LIVE BLOG: If Falcons win, it could be Super Bowl dance
John Abraham and the Falcons celebrated after a 20-17 win over the Packers Nov. 28 at the Georgia Dome. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
Win tonight. Go to the Super Bowl. So sayeth I. (Sorry. I saw, “The King’s Speech” last night and got carried away with the whole English thing.)
Most believe the Falcons and Green Bay are the two best teams in the NFC. They just happened to be meeting in the conference semifinals. I fully expect the winner of this game to beat the winner of Sunday’s Chicago-Seattle semi. So winning today could mean a trip to Dallas.
It has been nearly two weeks since the Falcons last played — a lopsided home win over Carolina. It has been only six days since Green Bay played — last Sunday’s win in Philadelphia in the wild card game. Logic says the Falcons will be rested and the Packers will be beat up. (Remember, this is a team that also had to scramble down the stretch and win its last two regular season games just to make the playoffs.) What we can’t predict is whether the week off will affect the Falcons’ timing, but I doubt it.
Is Green Bay a better team? When healthy and at full strength, probably. But neither of those two are the case right now. The Packers lost running back Ryan Grant in the season opener and generally haven’t been able to run the ball this season, last week’s win over the Eagles notwithstanding (seldom-used rookie James Starks rushed for 123 yards).
The Falcons’ keys are fairly obvious and I touched on a couple of them during the week. But here they are:
– Get running back Michael Turner going. Turner has been good this year but not consistent. Green Bay’s defense this season ranked fifth against the pass but only 18th against the run, and Turner rushed for a 110 yards and a touchdown when the teams met in Nov. If he can duplicate that feat, it helps quarterback Matt Ryan. Which leads to . . .
– As a I wrote earlier in the week, Ryan has shown he can win games in the fourth quarter. But the Falcons are not at their best if they’re a pass-dominated offense. They need balance. Ryan has excelled this season in clutch situations and threw a career-low nine interceptions with a career-high 28 touchdowns. That stems from making good choices. Assuming that continues tonight, the Falcons will be fine.
– Defensive end John Abraham has had one of the best seasons of his career with 13 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception, despite the backdrop of his mother battling lymphoma. The defense needs to get pressure on Rodgers and move him off the spot (to use a football phrase). Abraham is the key to that. He’ll be opposed by Packers left tackle Chad Clifton.
That’s it for now, I’ll be here blogging all game. Before I go, for what it’s worth, here are some odds from the online sports book Bodog (for entertainment purposes only, of course). The Falcons are anywhere from a 1½-to-3-point favorite.
Odds to win the 2011 Super Bowl XLV New England Patriots 8/5 Atlanta Falcons 11/2 Green Bay Packers 11/2 Pittsburgh Steelers 6/1 Chicago Bears 8/1 Baltimore Ravens 9/1 New York Jets 12/1 Seattle Seahawks 40/1 Odds to win the 2011 AFC New England Patriots 5/7 Pittsburgh Steelers 3/1 Baltimore Ravens 5/1 New York Jets 15/2 Odds to win the 2011 NFC Atlanta Falcons 8/5 Chicago Bears 2/1 Green Bay Packers 11/5 Seattle Seahawks 14/1 ♦What will be the Exact Super Bowl XLV Matchup? New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons 13/4 New England Patriots vs. Chicago Bears 4/1 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers 8/1 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Atlanta Falcons 9/1 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Chicago Bears 11/1 Baltimore Ravens vs. Atlanta Falcons 14/1 Baltimore Ravens vs. Chicago Bears 16/1 New England Patriots vs. Green Bay Packers 17/4 Baltimore Ravens vs. Green Bay Packers 18/1 New York Jets vs. Atlanta Falcons 20/1 New York Jets vs. Chicago Bears 22/1 New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks 22/1 New York Jets vs. Green Bay Packers 25/1 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Seattle Seahawks 55/1 Baltimore Ravens vs. Seattle Seahawks 80/1 New York Jets vs. Seattle Seahawks 100/1 ♦
Total Passing Yards – Aaron Rodgers Over/Under 290.5 Total Rushing Yards – James Starks Over/Under 50.5 Total Receiving Yards – Greg Jennings Over/Under 85.5 Total Passing Yards – Matt Ryan Over /Under 240.5 Total Rushing Yards – Michael Turner Over/Under 85.5 Total Receiving Yards – Roddy White Over/Under 80.5 ♦
♦
Falcons blogs from the week:
– Matt Ryan’s notes, intangibles driving his success
– Falcons’ Abraham excelling, even with thoughts on ill mother
– Digi-Blog goes to Falcons’ camp (and there’s no Flowery Branches)
– Poll time: Who’s most important Falcons player against Packers?
