Mike Smith should’ve given Matt Ryan, offense a chance
Matt Ryan lost for only the second time in 21 home starts.
This season has been about comebacks.
This season has been about the Falcons making plays at the end of games to win.
This season has been about Matt Ryan engineering winning drives against New Orleans, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Green Bay and Tampa Bay.
Whether that magic carries over into the playoffs remains to be seen. But it ran out Monday night. One reason: a bad decision by coach Mike Smith.
With the Saints leading the Falcons 17-14 at the Georgia Dome and less than three minutes remaining, Smith pulled Ryan and the offense off the field. The team faced a fourth-and-6 from the Falcons’ 43 and the head coach went the conservative route.
Smith’s mindset: A good punt could pin New Orleans deep in its zone, the defense looked strong most of the evening and the Falcons could get the ball back in good position.
But that same defense had just allowed Drew Brees and the Saints a go-ahead, 90-yard touchdown drive.
Strategy: Epic fail.
The Saints got the ball back with 2:44 left. They made two first downs and ran out the clock.
Smith has made a lot of good decisions over the past three seasons. This was a bad one.
How do you pull Ryan off the field? The quarterback has been nothing but clutch. He excels in the two-minute offense. He excels in no-huddle. Actually, a case could be made that Ryan often is better in pressure situations and in the fourth quarter than in other situations.
Also worth noting: The Falcons went into the game with the NFL’s best fourth-down percentage (84.6 percent, 11 for 13).
Granted, Ryan wasn’t necessarily at his best Monday night. He completed only 15 of 29 for 148 yards and a touchdown.
But do you know what he didn’t do? He didn’t melt down. Even his counterpart, Brees, did that early in the fourth quarter.
With the Saints leading 10-7, it was Brees who threw a foolish shovel pass as he was being sacked by Jonathan Babineaux in the fourth quarter. The pass was intercepted by Chauncey Davis and returned 26 yards for a touchdown and a 14-10 lead Falcons lead. It was Brees who, on the ensuing New Orleans drive, was pressured and ultimately intercepted by John Abraham.
But in the end, it also was Brees who led the Saints to a 13-play, 90-yard touchdown drive, capped by a six-yard pass to Jimmy Graham.
The Falcons trailed 10-0. But that wasn’t all about Ryan. The Saints’ touchdown was set up by a bad snap by center Todd McClure — the ball never making it to Ryan’s hands. To open the second half, Ryan drove the offense down the field to the New Orleans’ one-yard-line, completing four of five attempts and throwing two passes that led to a pass interference penalty. But Michael Turner was stopped on first down and fumbled on second down.
Two turnovers — a 14-point swing.
Ryan’s seven-yard touchdown pass to Roddy White in the second quarter had closed the score to 10-7. Then came the Turner fumble drive in the third.
In September, Ryan led a comeback win at New Orleans. With the Falcons trailing 21-17 in the fourth quarter, Ryan took them on a nine-play, 85-yard touchdown drive, finishing with a 22-yard score to Roddy White to give Atlanta a 24-21 lead. The Saints rallied for a game-tying field goal, but the Falcons won the game with a field goal in overtime. It was a run-dominated, field goal drive but it was Ryan who set the tone with his calmness.
He wasn’t given that chance Monday night.
If the Falcons win next week over Carolina, their regular season goals will be achieved. They can clinch the NFC South Division, a first-round bye and the top seed in the conference. The memory of this loss will fade quickly.
The Falcons have proven themselves this season. They’re 12-3, still the best record in the NFC. But we know teams and quarterbacks are defined by the playoffs, not regular seasons. That’s not meant at a knock on Ryan. Fact is, everything about him — from his talent to his makeup and his leadership — suggests he will succeed in the playoffs. But consider it the unchecked box on his resume.
Thus far, Ryan has had only one chance. Two years ago as a rookie, he led the Falcons to an 11-5 regular season record but looked average in a playoff loss at Arizona, losing 30-24. Ryan threw two touchdown passes but was intercepted twice, sacked three times and fumbled once during an attempted handoff (leading to a 27-yard return for a touchdown by the Cardinals’ Antrel Rolle).
I remember thinking during and after the game that Ryan didn’t look the same and something must be wrong with him physically. I asked a couple of team officials about him, but the response I got was: Ryan was healthy. It’s just that the playoffs are a step up and the rookie quarterback wasn’t ready for that moment.
