LIVE: Falcons try to provide some relief for Atlanta fans
Weather in the Washington D.C. area has been similar to mood of Falcons' fans: gloomy. (AP photo)
LANDOVER, Md. — Good morning. It’s the Sunday of what is shaping up as one of the worst sports weekends in Atlanta sports history. (I don’t want to declare it as the worst. Too much competition.)
On Friday, the Braves lost their wild card playoff game to St. Louis 6-3. On Saturday, Georgia got bodyslammed by South Carolina 35-7 and Georgia Tech lost to Clemson 47-31.
Today, it’s the Falcons’ turn to . . . well, what exactly?
They face the Washington Redskins. On paper, this is a game they should win. The Falcons are 4-0 for only the third time in franchise history (1986, 2004, 2012) and have one of the best offenses in the NFL. The Redskins are 2-2, their only wins this season have come over New Orleans (0-4) and Tampa Bay (1-3) and they have one of the worst defenses in the the NFL (29th in total defense, 31st in pass defense, 27th in scoring defense).
But if the backdrop of the Atlanta Sports Weekend From Hades isn’t enough reason to cause concern about today’s game, here are a few things that might:
• Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (RG3) can make plays and has been remarkably efficient for a rookie, completing 69.4 percent of his passes with four touchdown passes and only one interception in 124 attempts. He is averaging 250.8 yards passing per game, but he has been sacked eight times. He also is rushing for 58.5 yards per game (and has four touchdown runs).
• The Falcons’ pass protection, a question coming into the season, was a problem against Carolina last week. Quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked seven times. It needs to be better today, especially given that it’s a road game and crowd noise could become a factor.
• It’s not easy to stay undefeated in the NFL, no matter who the opponent is. That was reaffirmed in the Carolina game. The Panthers, particularly quarterback Cam Newton, were emotionally down and beat up coming into the game. But the Falcons were fortunate to get out of the Georgia Dome with a 30-28 win — only because of a last-minute field goal drive, helped by a 59-yard pass from Ryan to Roddy White.
For what it’s worth, it has been cold and drizzling in the Washington D.C. area, so we’ll see how that affects the two teams today.
What to look for? Mostly whether the Falcons come out firing against the Washington secondary, which includes our good friend (slight sarcasm), DeAngelo Hall. Hey, maybe Hall and coach Mike Smith can rumble again.
That’s it for now. Do you think the Falcons win today to end the sports misery in Atlanta, or do the Redskins complete a sweep?
I’ll be here all game to chat.. The cyber-venting lines are now open.
By the way, I just received the Falcons’ inactive list: QB Dominique Davis, CB Terrence Johnson, FB Lousaka Polite, T Lamar Holmes, TE Michael Palmer, DE Jonathan Massaquoi and DE Cliff Matthews.
By Jeff Schultz
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1,069 comments Add your comment
Go Jackets
October 7th, 2012
5:08 pm
I saw Mike Smith gettin his 2 censt worth in on the last offensive drive…..glad he got out of the way and let his OC and ryan do some things….if we fall down ths year its because Mr Conservative Smith meddled where he shouldnt have and cost us the game.
Ray
October 7th, 2012
5:09 pm
WE NEED TO BE CELEBRATING FIRST TIME 5-0 IN OUR HISTORY!
I mean come on even the great Mike Vick(don’t like him just know some people are butt hurt still) didn’t get us Back-to-back winning seasons or a 5-0 start.
If Matt Ryan gets us some playoffs wins I want all the talk will fade away they’ll have nothing left to say except he doesn’t have a Super Bowl Win.
He’s to going 6-0 upcoming and with the way Philly has been playing 7-0.
ThankGodMalarky'sGone
October 7th, 2012
5:12 pm
Matt Ryan
• As rookie: has best season of any QB in NFL history (Steve Young points this out).
• Leads Falcons to winning season 4 years in a row. (Falcons never had winning record 2 seasons in a row – and Vick played in Atl for 6 seasons.
• Leads Falcons to first 5-0 record.
• Is the highest rated QB in NFL this year.
Note: Ryan threw TWO 60-plus yard strikes: 1 for a TD and the other to keep Atl in game.
Ryan is a smart, tough QB. Atlanta is lucky to have him.
JSS
October 7th, 2012
5:12 pm
(FAKE) JSS
October 7th, 2012
5:05 pm
“Matthew Ryan, I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Read this since you missed it earlier…
Jeff Schultz
October 7th, 2012
12:33 pm
“WARNING TO ALL (and this means you: “JSS is a Troll”) — Please avoid screen name stealing in any way, shape or form.”
