Falcons still have chance to hit their stride at right time
Could Sean Weatherspoon and Falcons be flying high going into playoffs? (Jason Getz/AJC)
At this point of the season a year ago, the Falcons had won eight straight games, were 12-2 and tied with New England for the NFL’s best record, had beaten New Orleans, Baltimore and Green Bay and generally looked like anything but a team that could lose its first playoff game by 27 points — which, of course, they did.
There’s an obvious byproduct to having a season suddenly going down like Pompeii. People stop assuming what comes next.
Which brings us to the 2011 Falcons. More people probably project them as a first-round playoff exit than a Super Bowl contender. But maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Athletes feed off external doubt, and the “Green Bay did it, so can we” thing is slowly evolving into this group’s rallying cry. (The Packers entered the playoffs last year as a NFC’s sixth seed and proceeded to obliterate all in their path, beginning with the Falcons.)
“All of our goals are still in front of us,” running back Michael Turner said following Thursday’s 41-14 dismembering of Jacksonville. “All we can ask for is to get in the tournament, and then we’ll take it from there. We saw what happened last year with Green Bay.”
The Falcons are 9-5. They will get into the playoffs. They’ve had more than a few hiccups this season but have rebounded nicely. After losing to Houston and getting humiliated for one half at Carolina (combined six-quarter slouch: opponents 40, Falcons 17), they rallied to beat the Panthers and bury Jacksonville (combined six-quarter bounce-back: Falcons 65, opponents 14).
Falcons have lessened Mike Smith's stress. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
A stronger sense of how real this awakening is will come next Monday night, when the Falcons play at New Orleans. But there’s certainly no reason to think this team can’t go on a special run. It was a talented group with a veteran core before this season started, and it remains that.
“We like the [playoff] position we’re in because we feel like we can take our show on the road and win,” wide receiver Roddy White said. “We’re built to run the ball and play-action pass and get the ball to [the receivers] on the outside. We don’t break. We know we just have be consistent to win games. Carolina definitely was a wake-up call for us. It took two quarters to wake up, but we learned. You never want to be down 23-7 but it’s good to see what your team can do when that happens. That gave us a lot of confidence.”
The Falcons have clinched their fourth straight winning season Thursday. It speaks to general expectations that that was an afterthought. They know they need some measure of postseason success because one-and-dones get old real quick with a jaded fan base.
But there are positive signs. Matt Ryan is on target again. Receivers aren’t dropping passes. The defense is starting to get more pressure. There are fewer missed tackles. Sean Weatherspoon is an emerging star. The team hasn’t had a turnover in the last two weeks.
General manager Thomas Dimitroff was concerned about his team for several weeks, but he’s starting to see light now.
“Mike has echoed this, and we’ve been very clear: We expect much more consistency given the talent of this football team and the talent of this coaching staff,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that we had some moments of inconsistency. But we really believe now we’re starting to get our feet underneath us and we’re starting to play some fundamentally sound football.
“I’m seeing accomplished assignments. I’m seeing focus. I’m seeing finish.”
A little swagger also may be coming back. When asked his thoughts on the New Orleans game, White smiled and said, “We’re going to win.”
So he’s guaranteeing that?
“I don’t guarantee victories,” he said. “But we’re going to win.”
That certainly would alter perceptions.
By Jeff Schultz
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400 comments Add your comment
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
2:05 pm
Honestly, I would love to see the Cream team somehow get in the playoffs and face the Falcons. That would actually be pretty cool….But, if you can count on one thing, it is that MV7 will disappoint in the end.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
2:07 pm
It takes Romeo to figure out the Packers…..ha ha
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
2:09 pm
vs Cardinals (No playoff win)
vs Green Bay (No playoff win)
Impressive endings
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
2:09 pm
Oh the Saints next week….ha ha.
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
2:12 pm
At least Ice had the guts to stand in and take the poundings, it is not like he Quit like MV7 does.