This season, Ryan has outdueled four of the league’s top quarterbacks: Brees (New Orleans), Carson Palmer (Cincinnati), Joe Flacco (Baltimore) and Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay). He has the best touchdown-interception ratio (26-9) of his career. He looks ready for the postseason.
It just would’ve been nice to see him get one more chance Monday.
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685 comments Add your comment
Sout Georgia
December 28th, 2010
9:07 am
If the Falcons face the Saints and they probable will then it would have been almost impossible to beat a team of their caliber three times in one season. Now the falcons can learn from mistakes and win it all. Awesome season. Go Falcons
Mike
December 28th, 2010
9:07 am
I don’t know how you called him clutch when he was the reason we were 4th and 6.
Mike
December 28th, 2010
9:08 am
We need a scatback more than you know! Turner can’t bend any corners … we need a game changer, not two of the same the backfield. Look for RB and TE to be the focus of the draft …and DE.
Sout Georgia
December 28th, 2010
9:08 am
Enter your comments here
BW
December 28th, 2010
9:10 am
This game didn’t come down to one play. First after his quick slant touchdown, Roddy White disappeared the rest of the game. If we are going anywhere then he’s going to have to STFU on Twitter and play damn ball. Second, I know Michael Turner is getting all this hype but he’s starting to slow down and it’s apparent this season. Dimitroff may at least want to draft a running back this offseason that will be a threat out of the backfield to catch the ball downfield. Third the offensive playcalling was meek at best. Outside of the drive that got them to the Saints 1 yard line, the offense was inconsistent at best. Ryan is in his third year and it’s time to allow him a chance to complete improvisiontal throws like Brees did all night. Seeing the defense put up its best effort of the year, they deserved from the offense to play better. Finally last night was a case of a team that’s been in the clutch situation and won and the Falcons haven’t reached that level. All hope is not lost but Schultz is right…Mike Smith and Mike Mularkey need to turn up their game to advance in the postseason.
John
December 28th, 2010
9:10 am
SavannahDawg- I second your passionate call-out of the crybaby fans.
SaintsReam – We’ll see you in ATL on January 15. Bring the A-game..
BirdDawg24
December 28th, 2010
9:10 am
man, all negative today yesterday everyone was yelling SUPERBOWL!!!! what happened ? ATTENTION all real falcon fans please remain in your seat, the train will be slowing so the bandwagon jumpers can jump off ! pleaser take all your baggage and negativity with u . and dont be trying to get back on later we really dont need you . maybe NFL network will let u be guest anylasist
biff
December 28th, 2010
9:12 am
Jeff says in this article that Matt Ryan wears make-up. WOW!
stendek
December 28th, 2010
9:13 am
Only long time Falcon followers understand how truly depressing and devastating this defeat at the Georgia Dome was. This setback has far reaching implications. Goes far deeper than simply a tough loss to a decent team. Far deeper…
http://stendek77.wordpress.com/2010/12/28/falcon-offense-no-show-in-home-loss-to-saints/
Fans with the team since 1966 know exactly what I mean.
STENDEK
MisterEarl
December 28th, 2010
9:13 am
The Saints ran the same game-winning slant play to Jimmy Graham earlier with the same player (Reggie Bush) in motion. Great tactical decision by Sean Payton. Jimmy Graham is a great story of redemption.
The x factor if the two teams meet again will be Chris Ivory.
Great game with every play holding significance.
Rajun cajun
December 28th, 2010
9:14 am
You poor misguided Failcant fans….you got outplayed….outcoached….and could only produce a single offensive td. Your qb was terrible and looked like a rookie. In other words, you have been lucky and are frauds. If it were not for the sloppy play and penalties of my Sants, they would have beat you soundly. You are in denial and delusional. You ae not play-off ready and will be one and done. What a pathetic fan base. Losers above – keep calling us the ‘Aints. Only makes that SB44 ring shine more…..
tony
December 28th, 2010
9:17 am
Mr.Blank did some good things for this team but he did the wrong thing when he didn’t forgive MV. Forgiving is a direct commendment from God but Mr.Blank disobeyed it. He will have to answer for his unforgiving heart. Matthew 18:22 saids to forgive 70 times 7 times = 490 times
Back to football. Could of been…….Michael Vick + Glenn Dorsey = Super Bowl Champion.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>G.Dorsey 60 tackles 1 1/2 sacks<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Gwinnett Fred
December 28th, 2010
9:18 am
Put me down for a pat on the back to SavannahDawg and his comments.
