Falcons bounce back against Titans, as they always do
Michael Turner ran over and around the Titans, and the Falcons rolled to a win (Curtis Compton)
Let’s put aside for a moment that the Falcons set out to serve us a gourmet meal Sunday but their quest for perfection was slightly marred by the overcooked lobster and then dropping the dessert in our laps.
They won again. That’s what they do after losses. No matter how physical or emotional it was. No matter how long public debate seems to stretch into the following week. Of all the things this regime has achieved, one of the most remarkable is that the team’s ability to rebound after defeats.
The latest illustration was Sunday’s 23-17 win over Tennessee, which came on the heels of last week’s overtime loss to New Orleans. The game may have left an after-taste, the result of the offense turning six red zone possessions into only two touchdowns. But there’s something to be said for this team’s resilience.
Under coach Mike Smith, the Falcons are now 16-3 after losses, eight straight wins and 4-0 this year.
“It says a lot about the team,” Smith said. “Regardless of the outcome, we know it’s a long season, we know we have to move on to the next game. From the first day we talked about what the formula is for a successful football team. Part of that is putting defeats behind you. We don’t let things linger.”
Mike Smith inspired Falcons' players with his words the night before the game. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
Smith hammered it home again Saturday night. His speech to the team, while short on pyrotechnics or even some great revelation, apparently struck the right chord with players.
“It wasn’t anything big, but I think what he said went to everybody’s heart,” center Todd McClure said.
“We’re at a point in the season now where we really need to start hitting our stride,” said tight end Tony Gonzalez. “We’re almost there — we’re not there yet. As Smitty said, we have to start putting things in overdrive. When we have a team down, let’s step on it.”
For most of Sunday, the Falcons looked like the kind of team Smith embraces: physical on both sides with a dominating running game and a stout defense.
Michael Turner, who rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown, said, “Sometimes you have to remember why this team was put together. You have to play smart and play physical. We haven’t been doing that lately. We were losing focus in games.”
The Falcons opened the season with a borderline humiliating loss at Chicago, but rebounded with an emotional win over Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles. Losses to Tampa Bay, Green Bay and New Orleans were followed with wins over Seattle, Carolina and Tennessee, respectively.
They haven’t lost consecutive games since Dec. 6 and 13 of 2009, a streak that has reached 29 games.
“I don’t think it’s arrogance or overconfidence,” Gonzalez said, “but every game we’ve lose this year we felt, ‘Man, we could’ve had that one. Even the Chicago game.”
This isn’t to say the Falcons don’t have flaws. They do. The offense walked over Tennessee with 432 yards. They had a 100-yard rusher, a 316-yarder passer (Matt Ryan) and a 147-yard receiver (Roddy White).
But the result of six red zone possessions were two touchdowns, three field goals and a fumble. Maximum potential: 42 points. Falcons’ net: 23. Great teams don’t leave so many points on the field.
This should have been a lopsided win. But when Titans rookie backup quarterback Jake Locker threw two late touchdown passes, there were a few tense moments on the Atlanta sideline.
But the Falcons played with an attitude and a physical edge they sometimes have been missing. Titans running game Chris Johnson (12 carries for 13 yards) was outgained by one Matt Hasselbeck scramble (17 yards).
That kind of defense will serve this team well. So should the schedule. The Falcons’ 6-4 record doesn’t sparkle but the final six games present great possibilities. Three of their remaining opponents — Minnesota (2-8), Carolina (2-8), Jacksonville (3-7) — have a combined record of 7-23. If the Falcons sweep those, that gets them to nine wins before even addressing the other three opponents (Houston, Tampa Bay, New Orleans).
It all sets up for a nice playoff run. They could use a few more touchdowns. But at least we know resilience isn’t an issue.
By Jeff Schultz
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186 comments Add your comment
True Falcon Fan
November 22nd, 2011
8:01 pm
U got the message, that’s all that matters!
JSS
November 22nd, 2011
8:08 pm
Message? My dog just crapped on your words…
JSS
November 22nd, 2011
8:10 pm
Want me to send you the .jpg or .png proof of the crap on your crap?
JSS
November 22nd, 2011
8:14 pm
Here’s the math for the so–called math geniuses on these blogs… 1 AJC blog user with multiple blogger personality disorder (alias True Falcon Fan among many) + his comments = one sorry pathetic loser!
True Falcon Fan
November 22nd, 2011
8:14 pm
Hello, Mom sorry you are ailing —- but you need to tell JSS to clam himherself
True Falcon Fan
November 22nd, 2011
8:24 pm
Jeff — spell check & pronunciation would be good also — This is hilarious playing with this “boy/girl” genius moron!