– Saints gone, Vick gone and Falcons ready to defend turf
Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC; friend me at Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC
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2,080 comments Add your comment
Roddy White is my female dog
January 15th, 2011
11:31 pm
Mike Smith= Marty Schottenheimer
13-3 = 48 - 21 = 1 And Done
January 15th, 2011
11:31 pm
…
crabapplejoe
January 15th, 2011
11:31 pm
CONservative Johnson wrote:
crabapplejoe, oh that’s why you were making excuses for Matt Ryan? Because he’s white?
Dude, the Packers punter spent the evening at a local bar….he never punted….are you making excuses for the coal black defense who couldn’t stop those “white boys” simply because they are black….LMAO.
FHZ
January 15th, 2011
11:31 pm
Next
gman
January 15th, 2011
11:32 pm
I wonder what would happen if I let my company down like that. You guys get paid millions to play a damn game and this is what you give the fans? You should all be ashamed.
GETTOFFDABUSS
January 15th, 2011
11:32 pm
MAN SOMEBODY PUT A PIC UP OF OUR SUPERBOWL RING….SINCE THE SORRYBURDS WONT EVER GET THEIR OWN!!! 13-3 FOR NUTHIN. AT LEAST YOU HAVE MORTEN ANDERSON DOING THE LOCAL REPORT!!! DAM NO DOUSING ARTHA ZERO THIS WEEK
Mike Smith
January 15th, 2011
11:32 pm
I would like our fans to stay away from all bridges!!!
Damn!!
January 15th, 2011
11:32 pm
Ommm, The Packers are the best team in the NFC, they will win the NFC and are the best shot to beat the Patriots. The Falcons are a good team who just exposed all weaknesses. They will get better and will be back next year. The Falcons are building for the long haul. ala the patriots,steelers etc. Great regular season, enjoy your vacation guys!
Who Dat!!
January 15th, 2011
11:33 pm
Dam Falcons,
How embarassing. No. 1 seed and you choked it away. Where you at Roddy White? 67 yards and one meaningless TD. All that S*@T you talk and you don’t even show up. You big game NFL leading receiver and you were a no-show. I guess God couldn’t help yall sorry azz team. At least that’s what you said about the Saints. Man at least we showed up in our lost ON THE ROAD. We got really embarassed on one play. Your team got embarassed all game. You can take nothing from your 13-3 season. Wasted. Keep chasing that ring. Stop drinking your own koolaid. You really thought you were unbeatable at home. Nottttttttt. Dam I love it. You know deep down I knew the Saints had a tough road with 2 starting RBs out and our best DB out so I wasn’t to upset about the lost. But what was yall excuse? Matty Ice turned into a puddle of water. Man this is so funny. See you azz next season. No. 1 seed and homefield. Ha Ha Pathetic.
SeenThisB4
January 15th, 2011
11:33 pm
The Saints will rule the NFC South next year!!!
VIcklanta
January 15th, 2011
11:33 pm
Trent Dilfer new who the falcons were. They are who he thought they were.
Mike Smith
January 15th, 2011
11:34 pm
Has anyone seen Michael Turner?? I really needed him and my punter tonight!!
Hey Hey Hey..Goooodbyyyyyeee
January 15th, 2011
11:34 pm
Turdy Birds Unite!!!
Falcons Are No One
January 15th, 2011
11:34 pm
@ F U – Obviously you are a clueless loser, probably one of the slimeballs that was posting on nola.com last week. When tourist destinations in the USA are discussed, New Orleans is right at the top of the list. Atlanta is only visited as people pass through Hartsfield!
Back 2 Reality
January 15th, 2011
11:34 pm
Uh-oh, somebody better put steak shapiro on suicide watch, his boyfriend matty ice melt just lost another playoff game
Ted
January 15th, 2011
11:35 pm
13-3 will be the Falcons fans and the local sportswriters’ mantra for the next few days/weeks of analysis..but the fact of the matter is that the Falcons lost after being a #1 seed.