I call the 1st Ryan/Vick matchup ‘No Mas at the Dome”.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
2:19 pm
Oh coach I can’t finish the game, I sprained (Fake Turf Toe)……HA HA
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
2:22 pm
Saints 21 Vikings 13
Next weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek ha ha
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
2:27 pm
Giants put up a 3 spot….lead ain’t looking so big anymore.
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
2:28 pm
I do want the Skins to win, just so we can watch the Feebles eliminate themselves this afternoon.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
2:29 pm
HA HA HA
AKA Scam Newton 21 vs Team that embarrassed CHOKE
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
2:30 pm
Fake Turf Toe quitter…………….ha ha
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
2:35 pm
I told you about getting too excited about half time leads. Many, you never learn…DOOHHHH….WTF are you even talking about turf toe? You mean Ice missed 2 games in 4 seasons, and you used that as some sort of proof? Do I really have to go back and count up all the games MV7 missed
NO MAS AT THE DOME
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
2:36 pm
For starters, Vick quit for 32 games for the Falcons.
5150 UOAD
December 18th, 2011
2:43 pm
Looks like “CHOKE” is going to go through 2 bottles of Hand lotion and Kleenex. I hope his mom doesn’t have to clean the basement today.
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
2:45 pm
First there was ‘No MAS AS THE DOME.
Then he had the broken arm, that was not really broken
Then he quit due to sore ribs, and they put VY out there to lose( and boy, that game looms big now)
And that is just THIS SEASON.
But yea, Ice missed games 2 years ago, the only games in his career. LOL. May, your ***t is weak today.
You would be better to ignore my MV7 quitter posts and just take your medicine.
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
2:48 pm
But here we are, and all the Eagles have to do is “run the table”, but have we heard that before.
5150 UOAD
December 18th, 2011
2:50 pm
Philly is the NoLA of the North. It is a Cesspool of a city and people.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
2:51 pm
Saints 28 Vikings 13
Next week there will be a Falcons season ending roast
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
2:52 pm
Coach my big toe hurts, please don’t make me go back in the game
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
2:54 pm
0-2 in the Playoffs……………….ONLY STAT THAT MATTERS……………. ha ha ha
5150 UOAD
December 18th, 2011
2:58 pm
Coach I don’t feel like working. I want to go smoke dope, hang with my Bros, and kill some dawgs.
ninobrown
December 18th, 2011
3:04 pm
5150 UOAD,
Why is it that you continue to make comments about a city and their people. This is a sports blog. Thats why fans of other teams like to clown Atlanta. Atlanta fans have no sports related comebacks to facts about their loser teams!!! As soon as say something about your garbage team, here comes the Katrina references or the cesspool comments. Like Atlanta is perfect (watch the nightly news every once and a while). But then again, what else do you expect from a loser that cheers for loser teams!!!!! I am starting to feel sorry for you. BTW Drew Brees just threw his 5th TD pass with 10 min left in the 3rd qtr. LOL.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
3:07 pm
Saints 35 Vikes 13………………….
NEXT……………………..
WEEK………………….
HA HA HA
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
3:09 pm
Mike Kill those WORTHLESS dogs on your own time.
Okay coach……………. HA HA
5150 UOAD
December 18th, 2011
3:09 pm
ninobrown because it is true. It is Life and Sports are not the end of the world and they don’t make a city a great place.
NoLa without Food would be nothing to visit. The only the crime is down because the crap all got flushed out of that town by Katrina. People in Philly are too broke to leave for the most part and the govt. isn’t paying to relocate them.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
3:11 pm
ninobrown
December 18th, 2011
3:04 pm
5150 UOAD,
Why is it that you continue to make comments about a city and their people. This is a sports blog. Thats why fans of other teams like to clown Atlanta. Atlanta fans have no sports related comebacks to facts about their loser teams!!! As soon as say something about your garbage team, here comes the Katrina references or the cesspool comments. Like Atlanta is perfect (watch the nightly news every once and a while). But then again, what else do you expect from a loser that cheers for loser teams!!!!! I am starting to feel sorry for you. BTW Drew Brees just threw his 5th TD pass with 10 min left in the 3rd qtr. LOL
_____________________________________________
Damn that is funny
Because he is not smarter than a 5th grader …… ha ha ha.
