LIVE: Falcons are in playoffs, now go for South vs. Saints
Falcons are hoping John Abraham can replicate this play against Drew Brees. (Jason Getz)
NEW ORLEANS — After lunch with D-Led at Mother’s — always my first stop in New Orleans — I’m ready for the afterthought of this road trip: a football game. (Sorry, but everything takes a back seat to food here.)
The byproduct of two straight wins and a few NFC playoff contenders collapsing around them has left the Falcons in a comfortable position going into tonight’s game against the New Orleans Saints: They’ve already clinched a postseason birth for the third time in four seasons.
There's always a line at Mother's.
But is winning that NFC South that implausible?
Three things need to happen for the Falcons to win the South and clinch a home playoff game: 1) They need to win tonight. (The last four meetings between the teams have been decided by a field goal, with two going into overtime, so an upset wouldn’t be monumental); 2) The Falcons need to win next week’s regular season finale at home against Tampa Bay. (Not a problem. The Bucs have lost nine straight); 3) New Orleans needs to lose next week against Carolina. (The Saints will be favored, but the Panthers have won four of their last five and have a high-scoring offense.)
In that scenario, the teams would finish tied at 11-5 overall but the Falcons would get the edge because of a better division record (4-2 vs. 3-3). So it’s possible they can pull it
Darryl Ledbetter scripts his first 15 plays.
off. But winning in the Superdome won’t be easy, especially with quarterback Drew Brees playing like the league’s MVP (16 touchdowns, zero interceptions in the last five games, 24 TDs and 3 interceptions in the last eight).
At least the Falcons know they’ve already clinched at least a wild card playoff berth, the result of Green Bay’s win over Chicago Sunday night.
If the playoffs opened today, the Falcons (NFC’s sixth seed) would face the Saints (third seed) in the playoffs. If the Falcons finish ahead of Detroit for the top wild card spot (fifth seed), they will travel to the NFC East champion, which will be the winner of next week’s Dallas-New York Giants game. If they win the division, they could wind up hosting Detroit. There’s still a chance New Orleans finishes with the No. 2 seed and
Counter-clockwise: Red beans and rice, shrimp po-boy, chicken and andouille gumbo, softshell crab po-boy.
draws a bye, leaving the Falcons to travel to San Francisco.
For now, the Falcons are focused only on trying to play four quarters against the Saints as well as they played the last six against Carolina and Jacksonville.
Some obvious keys tonight: 1) Turnovers (it’s notable the Saints’ defense has only 13 takeaways, the fewest in the league; 2) Don’t waste red zone possessions, as was the case the last time the teams met; 3) Get some semblance of a pass rush on Brees, at least forcing him to move off his spot; 4) Pound the Saints’ defense with the run, using up clock and keeping Brees on the sideline.
The Falcons also get cornerback Brent Grimes back after a three-game absence, which should help against a quarterback who’s about to break the NFL’s single-season passing record (Brees’ 4,780 yards trails Dan Marino’s record of 5,048 by 268).
OK, that’s enough. I’ll turn it over to you now. Call me crazy (not the first time, I’m sure) but I like the Falcons’ chances tonight. They seem particularly up for this game. We’ll see. I’m here to serve, at least until I have to start banging out the game column.
By Jeff Schultz
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2,750 comments Add your comment
Falcons Sloppy Secondsdary
December 26th, 2011
11:27 pm
I asked for scrappy but got crappy from this team. Dome-schooled.
2 GOOD DOGS
December 26th, 2011
11:27 pm
NOW THAT THIS GAME IS OVER I JUST WANT TO THANK VAN GORDER FOR HIS EXCELLENT PREPARATION OF THE FALCONS DEFENSE AGAINST THE SAINTS. IT WAS HIS BEST EFFORT. HE IS ONE STUPID SOB. GOOD RIDDANCE. LET’S HOPE ARTHUR BLANK WILL DIG DEEPER TO FILL ALL THE NEEDS THIS TEAM CERTAINLY NEEDS. ESPECIALLY IN THE COACHING.
Falcon James
December 26th, 2011
11:27 pm
I am not a Saint fan by any stretch of the imagination, but this saint team look really good tonight. BVG looked lost from the opening kickoff
flatsdawg1
December 26th, 2011
11:27 pm
Although they have their problems,the good parts of this team are mostly on offense, the offense isn’t ready to outscore anybody. The Saints are the best team playing right now, they took a page from their friends at LSU and got 4 running backs that nobody can really stop, couple that with the best quarterback in the league and well……. The best thing about this game is the fact the Saints will have beaten us twice, and it’s really tough to beat anybody three times if we meet them again in the playoffs. I like our chances in that third game. Must find someone that can disrupt Brees rhythm even a little bit!
jimbo
December 26th, 2011
11:27 pm
falcons to be first place in nfc south with matt ryan? you are kidding right? bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
FalconFan
December 26th, 2011
11:27 pm
Yeah I wish all those prisoners and welfare people would GO BACK to New Orleans that came to Atlanta and squatted these past 6 years and Never went back.
phil
December 26th, 2011
11:27 pm
Katrina…….
Ted
December 26th, 2011
11:27 pm
We will now start blitzing at the seven min mark in the fourth qtr.
Cedrick
December 26th, 2011
11:27 pm
Anyone wondering why it has been an assumption of the Saints winning this game even before it has started!! Way to go Falcons!!! You are who a LOT OF US THOUGHT YOU WERE!! Just plain ass sorry!!
