SHORT TAKES: Gonzalez, Bryant, no RG3 key Falcons’ win
Robert Griffin III left the game in the third quarter with a concussion after a hit by Sean Weatherspoon. (AP photo)
(I’ll be back shortly with the game column. Until then, here are my three short takes on the Falcons’ 24-17 win over the Washington Redskins.)
1. Plan B always works: The Redskins’ defense effectively shut down the Falcons’ deep threat of Roddy White and Julio Jones for most of the game. But as we’ve seen this season, the offense always has a backup plan. In this case, it was tight end Tony Gonzalez, who had 13 catches (one short of his career high) for 123 yards and a touchdown. Not bad for a 36-year-old who plans on retiring after this season. Maybe he can be talked out of it.
2. RG3 injury benefits defense: You’ll never hear anybody on the Falcons admit this but it obviously helped their cause when quarterback Robert Griffin III left the game with a mild concussion. Yes, rookie backup Kirk Cousins threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss. But that largely was the result of a blown coverage by the Falcons — the deep safety broke off the route — and Cousins’ game inexperience showed thereafter with two interceptions. He was 4 for 8 for 34 yards on his other attempts.
3. Whatever Matt Bryant is getting paid, it’s not enough: The Falcons’ kicker has been money all season, and this game was no exception. With the Falcons trailing 17-14 in the fourth quarter but driving, Matt Ryan was sacked for a 7-yard loss back at the Redskins’ 35. That eventually forced Bryant to attempt a 53-yard field goal, which he made anyway — easily. He is now 10-for-10 this season.
– By Jeff Schultz
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
71 comments Add your comment
TrishaDishawareagle
October 7th, 2012
7:01 pm
Actually my grandpa is friends with Bill Moody(ppIII, paul bearer)..I just get tired of the RGIII moniker so I mix it up a little..plus he is short looking on tv so I even used Sherman Hemsley III earlier.
Hillbilly D
October 7th, 2012
7:02 pm
Percy Pringle reference
Used to be some good shoot interviews with him on Youtube. Some great Jim Cornette rants, also.
ijonathan
October 7th, 2012
7:04 pm
Bask in the glory of the amazing drive RGIII was engineering prior to getting obliterated…
1-10-ATL 39 (9:25) 10-R.Griffin pass deep middle to 88-P.Garcon to ATL 22 for 17 yards (23-D.Robinson). FUMBLES (23-D.Robinson), RECOVERED by ATL-54-S.Nicholas at ATL 23. 54-S.Nicholas to ATL 23 for no gain (15-J.Morgan). The Replay Assistant challenged the runner was down by contact ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 10-R.Griffin pass incomplete deep middle to 88-P.Garcon (23-D.Robinson).
2-10-ATL 39 (9:21) (Shotgun) 10-R.Griffin pass short middle to 83-F.Davis to ATL 29 for 10 yards (25-W.Moore).
1-10-ATL 29 (8:52) 10-R.Griffin scrambles left end pushed ob at ATL 22 for 7 yards (71-K.Biermann).
2-3-ATL 22 (8:23) 46-A.Morris left end to ATL 9 for 13 yards (95-J.Babineaux).
1-9-ATL 9 (7:38) (Shotgun) 10-R.Griffin pass short middle to 88-P.Garcon to ATL 5 for 4 yards (23-D.Robinson).
2-5-ATL 5 (7:03) (Shotgun) Direct snap to 46-A.Morris. 46-A.Morris left guard to ATL 3 for 2 yards (56-S.Weatherspoon; 99-V.Walker).
3-3-ATL 3 (6:22) (Shotgun) 10-R.Griffin sacked at ATL 5 for -2 yards (56-S.Weatherspoon). WAS-10-R.Griffin was injured during the play. His return is Questionable.
4-5-ATL 5 (6:00) 5-B.Cundiff 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-54-J.Snow, Holder-6-S.Rocca.
YouKnowWho is a Troll
October 7th, 2012
7:07 pm
I love how JSS the Troll dismissively calls Thomas Dimitroff the “boy genius.”
