action?????????????????? Would it kill Mularkey to at least be somewhat creative.
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
Guess Bozo made the trip to new orleans
GTMustang
September 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
I am sick of Turner. He is slow and not powerful at all. He cannot get outside and he just all around sucks.
SCFALCON
September 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
Could lose by 10 now. Have to keep the pedal down.
80sFalcon
September 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
Mularky must have consulted with Bobo before the game!
DHunt
September 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
Ovie missed his block on that last play
BloodStainz
September 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
Why is the playcalling so bad?
ATLJim31
September 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
We absolutely have no creativity inside the 10 yd line.
It’s no wonder we struggle to score TD’s.
willy
September 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
You guys suck, listen to you
Rick
September 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
Still running the ball with turner at the goal. Boy are we stupid. You run him between the 20’s. He is too slow to be run at a stacked goal. Half the carries are a loss.
"Chef" Tim Dix
September 26th, 2010
3:02 pm
I would think the Tour Championship is about to be called.
Ramguy
September 26th, 2010
3:02 pm
I was hoping they would have shown a rush formation and then passed on 1st down instead of having a empty backfield.
Mike
September 26th, 2010
3:02 pm
That was bad. Against NO you HAVE to score TD’s and not FG’s. the same play twice in a row. MM strikes again!
bgfalcon
September 26th, 2010
3:02 pm
lets go D!!!! and POAD haha I DID, because uga, and gt already lost i was hopin that ATL would get it done
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
3:02 pm
You can’t beat the saints with field goals
playmeortrademe
September 26th, 2010
3:02 pm
Championship teams don’t kick FGs on 1st and goal from the two….that was pathetic…