Roddy White is my female dog
January 15th, 2011
11:35 pm
F U New Orleans,
Spoken like a classless loser, and the exact reason Kharma bit you in the a$$ tonight you clown. All the Falcons fans deserve every bit of crow they get served for acting like they won the superbowl when they beat the Saints in SEPTEMBER!!!! You got exposed for what you are… A solid team, but severely restricted in what you can do against true elite teams. The falcons can’t stretch the field.. 3 yds and a cloud of dust only takes you so far
GETTOFFDABUSS
January 15th, 2011
11:36 pm
but dam @damn, the falcants had a week to gameplan and lost by over 20 points…..are the packers that good…..DAM!!!
No lombardi
January 15th, 2011
11:36 pm
Arthur blank looked like he wanted to cry on the sidelines. At least your falcannts get to ride on the little yellow bus, you know that NFL commercial. Let’s see, been in the league longer then the saints, and no super bowl ring, how awful. Look at it this way, at least your team has a NFC south championship flag this year. We have a NFL championship flag, I’ll take that one any day. See you next year losers, go cry in your towels, remember to rise up.
iamawhodatfan
January 15th, 2011
11:36 pm
the falcants are who we thought they were… a one and done team in the playoffs. let all the “if we had mike vick” chatter start.
vqtb
January 15th, 2011
11:36 pm
By next season, Josh Freeman will be the best QB in the division. Actually he might be already.
OldTimer
January 15th, 2011
11:37 pm
Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
Falcons suck.
Tiger Woods
January 15th, 2011
11:37 pm
How does any of this affect my golf game? Irrelevant peasant losers. I’m going to watch Gwinneth Paltrow on Saturday Night Live. I’ve had her, you know.
SAINT WHO DAT
January 15th, 2011
11:37 pm
hahahahahahah……hehehehehehehehehehe….hahahahahahahahahahaha………hehehehehehehe
Hurst
January 15th, 2011
11:37 pm
F U New Orleans, so pathetic, and oozing of bitterness and jealousy. Atlanta, the ultimate wannabe city, nothing but a sprawled out small town. Enjoy your $15 hamburger joints, 100 malls that have the same stores, your 3 hour commutes to work, your complete paralysis over 4 inches of snow, horrible air, etc., etc. etc. Meanwhile, we have Mardi Gras right around the corner, then French Quarter Fest, JazzFest, Essence Fest, so many other terrific festivals, all the great restaurants that don’t set you back $150 per person, the ability to go to the store and buy liquor on Sunday, and on and on…
Mr. F U New Orleans, hating really shortens your life, just some friendly advice.
Dirty Turds
January 15th, 2011
11:38 pm
The Falcant Fans are histerical!!!!!
HaHaYouLost
January 15th, 2011
11:38 pm
Where’s the talk now GAY-TL…revenge is a bitch…you came on nola.com and rubbed it in..Now it’s our turn HAHAHAHA….what’s even funnier is this was YOUR year in the NFC South and you screwed it up…I mean…you won all the close games, had few injuries,got all the ref calls, and had the media’s attention all year….and you got RAPED!…LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This shows how fairweather the fans really are...
January 15th, 2011
11:38 pm
There are hardly any comments from FailCan’t fans on here. The most fairweather fans in all of sports(atlanta fans) are showing their true colors again!
Mike Smith
January 15th, 2011
11:39 pm
Does anyone have a tissue that I can use? Falcant Fans….don’t be mad at me!!
sazerac jack
January 15th, 2011
11:39 pm
Seeing the Falcons lose tonight makes me want to go to Galatoire’s tomorrow to celebrate. If the Falcons won, I’m sure their fans would be dining at someplace nice like “The Varsity.” Now that’s some fine Atlanta cuisine!
WHO DAT!
Falcons Are No One
January 15th, 2011
11:39 pm
HAH! HAH! HAH! No lombardi for you!!!! I guess you’ll have to come to New Orleans or Tampa to see one!!! AGAIN!!!
