Falcons give performance to leave us wondering again
DeAngelo Williams' 53-yard touchdown off a screen pass buried the Falcons late. (AP photo)
CHARLOTTE – It started with the Carolina Panthers winning the coin flip for the first time this season. It ended with the Falcons being trash-talked off the field by a last-place team. Somewhere in between, we witnessed Atlanta’s worst four quarters of football of the season.
And the Falcons’ deserved it all – the loss, the mocking, the questions about what this means moving forward.
“I can hear everybody right now,” tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “They’re getting off the bandwagon. I can hear them jumping off. Looking at our history, people are going to go, ‘See, I told you.’”
OK. It’s a little premature for I-told-you-sos. The Falcons haven’t lost a playoff game yet. But it has to be concerning when an 11-1 team falls behind 23-0 to a 3-9 team, and at one point finds itself being outgained 356-66. It’s concerning any time a defensive front is so thoroughly shredded the way the Falcons’ front was Sunday, and the offense can’t run the ball (again), and all hopes of opening the regular season’s final month with an impressive win are emphatically squashed.
Cam Newton account for 403 yards and three touchdowns passing and rushing. (AP photo)
The Falcons lost 30-20 to Carolina. They managed to make Cam Newton feel like he was back at Auburn again.
If Newton could combine for 403 yards and three touchdowns with his arm and legs in victories every week, media members wouldn’t be hiding behind potted palms and waiting for anonymous quotes that rip him for being petty, immature and ego-maniacal (just paraphrasing the attack pieces).
The fact the Falcons lost a game in itself isn’t devastating. They’re 11-2. They’ve already clinched the NFC South Division and remain in a strong position to clinch home field through the NFC playoffs.
But Gonzalez is correct: This was like feeding steroids to a doubting public.
Next week’s game against the New York Giants will tell us something. The Falcons find themselves having to rebound, physically and emotionally, against the team that drop-kicked them out of the playoffs last year.
“We all knew we were flat,” linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said. “It seemed like every time there was a play to be made, we were almost there. You can’t be almost in this league.
“We get a chance to go after some guys who controlled our destiny last year.”
Yes. Best to turn the page as quickly as possible. Embrace the possibility of amnesia.
The Falcons made the Panthers look like a playoff team. Carolina scored on its first five possessions (two touchdowns, three field goals), and only one of those ended in a big play (Newton’s 72-yard touchdown run, finished off with a flip). Mostly, the Panthers punched the Falcons in the mouth.
It figured they would milk this a little, and they did. When the Falcons rallied for a 30-28 win back in September in the Georgia Dome – Matt Bryant’s game-winning field goal coming with five seconds remaining – quarterback Matt Ryan was caught on camera screaming toward Carolina’s bench to, “Get the [bleep] off our field!”
So when this one ended, several Carolina players were overheard trash-talking on the field, led by defensive end Greg Hardy, who witnesses say mimicked Ryan’s comment, “Get the [bleep] off our field.” Bryant’s reported response: “Watch us in January.” Introducing, the trash-talking kicker.
Hardy is the same obscurity who earlier said the Panthers were a “better” team than the Falcons, adding: “I’m trying to mess up their whole playoff experience. I want them to go home sick in the stomach, mad about life, a couple depression issues …” (He didn’t make himself available for the media Sunday.)
Down 23-0, the Falcons showed a pulse. Ryan’s four-yard touchdown pass to Julio Jones closed it to 23-13. But a seemingly successful two-point conversion pass to Roddy White was ruled incomplete (questionably), deflating the comeback. DeAngelo Williams’ touchdown on a 53-yard screen pass slammed the door shut.
When asked if he considered this loss a bump in the road, Gonzalez responded: “It better be, if we’re the team we think we are.”
Instead, they’ve left everybody wondering again.