Submariner683
December 26th, 2011
11:27 pm
ahh…Matt “Choke” Ryan finally gives it up…he’s a Saints fan and by his use of pronouns, he’s a member of the Saints. As a member I guess you don’t get a lot of playing time to blog on here.
stendek
December 26th, 2011
11:27 pm
You are funny Katherine! Glad you are in such a damn jovial mood. You a Matty Lice groupie? Just asking.
ijonathan
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
holding in the end zone?
R Brown
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
Unfortunately, our Atlanta Falcons have been EXPOSED.
Tom G
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
That penalty on Roddy in the end-zone was BS, the DB had his hands on him also! Looks like they are only calling penalties on one side tonite or are we that undisciplined?
William
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
“Win” …. LMAO very funny!
phil
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
Unlike Ryan, Brees will challenge defenders.
CGD..
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
“What the Hell was that ignortant SOB Matthew Ryan doing? What a totally pathetic excuse ever to impersonate an NFL QB! If Chris Miller still alobe? Jeff George? Even those two pathetic losers had more heart than this oxygen waste quitter! Elite? Maybe in a Pee Wee League somewhere!
”
Classic Chit! lmao
americankris
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
Brees tripping he could have gotten hurt
FalconsHeroZero
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
Finally..a holding call..but great offenses rarely get those calls..
Michael
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
1 offensive TD in 3 1/2 qts. Matt “Mr. Elite” Ryan is AWESOME!
ijonathan
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
Screen pass?????????????????????????????????????
Nerehere
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
We had no plans to run the ball with any success. I going to see how many running yards we got. We ain’t going nowhere in the playoffs. Rest all you starters, because even if we win next week against TB, that won’t impress me one bit.
embarassedtobeafalconfan
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
playoffs?!!!!! wish they hadn’t made it cause they are and will be a national embarassment in two weeks cause not one of them has heart or football smarts. GET RID OF BVG AND THE WHOLE OFFENSIVE LINE!!!
SonofaDawg
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
Matt Ryan, our saviour, NOT!
kerryb
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
Ref has to explain why they can’t call a penalty on the Saints
clyve
December 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
anyone else tired of our coaches getting completely owned by elite teams?
Falcons suck. Always have...always will.
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
The solution: trade/bench/waive Roddy White and Michael Turner. Fire Mularkey. Promote Hugh Douglas to starter. Get a whole new secondary. Quit with the silly gimmicks like “Rise Up” and just play football.
stendek
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
That was a total bull*** decision by refs! Pure crap.
JMFalc
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
what screen? did brees pass to himself?
Big Wally
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
Now that is funny, watching fat Edwards chasing Drew Brees
5150 UOAD
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
The refs didn’t lose the game for the Falcons but they didn’t call an even game. as evident by the last NO CALL.
Elvis Presley
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
Are these Sunbelt Conference Officials ?
americankris
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
Now there just making up rules
FalconFan
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
This is one of the worst games called that I have EVER seen. No holding because it’s a Screen Pass with the lineman laying on top of Abraham? Where did they get these guys? Pee Wee league ball?
MTSeats
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
Perhaps Blank should commission another commercial, that might insure a SB!
Falcons Sloppy Secondsdary
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
You can’t coach talent into the sloppy seconds on the Falcons defense. These guys are scout team material at best.
stendek
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
Weems with fair catch. Overrated loser too!
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
Maybe CHOKE should start fighting dogs, maybe he can beat something
FalconsHeroZero
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
Falcons have to finish,a dn stop being so picky in the red zone.. They tighten..but no Superbowl with that defense..
CGD..
December 26th, 2011
11:29 pm
They still Calling ICE MELT ELITE?
Mr Checkdown/FG…..
Ouch
December 26th, 2011
11:30 pm
Matty is 67 % completion with over 350 yards. You blame it on him? Really?
The man needs some help.
How can the ‘no call’ be ruled a sceen pass if the ball was never thrown?
The Birds are getting stomped, and deserve to lose, but the refs are atrocious.
This looks suspiciously like the NBA and it’s ’superstar rules’.
Falcons Fan in Dallas
December 26th, 2011
11:30 pm
The refs didn’t loose this game, but the NFL needs to look into this crew. What the…. No hold because of a screen pass- where was it?
SSDD
December 26th, 2011
11:30 pm
Will we ever again win ANYTHING when it matters? Does anyone in this organization have any pride? Or are we doomed to mediocrity in this state? UnFreaking Believeable!!!!!!!!!!!
Merry Christmas
phil
December 26th, 2011
11:30 pm
Another penalty….
katherine
December 26th, 2011
11:30 pm
stendek
December 26th, 2011
11:27 pm
You are funny Katherine! Glad you are in such a damn jovial mood. You a Matty Lice groupie? Just asking.
Uh no im not a groupie of anyone…..I just prefer to not get myself so worked up…..this game is over yes but you never know what might happen in the playoffs..just ask the saints when they played seattle so…..get over yourself
kerryb
December 26th, 2011
11:30 pm
I wonder how much the refs got paid by the league for helping the Saints win in N.O. on Monday night.
Todd
December 26th, 2011
11:30 pm
Any body seen Jeff Schultz lately?
tmc
December 26th, 2011
11:30 pm
Way to go J. Tripplett!
You just proved my RIGHT! You are the worst ref in the NFL.
You turned a tackle in the endzone by a lineman and made up a “he was shedding him on a screen” call.
Bwah! ha! ha! Want a joke.
Submariner683
December 26th, 2011
11:30 pm
I’ve never been to another team’s blog site. I don’t get it other than being a pest. It shows a lot about a person’s character. I guess when you’re from a town that’s only famous for debauchery you don’t have much of a life.
Tom G
December 26th, 2011
11:30 pm
We are a decent team, not a real good or great team, we have to face it? Offence is pretty decent but defense is bad against good teams. DL is killing us, especially the DE’s!