GETTOFFDABUSS
January 15th, 2011
11:39 pm
@new orleans suck
maybe the corps would if they weren’t in pisslanta shoveling snow
ijonathan (formerly a Ryan defender)
January 15th, 2011
11:40 pm
Think about this Falcons fans…if there is a lockout next year, we will go five full years under the “Ryan” era without a playoff win.
Anyone pining for tha dogkilla?
FALCLOWNS are losers
January 15th, 2011
11:40 pm
Before I sign off – Falclowns suck, we got a ring, you don’t and never will…frauds, jokes, losers…Who Dat!!!
Mike Smith
January 15th, 2011
11:40 pm
OWENS….#21…..is my Best CORNERBACK!!!!!!!
OHIOdirtybird
January 15th, 2011
11:40 pm
Look…….I am just as sick as all my other Falcons fans……Did i see it coming….HELL NO!!! But I will say that I am happy with the improvement we made in year 3 of the process…..this loss hurts, REAL bad, but we still got a lot to look forward to(given some kind of changes to the D)…and for the record I love how saints fans are so fast to rush to our blogs, so quick in fact that they might be unspoken Falcons fans…….But u know what, yall can stay keep sticking with your aints!!…..We got something good brewing here!!!!…..GO FALCONS!!!!
SeenThisB4
January 15th, 2011
11:41 pm
Hey CeeJay: Karma’s a bitch huh!
GEAUX SAINTS!
Falcons Are No One
January 15th, 2011
11:41 pm
The falcant fans still show what lowlifes they are. Wishing another Katrina on anyone is just truly disgusting.
Tomorrow's headline...Turdy Birds Lay Another One!
January 15th, 2011
11:41 pm
COME ON MAN!
ATL Born
January 15th, 2011
11:42 pm
THE FALCON FANS ARE PASSIONATE!!! WE are just tired of this Bull Spit!!! We can tell you which games we will win during the regular season and how the outcome will occur in the playoffs . . . if we make it. Just because we speak our Damn minds doesn’t make us less than a fan. If you are FAT I will call you FAT not pleasantly plumb.
Sad example of a nfl team
January 15th, 2011
11:43 pm
Atlanta teams are know for losing, you guys should not be surprised. Did you expect a Lombardi? What a joke of a team. One again the comedians will have fun with the Atlanta pro teams.
GETTOFFDABUSS
January 15th, 2011
11:43 pm
ALL TOGETHER NOW WHODATS….RISE UP!!!!!
Falcons Are No One
January 15th, 2011
11:43 pm
Hey Ohio – after the trash spewing from falcant fans on the nola blogs last week, y’all deserve every insult you get!
Falcons Are No One
January 15th, 2011
11:44 pm
WHO DAT GONNA WIN DAT SUPER BOWL – NOT DEM FALCANTS!!!!!
FALCLOWNS are losers
January 15th, 2011
11:45 pm
@ neworleanssucks – nothing sucks more than the Falclowns- show me your ring, LOSER! Loving it…Falclowns continue to be LOSERS…..woulda, coulda, shoulda… I live in ATL – you want to come by and kiss the RING, Loser? Who Dat!!!
Highly overtate QB Matt Ryan
January 15th, 2011
11:45 pm
passer rating 69.8 Matt Rayan. what will they do ? He has tiny sholder. Ice my aZZ. weak arm Fact!!!
Mike Smith
January 15th, 2011
11:45 pm
190 yards total offense in a playoff game with 13 days rest!!!!! That is awesome!!!!
OHIOdirtybird
January 15th, 2011
11:46 pm
LMAO…..how did i know Seen was gonna finally show his/her punk ass up!!!…..It’s cool, say what ya want, but Green Bay didn’t have a losing record coming in…..i mean…..Seattle??…..that’s right…..YALL STILL SUCK!!!
ATL Born
January 15th, 2011
11:46 pm
See what I mean. Look at our critics’ postings. The perception of this city and state is low budget from our educational standing to the bad decisions our team makes with personnel. But Damn it stop saying Matt Ryan will be back. There is no guarantee in life. TODAY is not a good QB. Period. TODAY our team was horrible against a GOOD team.
Tampa bay bucks
January 15th, 2011
11:47 pm
As a Tampa fan, I say eat crow falcons fans. Life’s a bitch and then you die. You will never win a super bowl as long as you guys talk down on others, especially for a team’s fan base that has never won a super bowl.