ninobrown
December 18th, 2011
3:12 pm
……….And Atlanta is a great city, too bad the same cannot be said for your sports teams.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
3:14 pm
@5150 UOAD
And Newt “Fannie Mac” Gingrich is a great example of Georgia pride
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
3:14 pm
Guy misses 2 games 2 years ago….Man, like I said, your @hit is WEAK today. I am watching the qb that WE SHOULD HAVE drafted in 2001.
I notice you never respond when I talk about how we passed on Brees for MV7, haha, you I am right, CHOKE ON THAT
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
3:15 pm
No, Slim Dunkin is an example of Atlanta pride. May he RIP.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
3:15 pm
0-2 in the playoffs
ONLY STAT THAT MATTERS………………… ha ha ha
Oh God why can’t we win playoff games without the Dog Killer
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
3:18 pm
No, SBs W is the only THING that matters, everything else is just a stat, and none of them matter.
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
3:21 pm
And Drew Brees has the ring, and but we drafted some silly guy who had the intellectual capacity of a 5th grader who was going to re-define the QB position. LOL.
And in 10 years, he has 2 playoff wins, and his core fan base is holding that up like a great accomplishment. I mean, lets just admit it, MV7, after 10 years, never came anywhere near living up to his hype.
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
3:24 pm
Bears wins (Cough Cough, Celeb tosses a horrible pick 6)
Detroit wins
Saints beat Falcants
Detroit moves to 5th seed
Chicago moves to 6th seed
BYE BYE Falcants
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
3:25 pm
It just goes to show what a loser Choke is, he uses stats to try and “prove” something. Like playoff wins are the goal. You should really set your sights a little higher.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
3:26 pm
Phillip Rivers drafted, Brees traded………………HA HA HA
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
3:28 pm
You have to crawl (playoff wins) before you walk (superbowls)…………..
CHOKE is still in the mother’s womb ……………….. HA HA HA
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
3:30 pm
Saints 42 Vikes 13……………..
OH BOY
NEXT
WEEK
ha ha ha
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
3:36 pm
Well, like you said earlier, how much time do you need?
MV7 is on year 10, and he has 2 playoff wins. Tom Brady had a ring in year 2.
And it ain’t looking too good in year 11.
Real Football Fan
December 18th, 2011
3:36 pm
Oh look, no class Saints running the score up again to the excitement of their no class fans. Wouldn’t it be excellent for some key player season ending injuries to take place while they are doing that. Yes, that would be excellent.
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
3:38 pm
Saints are scary, they can put a beatin on ya, but we always play them close. Not worried about next week, although, WE COULDA HAD BREES!!!! Now, we are in agreement that choosing MV7 to begin with was the original mistake.
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
3:39 pm
So we have:
No mas at the Dome
The Original Mistake
We are making progress today Choke!
5150 UOAD
December 18th, 2011
3:39 pm
We HAD Farve.
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
3:40 pm
Brees is better than Farve.
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
3:43 pm
Chiefs 1st and goal, settle for 3…Gonna haunt them.
5150 UOAD
December 18th, 2011
3:43 pm
not according to CHOKES Rules and Stats for greatness.
Mr Charlie
December 18th, 2011
3:46 pm
Looks like the Eagles are going to get the opportunity to eliminate themselves…..
Chicago is taking all the pressure off us….
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
3:47 pm
Smitty vs Green Bay (Clueless)
Assistant Romeo Crennel (Genius)
HA HA HA
5150 UOAD
December 18th, 2011
3:49 pm
Colts will not lose them all and the Packers will not win them all.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 18th, 2011
3:49 pm
Isn’t Brees like 14-2 vs the Falcants?……ha ha