You crybabies make me want to puke. It takes “fans” like you to crucify a 12-3 team. You don’t deserve to follow a winner, because only the 1972 Dolphins would have kept you from bitching at some point, though you’d have probably found something to bellyache about anyway.
John, SavannahDawg, and all the REAL Falcons fans – my advise (that I’m fixing to do myself) – log off this ridiculous blog filled with other teams fans and Falcon whiners – real fans were at the Dome last night blowing the roof off the place and will be there next week and again 2 weeks after that cheering our team on while these bellyachers will be passing out on their couches with a beer in hand thinking they could do it better. Yea, right.
Lewis Buzzard
December 28th, 2010
9:18 am
Hey Saint REAM how about doing me a fav and doing a copy and paste from the rulebook. I went to the NFL rulebook and couldn’t find the specific rule. Evidently you have. So how about posting so all us Falc fans will know?
atlnative
December 28th, 2010
9:18 am
Coach Mike Smith was overruled by the “forces”controlling the Atlanta Falcons.It’s fourth and six with 2:52 left in the game.Why would you punt the ball without giving Matt Ryan a chance to rally the team to victory?Who really made the decision to punt the football?
Saints R.E.A.M.
December 28th, 2010
9:18 am
Loser Falcon fans rationalizing that the loss keeps them from having to beat the Saints 3 times this year….ridiculous. What is this foolishness about how hard it is to beat a team 3 times? Uh….so should Saints fans be happy that we botched a FG earlier in the season. that way if we play the Falcons in the playoffs we would only have to beat them twice this year. Nice loser mentality. Nope. When you own a team you pound them everytime you play them. Thats what domination is about…..but ….you fans know in your hearts you were lucky to win early this season. And you don’t think you can get lucky 3 times in a season. Freakin losers!!!!
cajun2good
December 28th, 2010
9:19 am
HA ha ha ha ha ha ha ha….choke city,,,,,I told you about sean paytons national tv % win…dirty birds are a long way from being a elite…….the dirty birds will lose Sunday and the Saints will take the division……..HA ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Rob Thomas
December 28th, 2010
9:19 am
I posted this little factoid earlier; don’t know if anyone saw it, but i found it pretty interesting:
The last 2 times 10+ win teams met on MNF, the loser of that game went on to become the eventual Super Bowl winner (1990 Giants, 1997 Broncos; both lost to the 49ers).
Sportsrealist
December 28th, 2010
9:19 am
Good gut check for the birds. We needed this to get us focused for the playoffs. Now we regroup and turn up the volume. We’re on the right path to a super bowl victory. Go Falcons!!!
Gwinnett Fred
December 28th, 2010
9:20 am
And now we have to read Stendec’s crap about how losing last night was the end of the world.
Get a life you LOSER and quit living thru others.
I’m gone – tired of reading blogs filled with other teams fans and false Falcon fans that can only complain about a great 12-3 team.
I suggest all REAL Falcon fans do the same and exit this bogus blog.
BirdDawg24
December 28th, 2010
9:20 am
michael turner has helped this team win games all year mike, youre looking for someone to blame but u just dont know who.. lets blame it on FREDDIE FALCON. yeah thats the ticket, he did it . he dropped those passes, he let the saints score. he put water in the cups instead of gatorade.he didnt flapp his wings hard enough. freddie how could u ?
Nativebird
December 28th, 2010
9:20 am
This is what’s wrong with coaches and organizations who do not dare to greatness. who PUNT with the game on the line, your franchise quarterback under center and under 3 minutes. Mularky? too conservative. and now he’s convinced his head coach that no matter HOW many times he’s seen this young talented QB drive and win with time runningout, that the right play is punt. You have GOT to be kidding me! Give this kid the tools! Give this kid the opportunity! EVEN on a bad night, they could have pulled this one out. but now, THIS ONE is definitely on the coach for not even trying!
Atlanta..once again, on the big stage, when the spot light is on you…you lay another TURD. Yes, you’ll go to the playoffs, yes, you’ve got another (boring!) winning season, yes, you’ll probably win 1 or no playoff games and talk about next year. THIS franchise does NOT have the Superbowl as its goal! Just like the Braves, their goal is to NOT be in last place. ya know why? because us suckers who pay the bills are ALLOW it to be that way. Suckers. Blank, Smith, Demitroff, Cox, Scheruholz….they ALL get PAID big bucks for reaching the goal of NOT BEING LOSERVILLE…this year and next. WE are the suckers. New England? New York? Philly? Allin baby! SUPERBOWL OR WORLD SERIES OR BUST. that, my friends wins championships!
Saints R.E.A.M.
December 28th, 2010
9:21 am
Lewis Buzzard….how about holding these. I don’t work for you….trick.
Underground Atlanta
December 28th, 2010
9:22 am
The Saints can’t even win the NFC South,
much less the Super Bowl.
GoDawgs
December 28th, 2010
9:22 am
Jeff,
The call to punt and not go for it was a good call. If the Falcons didn’t make the 1st down it would give the saints the ball at the Atlanta 39. The offense didn’t play their style of game and let the Saints run 20+ more plays than the Falcons and held the ball for 10+ minutes longer. What hurt the falcons was to many consecutive 3 and outs that led to the defense getting worn down late in the game. The 2 critical offensive pass interference calls on White and Jenkins that negated big first down plays didn’t help. The throw by Matt Ryan on 3rd down to an open Harry Douglas that was off target before the call to punt on 4th down was poorly executed. It’s better to end the streak now than have it end in the 2nd round of the playoffs. Matt Ryan has played poorly or average at best his last five games and could easily have had 7-8 balls picked off if d-b’s could catch balls that hit their hands. That should be the focus on why Atlanta lost and not a decision to punt on 4th down late in the game.
Lewis Buzzard
December 28th, 2010
9:23 am
REAM go back to Trashville.
Saints R.E.A.M.
December 28th, 2010
9:23 am
Gwinnett Fred….yes leave the blog…just like you left the Dome last night….quickly.
mike
December 28th, 2010
9:23 am
I think losing last night may be a blessing in disguise. Look at New England, loses to Cleveland, HUGE wake up call. Now they can stop reading all their press clippings, and come back down to earth.
Granted, OL did not have a good game, but it’s hard to block eight in the box. NO did a nice job of taking Roddy out of the game in the second half, they kept a safety to help on him.
No huddle would have been nice, no sense of urgency. I would have gone for it on 4th, defense was tired, just came off the field after 90 yard drive aginst them, NO actually scored twice on the drive, first one to Colston called back.
Need to put this one away, get ready and beat Carolina, and still get what they’ve played for all year, home field advantage. Good chance we will see the Saints again in three weeks, after they beat the NFC west winner.
Don’t get down on the Falcons, it was a bad night, everyone has them.
Ted M
December 28th, 2010
9:25 am
This will be a blessing and not just because it may wake up the coaching staff from its delusions of conservatism but because it will force the Falcons to play next week. The Falcons were not good enough to take 2 weeks off before the playoffs.
Boudreaux from St. Bernards Parish
December 28th, 2010
9:25 am
Underground….We are the Super Bowl Champs…..
Ted M
December 28th, 2010
9:25 am
ha mike you beat me
Saints R.E.A.M.
December 28th, 2010
9:25 am
Lewis…its ridiculous that the Falcons would complain about the officiating of a game. Out of all the beneficial calls you have received this year to keep this fraudulent season alive. The ridiculous Roddy White push offs….the non-catches are too many to name….C’mon man.
BirdDawg24
December 28th, 2010
9:26 am
saints rim , your guys were lucky to win last night. not good, not super. average and lucky. neither team played their best last night. and right now your saints are thinking darn we are probably gonna have to play these guys again . break out the advil and the pepto. are u worried ? u should be ! your aints are.
GoDawgs
December 28th, 2010
9:26 am
Plus the Falcons had 2 timeouts and the 2 minute warning left which gave them plenty of time if they could stop the Saints forcing them to go 3 and out.
elvisluvsfalcons
December 28th, 2010
9:28 am
Our pass rushers have no technique other than run as fast as they can towards the opposing QB. Stopped counting at 5 the number of times we had our hands on Brees and didn;t bring him down.