Get it all out of your system, just more evidence…
Should have been man or woman enough to blog like a human being…
Get Real
October 7th, 2012
5:15 pm
Choke changed his last name to ButtKiss
JSS
October 7th, 2012
5:15 pm
@ DawgNole…
Answer This… You’ve been blogging multiple year, he’s a pretender… He’s courting the usual suspects…
Ray
October 7th, 2012
5:23 pm
@ThankGodMarlurkeyisgone
You correct I’m glad to have it when Vick was here at first it was okay to have him, but around year 3-4 that’s when I began to see he could only put on a show that’s it.
Philadelphia is paying the price right now we tried to tell people he was a fraud as a QB in fact I’d rather had Tim Tebow(maybe that’s going tooooo far).
Still though it’s funny the haters(actually don’t like using that word but) are actually starting to shut up one point it was Matt Ryan can’t throw has no arm strength then the 60 yard bomb happened to Roddy White last week, and not only that, but even with this game had Jones made the catch I think it was another 60+ TD pass.
DawgNole
October 7th, 2012
5:23 pm
Falcon Nation
October 7th, 2012
5:04 pm
Grew up in Grant Park and the old man would take me to Fulton County to see the games…..I am the second generation and my daughter is part of the Nation……all I am saying……is that you have to stay true to the Nation….cause when we win its going to be soooooo sweet!
___________________
I commend your loyalty to the Falcons, but I can assure you it’s no “better” or “stronger” than mine. However, I’m also a realist, and the reality is that in nearly a half-century of competition, the Falcons have never brought this city a championship. Hopefully this season’s positive developments represent an important first step toward finally earning that Super Bowl victory–especially for us longtime followers.
Jeff Schultz
October 7th, 2012
5:26 pm
Three “Short Takes” on Falcons win posted, if you want to shift commenting over there.
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2012/10/07/short-takes-gonzalez-bryant-no-rg3-key-falcons-win/
Mike "CHOKE" Dogs To Death
October 7th, 2012
5:26 pm
@ ThankGodMalarky’sGone at 5:12: excellent post. Matt Ryan is clearly the best quarterback the Falcons have ever had.
I’m still scratching my head, trying to figure out why CHOKE is still carrying the torch for that lazy bum who lost in Philly today.
HA HA
DawgNole
October 7th, 2012
5:27 pm
JSS
October 7th, 2012
5:15 pm
@ DawgNole…
Answer This… You’ve been blogging multiple year, he’s a pretender… He’s courting the usual suspects…
____________________
Thanks for the info. He’s obviously mentally challenged, and because of that, he’s not “getting to me.” I just take a look at his posts and consider the source.
And who were you referencing on “always disagree”?
Answer this
October 7th, 2012
5:31 pm
Had to get your two cent in JSS? I see the big bad name stealers got you crying! You told Schultz on them! Lol. I said nothing to you…this was a convo between me and PuppyNole….but like always you stink your fat angus in someone elses business! Wonder why they steal your punkangus name? Mrs. I am not a fan….yet you still here….why again? The consensus is that you are not well liked around these blogs…..check it out read through them….not a mistake that they tease you and you go running to Schultz…..tough guy! Lets keep ignoring each other seems like we do well when we do that…..keep with your I am the smartest blogger in the world (you really should be proud….think you going to make a good career out of it) attitude and continue to get chumped by the kids at the playground and keep running to Principal Schultz so he can take up for you….Rise up! O yea……PuppyNole……yip…yip….yip…yip….yip yip, chickens and Clowney after me!
Mike "CHOKE" Dogs To Death
October 7th, 2012
5:34 pm
The bad news: the Braves, Yellow Jackets and Bulldogs lost this weekend.
The good news: the Falcons won, the Eagles lost, and no dogs were murdered today!
HA HA
Big Crimson 75
October 7th, 2012
5:37 pm
Matt Cassell is the only QB in Football with more turnovers than Vick.
Answer This
October 7th, 2012
5:38 pm
Was that a dis to puppynole……usual suspects=puppynole…..what exactly did you mean by that?
Mike "CHOKE" Dogs To Death
October 7th, 2012
5:46 pm
I’m sure Mike is watching game film right about now — NOT!!
HA HA
JSS
October 7th, 2012
6:10 pm
“Running to Schultz” yep, protecting the brand is important some of us… But, little folk bloggers wouldn’t know about concept, would you? “Dis?” Ha ha, put down the copy of “Played Out Street Terms for Dummies.”
JSS
October 7th, 2012
6:13 pm
“Usual suspects” multiple user-names, little boy bloggers incapable of understanding that the NFL does not revolve around your boyhood desire for athletic heroes… Yada, yada, yada…
Jeff Schultz
October 7th, 2012
7:39 pm
Here’s the link to the game column:
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2012/10/07/falcons-are-easy-highlight-in-atlantas-dark-sports-weekend/
I’m closing commenting here.
Thanks.
J