By Jeff Schultz
The last dozen from the digital juke box
– Short takes: Cam Newton and Panthers’ line dominate
– LIVE: Falcons have chance to clinch playoff bye
– Even at 11-1, Falcons know they can’t afford to settle
– ‘Sack Schultz’ Bowl Blowout contest (from Potato to BCS)
– Hawks are surviving nicely without Joe Johnson (gee, go figure)
– OK, Falcons’ critics: Find something wrong with John Abraham
– Brian Gregory may have Tech on way to something good
– Trying to win is only half the problem at Georgia State
– Georgia earns respect in defeat, but loss will be hard to take
– Braves dump a pitcher (Hanson) they once viewed as gold
– Falcons’ offense hits a wall, but as usual it doesn’t matter
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722 comments Add your comment
QB/DB
December 9th, 2012
8:58 pm
Do we have to question our Falcons with every miscue? We are 11-2 enough said!!!! But one thing does concern me and I would be cautious of if I were TD? Last year’s Draft was not a good draft. Too conservative. We passed up some guys who could have given uis a lil thump. TD has to look at the FA wire, make trades to improve the club.
Falcon Flap
December 9th, 2012
8:59 pm
Thomas Brown, I completely understand. There is nothing here for us to latch on to. If our history was half as rich as some cities then maybe we could of built a bigger and more dedicated fan base a long time ago. The braves would be a great example of this. They had a chance to win championship after championship during their run in the 90’s. All you think about now is the choking. Now its the Falcons who are in position and they are doing the exact same thing.
Cam Owns Matty Ice
December 9th, 2012
8:59 pm
2nd year qb shows 5th year qb how to play qb. Cam thought he back with Auburn beating Kentucky.
DawgNole
December 9th, 2012
9:00 pm
JSS
December 9th, 2012
8:40 pm
@ DawgNole…
Well your boy is starting to babble again with one of his “personal rants.” Somethings never change, his team got dragged from post-to-post like one of those old leather strap matches, and all he wants to do is deflect with cliches about any given Sunday… Lucky not to be 0-3 in the last three meetings with Carolina… He needs to understand those “facts.” Good luck with him…
_____________________
Well, he’s somebody’s boy, but I sure as hell ain’t claiming him.
JSS
December 9th, 2012
9:00 pm
Babble, babble, and more babble…
And if you can see, it is not a blizzard! Not even at DQ!
Roswell bob
December 9th, 2012
9:01 pm
Garcia. You are right! Where is Arthur today? At least he wasn’t hot dogging on the sidelines. But selling us a bill of goods. What do you expect from a Home Depot slime?
5150 UOAD
December 9th, 2012
9:01 pm
I think you can say the FALCONS didn’t SHOW the Giants much for next week.
Maybe we ran a lil conservative to start for a reason but then we couldn’t get anything going.
You have to admit that was not looking like our usual play calling either.
DawgNole
December 9th, 2012
9:03 pm
stendek
December 9th, 2012
8:41 pm
I really want to have confidence in Matt Ryan. I do not. Think we can get my guy back from Texans?
______________________
Not a chance. And to think we gave him up for Vick.
season ticket holder
December 9th, 2012
9:03 pm
Flames did have a strong following but attendance was below average for an NHL team. Turner didn’t have anything to with the team; they were owned by Tom Cousins.
NikkiFree
December 9th, 2012
9:03 pm
I’m not jumping off the bandwagon. I love my Falcons. Blessing or curse…IDK. Love my Falcons no matter what.
Loyal falcon
December 9th, 2012
9:03 pm
Some of y’all are a bunch of babies! We are still11-2. WHEN YOU JUMP OFF THE BANDWAGON STAY THE HELL OFF!
DawgNole
December 9th, 2012
9:06 pm
Pete
December 9th, 2012
8:33 pm
This game had “trap” written all over it. I’ll worry if we can’t get it done against the Giants next week.
______________________
Better start worrying.
Falcon Flap
December 9th, 2012
9:06 pm
The Hawks actually have a really good opportunity now to build something special over the next few years with Danny Ferry freeing up the books ,but we shall see if we make the right moves with all that money.
BravesFan79
December 9th, 2012
9:06 pm
Ive seen the Giants look WAY worse than the 1st half of the Falcons game tonight, so all you fools that wanna jump off the Falcons bandwagon and get on the Giants… go ahead, but us true fans still believe and know the potential of this team to be great!
Cedrick
December 9th, 2012
9:06 pm
Hey, Tony G you are right I’m jumping off right now. I should have know these choke babies would show up just before the playoffs. Now we have a MUST win NY Giant looking to steam roll us again like the playoffs last year!!!! This is why SO MANY PEOPLE believed the Falcons are paper champs!!!!!! My goodness that was and embarrasing game!!
Loyal falcon
December 9th, 2012
9:07 pm
TALKING ABOUT WANTING THE COACH FIRED AND ALL. WE WEREN’T WINNING CRAP BEFORE SMITTY AND DIMITROFF! THE PLAYOFF VICTORIES WILL COME AND AS I SAID BEGORE STAY THE HELL OFF THE BANDWAGON!
Answer This
December 9th, 2012
9:07 pm
Lol get a room you two dont forget to spit JSS….lol.
Matty Melted Ice
December 9th, 2012
9:08 pm
Prediction : Giants 44 Falcons 17
Eli 26-28 375 4 tds, Cruz 10 175 3 tds,Tuck 2 sacks,Usi 1 sack,Pierre-Paul 1 sack.
Answer This
December 9th, 2012
9:09 pm
Who claims you Dawg? Nick Saban……kaboom! Lol you are owned got to the Puppy blog and tell us why and how your team cant hold down a lead….at least u have a team….now this other guy……whos his team again? Lol.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 9th, 2012
9:11 pm
2004 was a longgggggg time ago and so hard to duplicate
Matty Melted Ice
December 9th, 2012
9:12 pm
I’m a Texans fan from Lubbock but I live in Peachtree City now. To correct a previous blogger, we have won a playoff game.
DawgNole
December 9th, 2012
9:14 pm
5150 UOAD
December 9th, 2012
8:52 pm
Sorry but Flap & Nole the Flames had a GREAT following and were a blast to watch. Turner couldn’t sell them on TV in the south back then. The OMNI was packed for the FLAMES but you couldn’t sell Tuborg beer in the south.
____________________
Never said they weren’t. However, they–like ALL other ATL pro teams (except ‘95 Braves)–NEVER won a championship, thus contributing to the “numbness” Flap referenced. And to the city’s “Losersville” label.
Hillbilly D
December 9th, 2012
9:15 pm
I can’t live without a football team.
Sure you can.
SMITTYSTHEMAN
December 9th, 2012
9:16 pm
The worst 11-2 team in the history of the NFL. It also drives me nuts to see a first and goal at the one and call three straight passing plays. If you can’t make ONE friggin’ yard on a running play with Michael Turner in the backfield, you don’t deserve to win. Unbelievable. One and done in the playoffs again!
Honest
December 9th, 2012
9:16 pm
Today was proof, you can’t count n’s, no honor. They sure roze up for Smith, a players coach. Players didn’t give a manure.
Pete
December 9th, 2012
9:16 pm
Is anyone REALLY surprised ??
It’s December………it’s Atlanta……………it’s the Falcons.
You can change the names of players, of coaches, rebuild the entire front office.
None of that matters.
Some things never ever change………….like Atlanta leading the pack in disapponiting it’s fans. Any sport, any team.
It’s Atlanta.
It’s in their DNA.
real falcon fan
December 9th, 2012
9:18 pm
band wagon jumpers. Please bite me. This a bump in the road that will hopefully be fixed by next week. Have faith for once, GEEEEEZ!!!!!!!
5150 UOAD
December 9th, 2012
9:18 pm
@season ticket holder………………..TURNER had them on TV. