Falcons’ embarrassing loss means season was an epic fail
Matt Ryan had two interceptions and was sacked five times in the loss. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
It’s year three of this great franchise awakening, and that means one thing: We don’t grade seasons on the first 16 games.
We can praise the Falcons for a 13-win season. We can marvel at their young quarterback, Matt Ryan, for his progress in three seasons and his ability to pull out victories in pressure situations. We can sit back and praise the owner, the general manager and the coaching staff for seemingly doing everything right and winning 33 regular season games since 2008.
But in January of 2011, the Falcons should not be graded on what happens in the first 16 games. They should be graded on postseasons.
They failed. Epically.
There’s no shame in losing to the Green Bay Packers. But getting bodyslammed 48-21 is a level of humiliation that no playoff team should ever experience, especially this one. Not after a 13-3 season. Not in its first playoff game. Not at home. Not after having a week off while the opponent was in a short week following a road playoff game.
You expected a high point for the franchise. Instead, the Falcons gave us a low — the most lopsided playoff loss in their history.
“We didn’t do anything like ourselves,” Roddy White said. “It felt like were a different football team.”
If the Falcons could have stepped outside themselves and astral-projected into other bodies, it would have been an improvement.
They committed four turnovers. They allowed the Packers 442 yards in offense, 366 coming from quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who threw three touchdowns and completed 31 of 36 passes (and I honestly can’t remember the five incompletes).
If you think it can’t get worse, try this: Green Bay never punted. The totals: Five offensive touchdown, a defensive score, two field goals, a missed field goal and a fumble. It was like the return of Arena Football, except only one team was fully functional.
“Totally our fault,” said defensive end John Abraham, who like many Falcons defenders got close to Rodgers on occasion but seldom could get him to the turf (he was sacked twice). “I’m not saying they didn’t play well, but we could’ve done a lot more to move this in the right direction and we didn’t.
“Personally, I had bigger goals. The regular season is good. But being done in the first game hurts, especially the way we got knocked out.”
Some feared the New Orleans Saints coming back into the Georgia Dome and winning for the second time in a month. More feared Michael Vick coming back and winning again. Was this any better — a lopsided loss, with several thousand “Cheeseheads” chanting, “Go Pack Go”?
We thought the Falcons were past this. Granted, they won a lot of close games during the regular season. Great teams win close games. But when a team has such an epic faceplant in its first playoff game, you have to wonder how close it really is.
In 2008 — the first year of the Ryan-Mike Smith-Thomas Dimitroff era — the Falcons rose from two years of wreckage. They went 11-5. Then they lost at Arizona, a team that went on to the Super Bowl — no embarrassment there. This season they went 13-3 and lost to a Green Bay team that may end up in Dallas. The difference is venue — the Falcons were 20-4 in the Georgia Dome in the last three seasons – and what we perceived to be the Falcons’ evolution to this point.
Nobody thought the defense was great. But it appeared to be young and improving and certainly not set up for a dismembering. The offense added Tony Gonzalez last year to win a Super Bowl, but the team hasn’t even won a playoff game. (Nor has Gonzalez in his career. In fact he made his first catch of the game with 2:03 left in the third quarter and then limped off.)
The Packers fumbled on their opening possession. Then they scored touchdowns the next six times they touched the football – five on offensive possessions and one on a 70-yard interception return by cornerback Tramon Williams, a play that Ryan will be reliving in his nightmares for the next several months.
Oh yes, Ryan: The Falcons thrived this season on not turning over the ball. Ryan was at the forefront of that, throwing a career-low nine interceptions. Both second-quarter interceptions were costly. The first ended a scoring drive, though it may have been more the fault of wide receiver Michael Jenkins, who slipped and fell in the end zone, leaving Tramon Williams to make an easy interception.
But the second one was all on Ryan. With the Falcons trailing 21-14, eight seconds left in the half and the ball on the Packers’ 34, Ryan tried to hit Roddy White with a quick sideline pass to set up a field goal. But he threw way short and behind White and the pass was picked off by Williams, who brought it all the way for a score to make it 28-14 at halftime. The most audible sound in the Georgia Dome was a loud groan.
Brave fans stayed for the second half. But when the Packers scored on their first two possessions in the third quarter, it was like somebody yelled, “Fire.” By the end, it was only Cheeseheads in the stands.
This was exactly the kind of playoff meltdown Ryan wanted to avoid. He was 20 for 29 but had two interceptions and was sacked five times. Two years ago, his first pass attempt at Arizona was intercepted and led to a Cardinals’ scoring drive. Later in the game he had a fumble that Arizona’s Antrel Rolle returned 27 yards for a touchdown. The Falcons lost 30-24. We didn’t consider it a great tragedy.
This is different. Two years later, humiliating defeat should not be what this team is about.
They’re not as close as we thought they were.
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1,754 comments Add your comment
birdgirl
January 16th, 2011
12:14 am
look saint fans get over it. all you know how to do is talk smack! you know whot the better team is THE FALCONS!
Najeh Davenpoop
January 16th, 2011
12:14 am
The worst part about this loss for the Falcons is that they blew a chance that they probably won’t get for a while. They capitalized on a season in which they got to play the NFC West and the usually strong NFC East had a down year to gain a #1 seed. How likely is it that they gain a #1 seed in upcoming years when they don’t get to play the worst division in football and typically strong divisions don’t underachieve? This was a golden opportunity the Falcons blew.
Calm Down
January 16th, 2011
12:14 am
We lost – the sun will still come up in the morning. This is still a damn good football team and to say otherwise is beyond ignorant.
Sure I’m disappointed but come on. Rogers would have beaten anybody tonight – he completed nearly 90% of his passes and not because the Falcons suck – he was in the zone. He is a very gifted QB. Green Bay was the superior team tonight – nothing more – nothing less.
Packer Respect
January 16th, 2011
12:14 am
Bringing the Lombardi Trophy home to Lombardi Avenue , Green Bay Wisconsin!
mark
January 16th, 2011
12:14 am
I agree with the other commentator from GB. ATL isn’t that bad and the Pack, while good, isn’t THAT good. Must give credit to McCarthy for outstanding coaching job this season with 14 players on IR including Finley (best offensive player besides A.R.). GB could go all the way or just as easily suffer ATL’s fate. Rodgers really is something, though.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 16th, 2011
12:14 am
TrishaDishaWarEagle
January 16th, 2011
12:08 am
@Matt “CHOKE” Ryan ..the dog killer is 0-1 in post prison playoff games..maybe all that prison shower social life took a little out of him..
people who abuse animals are the lowest scum on earth.
_______________________________________________________
And how low is the Arizona psycho?
Not everyone gives a darn about your four legged boyfriends
TrishaDishaWarEagle
January 16th, 2011
12:15 am
@mudcatjoe..amen..13-3 , as much as our choke tonight hurts, was the second ebst season in my life for the falcons and i’ve been alive since the mid 80’s. I love our professional ownership, front office, and coach and I still love our players Especially grimey McGrimes who played his heart out tonight..I watched the replay fo the atl-gb november game tuesday and our D line was manhandling their O line..tonight, for whatever reason, it was obviously reversal of fortune in that area..their O line had no trouble with our D. I know our fanbase is 50% diehard and 50% bandwagon idiots, but I have to say 99% of our local sports media are Bandwagon..Chuck Dowdle is about rhe only diehard in the bunch.
Iceman
January 16th, 2011
12:15 am
I am seirously depressed. What an embarassing effort. Im not going to panic and say that this team is a fluke. Their major flaw is that they try to be a ball control team in a quick strike passing era.
Van Gorder – Has to go bring in a proven D cordinator
Mike Jenkins – He is brutal. Needs to go.
Harry Douglas – Did he even dress
Our secondary was brutal but its hard to defend when there is no pass rush.
Where was Jerry? Or Sidbury.?
Mularkey’s calls are terrible.
