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
Dogs
September 26th, 2010
1:34 pm
Can’t we all just get along?
Let’s move on.
ReddJonn68
September 26th, 2010
1:35 pm
Can we contain outside runs !!!!
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
1:35 pm
Michael Vick>>>>>>>Matt Ryan
DHunt
September 26th, 2010
1:35 pm
Which defensive end are they running at on that left side?
Willy's farewell party
September 26th, 2010
1:35 pm
Hooray!!
Frozen Rope
September 26th, 2010
1:35 pm
later Willy,, dont let the door hit ya
DHunt
September 26th, 2010
1:35 pm
Right side of the defense is holding it down.
ReddJonn68
September 26th, 2010
1:36 pm
Where the hell was Moore !!!!
Frozen Rope
September 26th, 2010
1:36 pm
not good
Stuart Scoot
September 26th, 2010
1:36 pm
Boo-yah!!
(It’ll come back, people.)
5150 P.O.A.D.
September 26th, 2010
1:36 pm
Who let the UGA secondary put on Falcon jerseys and play today.
ATLJim31
September 26th, 2010
1:36 pm
oh jesus…
This is just getting ridiculous.
Lance Moore will be a HOF by games end it looks like.
Mike
September 26th, 2010
1:36 pm
Major blow coverage. Defense looking below average today.
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
1:37 pm
Michael Vick took the ATL too the NFC Championship game, Matt Ryan First Round Playoff lost
Far_East
September 26th, 2010
1:37 pm
I thought we had an upgraded secondary????
"Chef" Tim Dix
September 26th, 2010
1:37 pm
Furyk to win.
Jeff Schultz
September 26th, 2010
1:37 pm
Moore his having himself quite a game … DeCoud was late coming over on coverage. Defense has to make NO offense work harder for TDs than that.
Vick Supporter
September 26th, 2010
1:37 pm
The Falcons…shall be blown out today
treaddawg
September 26th, 2010
1:37 pm
Separation, it’s what’s for dinner dirty birds
TCCB
September 26th, 2010
1:38 pm
OH WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN!!!!!!!!!
ATLJim31
September 26th, 2010
1:38 pm
All you MV7 posters are nothing more than racists.
Get a life and stop baiting people.
Falcons2010
September 26th, 2010
1:38 pm
Those were very different Saints. Dan Mullen.
Pacino
September 26th, 2010
1:38 pm
Just when I thought I was out…
Falcons2010
September 26th, 2010
1:38 pm
By different I mean crummy.
Mike
September 26th, 2010
1:38 pm
I got a bad feeling today. Defense is not going to be able to stop the Saints.
riloj
September 26th, 2010
1:38 pm
you know what I would do as a safety….make sure no one got behind me…..just a thought worst Safety in the NFL
DHunt
September 26th, 2010
1:38 pm
Where is my free safety? We have to stop the big play. Nobody is really moving the ball but everybody is burning us for big plays. OK so let’s hope that’s the one big play given up on defense today.
Bring Back Reeves
September 26th, 2010
1:38 pm
GOOD BYE running game….our coaches r going to freak out and ryan will have over 40 attempts this game
"Chef" Tim Dix
September 26th, 2010
1:38 pm
Freeman gets the start @ 1st.
Scooter
September 26th, 2010
1:39 pm
I’m sorry but this crowd that the fox guys keep gushing over don’t sound all that loud to me…I know that we’re all supposed to kiss New Orleans’ ass b/c of Katrina but cmon now…
Mike
September 26th, 2010
1:39 pm
Weems is our new Jennings. He SUX at returns
SCFALCON
September 26th, 2010
1:39 pm
how many more pile runs?
"Chef" Tim Dix
September 26th, 2010
1:39 pm
Omar, 2 pitches 1 out.
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
1:39 pm
Matt Ryan is overrated
Bring Back Reeves
September 26th, 2010
1:39 pm
Nice run Turner….straight into the FREAKN pile!!!! awesome…where is snelling??????
Frozen Rope
September 26th, 2010
1:39 pm
here we go,, lets not get predictible
Falcons2010
September 26th, 2010
1:39 pm
Unimaginative play for one yard.
welikebaseball2
September 26th, 2010
1:40 pm
Wow, someone doesn’t know the definition of racists. Anyway…are we going to run on 1st down all day? Let me guess…run for 0 to 3 yards on 1st, incomplete pass on 2nd, face 3rd & long. Wow.
Vick Supporter
September 26th, 2010
1:40 pm
If they Falcons don’t run the ball, Ryan cannot win the game for them
Larry
September 26th, 2010
1:40 pm
Good teams capitalize on turnovers.
Notice how hard our receptions are. Our guys are alwaus covered. Their’s are wide open. We will lose 42-27
Dawgs Man
September 26th, 2010
1:40 pm
#1 play of the Falcons. Turner run into a brick wall.
DHunt
September 26th, 2010
1:40 pm
Was that a horsecollar tackle they just got away with?
Jeff Schultz
September 26th, 2010
1:40 pm
Who is that masked man?
Ramguy
September 26th, 2010
1:40 pm
Looks like Falcons secondary is taking lessons from the UGA’s.
Rewind
September 26th, 2010
1:41 pm
Maybe Turner will, as Chef pointed out last week, “pull his wallet.”
Frozen Rope
September 26th, 2010
1:41 pm
yeah ,, Ryan is over rated,,, bwahahaha
"Chef" Tim Dix
September 26th, 2010
1:41 pm
Ovie, good safety valve.
ReddJonn68
September 26th, 2010
1:41 pm
That was a horse collar on Matt a cpl of plays ago
5150 P.O.A.D.
September 26th, 2010
1:41 pm
Matt might have the most yards running today, but they will all be behind the line and running for his life.
Scooter
September 26th, 2010
1:41 pm
I want me some Snelling…on first down.