Turner as good as he is simply does not have the ability to stretch the field from left to right, I have an artificial hip and I could catch him if he runs laterally. Our average yards per play on first down was pathetic. Turnovers, abyssmal offficiating (double pass interference??) no running game cost us. BTW, where was Tony Gonzalez? Hate to say it, but not having Norwood the last couple of games hurt us, his speed would have caused the New Orleans D to play a little soft on the edges.
Von
December 28th, 2010
9:29 am
Didn’t it look like Ryan saw the ball on the ground on the bad snap and stepped away instead of diving for it? I read an article where some reporter said Brees was no longer the best QB in the NFC South, Ryan was. After tonight on MNF despite with everything thrown at him except the kitchen sink, he came through and led his team to victory. Are you kidding me? Brees is ice!
mike
December 28th, 2010
9:29 am
@Tony- this is a football blog, not Bible Blog! Though I praise Vick for getting his act together (23 months in a jail cell can do that to you) I will NEVER forgive him for putting living creatures lives on the line by putting them in a cage and fighting to the death, whether it be a dog, human being, rooster, cat (well maybe cats would be OK).
Saints R.E.A.M.
December 28th, 2010
9:30 am
Birddawg….really. Why would they/we be worried? You aren’t that physical of a team, you couldn’t run it or throw it consistently. Your offense scored 7pts…no matter the length of the field. Matt Ryan played a pedestrian game and so did all of your “playmakers.”
In the game earlier in the season you won the toss in OT….we stopped you.
Your fan base exited the Dome to beat traffic before the game was over….what should we fear??
Red&Black
December 28th, 2010
9:31 am
The real game was the defense. This is a prelude to the post season. Unleash the 3-4!!!
Finally
December 28th, 2010
9:31 am
So basically the local media is just gonna ignore the fact that the Falcons scored only 7 offensive points and try and pretend like it came down to one punt with 3 min to go.
Lester
December 28th, 2010
9:32 am
You won in New Orleans because a kicker missed a 32 yarder. Get over yourselves. You were THAT close to getting swept by the WORLD CHAMPS!
Who Dat Talking bout beating them Saints
December 28th, 2010
9:32 am
Well, Roddy White, you talked too much trash before the game. Let’s make some dirty bird gumbo. Who Dats baby.
tony
December 28th, 2010
9:33 am
Draft Cam Newton. We need a strong scrambling qb.
Saints R.E.A.M.
December 28th, 2010
9:33 am
I not only hope to play the Falcons in the playoffs…heck, i wish we could play them every week. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Falcons are a good team…but I think if we play them 10 times we win 7 of them. We blew the first game with a botched FG. Still we never felt like the Falcons were better….still don’t.
tony
December 28th, 2010
9:35 am
Trade Matt Ryan to Kansas City for Glenn Dorsey and draft Cam Newton.
Ed
December 28th, 2010
9:35 am
I actually agreed with Mike Smith in that 4th and 6 situation. The Falcons had 2 timeouts remaining plus the 2 minute warning I was confident that the Falcons would be able to stop New Orleans and get the ball back. The most disappointing thing of all was the running game, it just never got going. I really liked the way the defense played all the way around, they certainly deserved a better performance by the offense but all is not lost we need to just regroup and beat the Panthers this week.
Saints R.E.AM.
December 28th, 2010
9:36 am
Hey everyone, don’t you like my name? Isn’t it the gayest nickname you’ve ever seen? MMmm, I like boys too.
luangtom
December 28th, 2010
9:36 am
It’s still just a game for entertainment purposes. That said, is it really a surprise? Think Hawks, Thrashers, Braves……..end of the season blues.
myra
December 28th, 2010
9:37 am
Wow. If the saints defense did that to us, we are not who we thought we were.
Back to the books. We gotta have better designed plays on offense. Need a few more tricks.
Falcons Defense much love 2 U. You played the whole damn game!
Oh no!
December 28th, 2010
9:37 am
I put this one on the play calling. You have to find a way to get the ball to White or Gonzo. We went to Harry Douglas 3 times in the seam in the 2nd half. He couldn’t get seperation from linebackers. What was that crap?