I would like to see Turner get traded and this team be Matt’s team. You cannot be a power running team in this league and win.
ijonathan (formerly a Ryan defender)
January 16th, 2011
12:15 am
When does Ryan’s contract expire?
If there is a lockout next year and no football, might we have an open QB competition for the 2012 season?
Matthew
January 16th, 2011
12:15 am
it took brees 8 years to get to the super bowl. I think the falcons are just fine with Matt Ryan.
DaTruthHurtz(Really Bad!!)
January 16th, 2011
12:16 am
Your beloved Dirty Birds are an embarrassment not only to your pathetic city but the NFL in general. You want the real facts you say? Try this on for size losers…all-time record of 298-402-6 in 45 years of God-awful existence, 1 SB in those years, and you guessed it, no SB titles! Your “Ring of Honor”(Shame?) is made up of barely recognizable talent save one or two real players. And here you had the most miserable sports city in America thinking they actually had a chance in hell of hoisting a championchip banner this year. And you disappointed them. Severely, I must add. Who would of thought this team would have choked?
Forget about it. This team WILL NOT deliver a SB ring ever. It’s in their genes to choke. That’s how it’s been for years and it’s not changing anytime soon. Get over it imbeciles and go back to your double-wides to what should really matter to you…like getting a high school education.
SirSaint
January 16th, 2011
12:16 am
ATL -FANS—just sit and take your medicine–we did last week!! Stop with the FEMA references,it does not exibit good sportsmanship, we all talk trash!! BTW, I will sleep better tonight!!
PackerFan
January 16th, 2011
12:16 am
Geez, you Saints fans are something else. The Falcons lost, but at least they lost to a team with a winning record. You guys lost to a 7-9 team for crying out loud.
Socialbandit
January 16th, 2011
12:16 am
Fire Van Gorder. Falcons have pitched a sub-par defense all 3 years that clown has been DC.
Timmy
January 16th, 2011
12:18 am
Seenthis, you know what people will remember about the Aints? Losing to a below .500 team in the playoffs. Your entire city is a joke that thinks they are important because people who want nothing to do with the city come there to get wasted for a few days out of the year.
Those same tourists would sooner watch your sorry city completely sink than choose to live there.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 16th, 2011
12:18 am
Timmy
January 16th, 2011
12:14 am
Drew Brees is 32 years old. Matt Ryan is 24. Stupid argument
______________________________________________
Actually CHOKE is 25 years old and turns 26 in 4 months
SeenThisB4
January 16th, 2011
12:18 am
The entire country could see this train coming when it pulled out the station! No way the falcan’ts were going to win this game, and all the pundits knew it! Except for Terry Bradshaw who is just a freaking comedian! Like the falcan’ts! They had me laughing all night!!!!
GEAUX SAINTS!
Saints LSU
January 16th, 2011
12:18 am
superbowl wins saints 1 falcons 0
World Champ Saints
January 16th, 2011
12:18 am
What an enjoyable game. Except for the “fans” who left at halftime.
Baron Samedi Papa Legba
January 16th, 2011
12:18 am
This is the curse of the energies of balance and truth….the Falcons and their fans should not have made “fun” of New Orleans and Katrina.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
January 16th, 2011
12:18 am
BTW congrats to the GB fans..I am a sore loser but you earned this win..
the sore loser part comes when I pull against you , hopefully at quest field because you want that bears matchup so bad
nolafan
January 16th, 2011
12:19 am
You guys are really something, banging on the Saints. Yeah, the Saints lost to Seattle. But nothing to be ashamed about there & not really surprising. That game came after back to back short weeks, a cross country flight & the need to go 8 deep at RB because of injury. But Atl — No. 1 seed, a month at home, a bye week & no real injury problems. Falcon Fans been talking about their history, so lets look at some recent history. No. 1 NFC seed loses in the divisional playoff round in 2007, 2008, & 2010. What happend in 2009 — that’s right, the Saints took care of business & won it all. You guys had a nice season, but IT DON’T MEAN A THING IF YOU AIN’T GOT THAT RING!!!!!
mark
January 16th, 2011
12:19 am
Badger Bob is delusional. I suppose it’s Thompson’s fault that Brett got caught with his pants on the ground. Thank G. that Ted shipped Favre out when he did.