In case you don ‘t get it — i meant your mommy needs to calm you down —– “NOW RELAX” and take care of your ailing mommy…………..
Go Falcons
JSS
November 22nd, 2011
9:25 pm
You have used a prepositional phrase in your life, and you have the nerve to worry about grammar… The pathetic loser, reduced to name-calling, he can’t hang!!! Go call into your crib with your childhood friends after you put on your onesie!!!
True Falcon Fan
November 23rd, 2011
12:09 am
My guess is you are around mid to late twenties — maybe 30,,,,, You think you forgot more than most folks will ever know….So today you are totally irritated and can’t communicate with reality, “you’ve got it in your little mind somebody owes you something”…. you live with you mother, because you don’t have a J.O.B. and you say your are going for your masters??, for what, why, your mother?? “you little drip”!…. Doesn’t matter about your daddy — if you really knew him, you wouldn’t be the little “drip” you are today!
Happy “Thanksgiving to your Mother”, say a special blessing/pray for your mother and the rest of your family on Thursday for taking care of you and sacrificing their lives for YOU…
Go Falcons — Vikings Next
True Falcon Fan
November 23rd, 2011
12:17 am
9:25 pm @DRIP —- i’m going to my crib now —- Good Night,,, you fun now —– “You little drip”
JSS
November 23rd, 2011
5:45 am
@ The Third Worst Blogger In AJC History (AKA True Falcon Fan)…
Like I said, you’ll just keep posting and proving my point about you in the and your ilk every time you put fingers to keyboard… What a true and complete jacka** you are…
Oh, never go to Vegas or get hooked on internet betting, because you’ll be jam dead broke like Bear Stearns! You don’t know squat about sports, life, “g-r-a-m-m-a-r, p-u-n-c-u-a-t-i-o-n (not pronunciation), and you certainly have no future in the internet profiling business…
So when your matron comes by and changes your adult diaper and cleans up your plastic sheet; just remember to say “Thank you!”
True Falcon Fan
November 23rd, 2011
7:35 am
My bet is you are good at “ONE” thing, “changing adult diapers”! “There’s your sign”, for your next J.O.B.
Go Falcons – Vikings next
JSS
November 23rd, 2011
7:44 am
My next is job is my same job… And use some talc on your chaffed A**, the matron will appreciate not smelling your swamp a**!!!
True Falcon Fan
November 23rd, 2011
7:57 am
I’ve got the “Final Word” — Good Morning
Yeah, your same J.O.B. by you being the matron probably at your local penal institution — Only you know that “one”
JSS
November 23rd, 2011
8:00 am
Nope, that would be you’re cranked up cousin that you had to catch the Greyhound and then a couple of Yellow Cabs to go visit on your weekend off from the cashier’s post at the Dollar Tree…
True Falcon Fan
November 23rd, 2011
8:01 am
More final word – Nobody owes you anything!
JSS
November 23rd, 2011
8:12 am
Tell my accountant that… There’s never a final “typed” word with you… Your huge ego can’t stand being bested and thus you must continue making a fool of your creepy self…
True Falcon Fan
November 23rd, 2011
8:31 am
You finally got it right you are a fool/lunatic
JSS
November 23rd, 2011
8:41 am
What? Did your pot and kettle meet and laugh at you again? Is that more “final word?”
Relax
November 23rd, 2011
2:13 pm
The Falcons can play with and beat any team in the NFL.
The reality is that they should be favored vs every team they play till the Aints game at the Sewer Dome.
Whether they will……remains to be seen. What doesn’t remain to be seen, its well documented……is that it’s utterly pathetic that dude’s practically break a sweat typing about NFL teams. It’s a corporation. It’s entertainment. They all play for a paycheck……….if anybody thinks that more than 4-5 guys on the Packer’s roster give a damn about Green Bay you’re an idiot. They like the check. How many of them live there? How many are from there? Damn few.
Same for Pittsburg. Same for New England. Same for most of the league.
I love the NFL, it is fantastic entertainment. It’s cool to root for the local team, but don’t have a heart attack and make personal attacks against other folks who are simply observers of entertainment as well, whether they like the same team you do or not.
Cheers.
Eric C.
November 23rd, 2011
2:27 pm
JSS, just to clear up any potential confusion…”True Falcon Fan” is not me, and I say that because this person apparently has multiple aliases.