JSS the Troll, a complete and utter FAILURE.
JSS the Troll, a waste of human life whose only joy comes from trying to suck the happiness and good feelings from others around him, or even more pathetically, online.
THIS GUY is dismissive of one of the best GM’s in the league, and the best GM the Falcons have every had.
WTF is wrong with you, JSS the Troll? Who do you think you are, you miserable pathetic failure?
JSS
October 7th, 2012
7:14 pm
“It is what is” First true statement you made in a very long time…
“At the time of his injury inside the 10 he was…”
I never assume points, Cundiff missed a field goal after an impressive drive. Like I said, 2nd and goal was a ridiculous call… They hadn’t stopped the straight ahead rush all day, what do they do, run to the strength of Falcons D… “It is what it is…” Schultz was right, you’re just doing what you do…
Matty Bicep
October 7th, 2012
7:14 pm
I see Andrew Luck starting to come onto his own, RG3 gets his bell rung. Chalk another one up to Qbs who are going to revolutionize the position.
ijonathan
October 7th, 2012
7:18 pm
quite a finish shaping up in New England..
ijonathan
October 7th, 2012
7:19 pm
or maybe not
JSS
October 7th, 2012
7:19 pm
“Sherman Hemsley?” Wow, that’s a new one… George Jefferson? That man is 6′3… No words for that one…
JSS
October 7th, 2012
7:22 pm
@ Hillbilly… I saw Jim Cornette in Memphis at function last month…
JSS
October 7th, 2012
7:27 pm
Ijonathan… My response is in the filter… If Schultz releases it, so be it… if not, not losing sleep over it…
beefydolt
October 7th, 2012
7:29 pm
Ryan has to be the winner of the dummy trophy for taking sacks..this after 5 years in the league!?
Does a ‘^^&^&^&” game always follow the accolades? How in hell we won the game is beyond me..I mean a pick 6, a fumble, blown coverage, no running game, no pass rush to speak of, no clue about the running game..BUT a W in the win column is all the counts..Two game in a row where the birds won by the skin of their teeth!! Go Birds!
JSS
October 7th, 2012
7:29 pm
That guy at 7:07 sure gets wound up!
atlfalconsfan0125
October 7th, 2012
7:33 pm
RG3 was ineffective for the most part. He only managed 2 drives that would have potentially resulted in points. They both were field goals, one missed. Their TD’s came from a Matt Ryan gift and a blown coverage pass by Cousins. By the way things were going, I dont think RG3 would have scored on that drive that Cousins did. But we will never know.
atlfalconsfan0125
October 7th, 2012
7:35 pm
@ JSS, if you keep responding to him, he will keep getting wound up.
JSS
October 7th, 2012
7:38 pm
@ 7:35P
I know, ain’t it grand? He’s like the Tasmanian Devil without the credentials or the SAG card
DeCoud
October 7th, 2012
7:40 pm
JSS is a clown.
Cohutta Dawgman
October 7th, 2012
7:41 pm
The Falcons are becoming the bright spot of this season. Dirty Birds!!!!!!!!
atlfalconsfan0125
October 7th, 2012
7:43 pm
@JSS,
as you probably know, this Falcons team is far from perfect and could easily be 3-2 or 2-3. What do you think they need to change to see some post season success? Do you think its even possible for this squad to win in the playoffs? The most glaring problem that I see with this team is the Run D.
Jeff Schultz
October 7th, 2012
7:44 pm
Folks,
The game column is posted.
Here is the link: http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2012/10/07/falcons-are-easy-highlight-in-atlantas-dark-sports-weekend/
Please be so kind as to shift commenting over yonder as I’m closing it here.
Thanks
J
Matty Bicep
October 7th, 2012
7:47 pm
JSS just has sour grapes about the entire Vick saga and feels that the Falcons would have been better off had they waited for vick to get out of prison. lol.
But every year, it just becomes more and more apparent that MR2 was the correct choice. And that is why, when it is obviously apparent that we made the right decision in letting Vick go, he pull up this Flacco comparison, but today we saw Flacco put up 9 against the vaunted Chiefs, lol.