Wright
January 16th, 2011
12:20 am
CRUSHED.
Jeff Schultz
January 16th, 2011
12:20 am
Folks, not much to say except it was unacceptable humiliation. Column has been updated online with some quotes.
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2011/01/15/falcons-embarrassing-loss-means-season-was-an-epic-fail/
Jaamal anderson
January 16th, 2011
12:20 am
Hey falcons fans…the saints lose to the sea hawks in Seattle in the cold without ivory thomas and jenkins. Besides we didn’t get our butt whipped at home. The falcons were healthy at home with a bye and we had the worse lose in playoff history? So what if we did I will go to bed on my super bowl 44 blanket reminiscing bout winning the super bowl can u?
SeenThisB4
January 16th, 2011
12:21 am
@Timmy: I don’t think anyone in New Orleans would ever want you to come to our city, even just to visit. So, if you stay away, no one will give a damn! Bottom line, your team got whipped and used like the little sissies they are by the #6 seed! BRA HAHAHAHAHAHAAH!!!!
GEAUX SAINTS!!!
reality check
January 16th, 2011
12:21 am
It’s official now: Call them Mike”regular season” Smith and Matt”regular season”Ryan. The Smith/Ryan combo now is 0-2 in postseason. But at the very least, the Falcons can say they’re not far away after tonight. LOL!
Hickory Avenue
January 16th, 2011
12:21 am
@Eddie — Saints fans are commenting because some of your fellow Falcons “FANS” have been coming on nola.com and other various sites , and trash talking and make jokes about Hurricane Katrina —- I lost EVERYTHING that I had in the storm (including the life of my grandmother) , and I can assure you , there was nothing funny about it —- and so now your CLASSLESS fellow fans are “reaping what they have sewn” ………….
FalconUGAFan
January 16th, 2011
12:21 am
Ouch… Saints fans are being called out by the visiting Packers fans….You Cheeseheads are ok
mamaj
January 16th, 2011
12:21 am
When the Fat Lady was warming up, I could already name that tune in 2 notes…LOSERS!
World Champ Saints
January 16th, 2011
12:21 am
Atlanta, thanks for your airport and whatever else is going on over there.
Chillin on Paradise Island
January 16th, 2011
12:21 am
Lol Falcons Fans and Saints fans going at it. We laughed at yall last week, now yall get revenge. But Lets face it, both our seasons ended terribly.
Matt, Roddy, and Abe
January 16th, 2011
12:22 am
Yes we all stunk up the dome tonight. But guess what? In the morning, we will all wake up multi-millionaires with no worries at all. You pinhead fans who buy tickets, jerseys, and souvenirs at the games are all chumps who made us rich as h**l. How do you like us now?
FALCLOWNS are losers
January 16th, 2011
12:22 am
How does it feel to NOT have a SB ring? I would not know was a SAINTS fan, LOSERS! LMAO! How fitting of an end for perpetual losers…..
Jay V.
January 16th, 2011
12:22 am
Dude, “epic fail” is way over the line. For a team that has struggled so much over its entire existence…we just had our third winning season in as many years and only three regular season losses. Don’t forget we have an NFC South title to boot. How can you call that an “epic fail”. That is just unfair. I say thanks for a great ride. We keep getting better every year.
Keith
January 16th, 2011
12:23 am
Please people, the Falcons are a good team, we just have to get better and they will, tonight showed the teams shortcomings, Our defense is young, we will shore it up in the draft, giving up on your team is no better than some of the comments we saw last week after the NO loss, Greg Williams is a good coach, but he got out coached, suck it up and look forward to next year, Go Falcons
whodat70816
January 16th, 2011
12:23 am
RISE UP? RISE UP???? RISE UP YOU SAY!
BAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA….BAHHHHHAHAHAHA!