BrutusSinclair
November 23rd, 2011
2:47 pm
The Falcons won in impressive fashion against the Titans last Sunday. Like the Seattle game and many others this year, the Falcons built a lead and then STOPPED PLAYING hoping to hang on and win the game. This formula should be halted immediately or the Falcons will not make the playoffs this year or any other year for that matter. I WONDER WHAT MAKES A TEAM FLAT OUT QUIT PLAYING FOOTBALL AFTER SCORING ONLY TWO TOUCHDOWNS. I’LL NEVER UNDERSTAND IT, BUT I’M SURE IT COMES FROM MANAGEMENT(SMITH) ON DOWN TO THE PLAYERS. That type of mindset should not be tolerated but I see it EVERY TIME the Falcons play football. To watch it gives me a sick feeling in my stomach each time.
JSS
November 23rd, 2011
3:19 pm
@ Eric C…
You guys are who you are…. I’ve never lost a minute of contentment over this stuff… But I knew there would be one… Happy Thanksgiving!
True Falcon Fan
November 23rd, 2011
4:20 pm
Be assured there no alias, There is only one of me, You both sound like a couple paranoid psycho’s – one minute you tell each other how stupid each other is then the next it’s Happy Thanksgiving, that’s real nice & sweet. That tells me you both are from the same neighborhood. Sobeit
Go Falcons – Vikings next— this game and the next 3 following should be a walk in the park, as long as we stay healthy……….Then da Saints
For Mike Smith's Atlanta Falcons Being Positive is Key
November 23rd, 2011
5:48 pm
[...] This, though, is something Smith has always prepared for. He believes good teams don’t lose two games in a row and preaches getting over losses quickly. Atlanta allows itself 24 hours after a defeat to review film and learn what to do better, then immediately moving on and focusing on the next game. This explains why the Falcons have a great (16-3) record after setbacks under Smith; why they were recently able to bounce back after a crushing fall to the rival New Orleans Saints. [...]
JSS
November 23rd, 2011
5:58 pm
Like I said (Idiot True Falcon Creep),never go to Vegas,there’s a special section of UMC Hospital where you can get that stick full of dumb a** taken out of you once you lose your cookie and milk money… I bet your Dennis Hopper’s character “Frank” in ‘Blue Velvet.” You’re sitting in your crib in a onesie sucking on a oxygen mask… Screaming “Matty, Matty” all hyperventilating! What a creep you are…
JSS
November 23rd, 2011
6:08 pm
Oh maybe you are too busy rubbing ointment on that chaffing and hyperventilating and screaming “Final Word, Final Word!”
True Falcon Fan
November 23rd, 2011
6:28 pm
You R hilarious
:):):):)
True Falcon Fan
November 23rd, 2011
6:33 pm
You have NO/zero imagination — buttHEAD very FUNNY,!!!!!:):):):):)
True Falcon Fan
November 23rd, 2011
6:42 pm
Do you talk to your mother with that obnoxious, nasty mouth?
JSS
November 24th, 2011
2:14 am
True Falcon Fan
:):):) You have NO/zero imagination — buttHEAD very FUNNY,!!!!!:):):):):) Do you talk to your mother with that obnoxious, nasty mouth?
November 23rd, 2011
You R hilarious
Yep, my wall and mantle are filled with awards saying so… Too bad you don’t have the brain power understand why… Oh, after I stopped laughing at that last comment by a guy who keeps bring my Mother into every comment that he posts, I had to go remember that you were the genius that’s been giving us this daily version of the fool that called the Paul Johnson and barked! Oh yeah, even to you Happy Thanksgiving!
Eric C.
November 24th, 2011
9:41 am
Ha, I’m staying out of this one, but Happy Thanksgiving to both of you as well! Peace
I come in Peace..
November 25th, 2011
10:41 am
TFF, please seek help immediately!
Yeah Right
November 25th, 2011
10:56 am
JSS…aren’t you the self righteous one! My pigs slopped…hilarious! What a worm!
Yeah Right
November 25th, 2011
11:05 am
@JSS…form and matter? You pride yourself too much. Your diction, vocabulary and prose are so far above everyone else. Your content is so accurate and backed up with so much fact. You assault me as if you are some oracle. Yeah Right!
JSS
November 25th, 2011
8:41 pm
Yeah Right
November 25th, 2011
11:05 am
A five day old blog, and you’re still trying to get the last word? Well, and what time are you going to be in Perry? I want to warn the my cousins because those swine don’t like to be left waiting… Unlike those Razorbacks, they can actually be rather cantankerous when not fed on time…
JSS
November 25th, 2011
8:42 pm
Will you be singing “Final word” as you drop the slop?