Sit you sorry arses down! Your boys got SCHOOLED and Matty Ice Melted as every other NFL fan knew he would.
And, I know the Saints lost to a 7-9 team, but Seattle got very very lucky agianst a Saints Defense that decided to stay in New Orleans last week.
Your boys had a week of rest played in the Atlanta Circus Tent, were all healthy and couldn’t even keep it close….LOL….lost by 27 points….LOL!
As the cameras pulled back at the start of the 4th quarter…all that was left in the stands were cheeseheads…..LOL
Where was your Elite QB????? Oh wait, he had an off day….LOL.
FALCONS ARE EXACTLY WHAT WE ALL KNEW THEY WERE!!!!!!
Dutchluv
January 16th, 2011
12:23 am
Wow, there’s a whole lotta Falcon naysayers- it’s too bad because you have no appreciation for having a young and up and coming team. As a Packer fan I often see the same thing on this end. In fact, there’s still some Packer fans that believe Ted Thompson/ Mike McCarthy don’t know what they’re doing and Brett Favre should still be on this team. Even after Rodger’s performance tonight. Naysayers never see the positives- they are impatient. Calling for coaching changes won’t get the Falcon’s to the Super Bowl any faster.
The reality of the situation is that the Falcons are close to being a top level team. The unfortunate aspect of all of this is that you all were believing your 13-3 regular season record meant something. While it is important, I think if you really break the regular season down- the Falcons just had favorable matchups at the right time. After all, in week 12 you beat the Packers- but did you really think you had a better team? Well, I think we all know the answer now.
Matthew
January 16th, 2011
12:23 am
Hickory – that’s exactly why we make fun of you – the only thing you have to hang your hat on is a NFL team that got lucky last year. You’re going to spend your whole life reliving the 2009 Superbowl while the rest of life passes you by. That’s why Taint fans are such a joke.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 16th, 2011
12:23 am
Here’s the Falcons’ last playoff win.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d801b7e24/Falcons-47-Rams-17
Happier times.
PackerFan
January 16th, 2011
12:23 am
Uh NolaFan, the Pack has 12 starters on IR. The team didn’t have a running game until last week. The Pack also flew cross country to Atlanta. And the team had a short week. Don’t make excuses for the loss to Seattle. Good teams find a way to win. And by the way I like Drew Brees, he’s a Purdue Boilermaker.
reality check
January 16th, 2011
12:24 am
Najeh Davenpoop: Well said pal!
Jessie tuggle
January 16th, 2011
12:24 am
@Timmy…I want you!!
Falcon66
January 16th, 2011
12:24 am
@ Packer Rick
Hey Fan, I like your comments. Next year is only going to be better.
Hurst
January 16th, 2011
12:24 am
So Timmy, what does soulless, lifeless Atlanta offer to the world? 50 malls within 50 miles of wherever you are in the area, with stores you can find anywhere in the U.S.? Maybe you can patronize one of them to try to forget about what happened to the Falcons tonight. You can’t get any alcohol from now until Monday.
Joe Packer
January 16th, 2011
12:25 am
What is an epic fail are the Falcon fans. Your team had a great year, played a dud playoff game, so what; they will be back next year. To leave the game and your team to an empty stadium only occupied by Packer fans is really bad fan behavior. You folks should have stuck around and thanked your team for the season. I could hear constant Packer chants thru out the game on TV audio. If you want to win playoff games – support your team – the players feed off of fan support.
World Champ Saints
January 16th, 2011
12:25 am
When does the Dirty bird leave for Dallas???
latenightlive
January 16th, 2011
12:25 am
ONE and DONE….OVER-RATED SAD ASS FALCONS….They end the season with 2 humiliating loses…to the SAINTS and the PACKERS…and the taste of a Super Bowl victory is so sweet, guess ya’ll will have to “wait til next year!” WHO DAT
Eddie
January 16th, 2011
12:25 am
Thanks goes out to the packers fans who actually have some class. Here’s hoping they go on to the Super Bowl and thanks to those who defend our team vs. all those Saints aholes who…..well……
are full of crap.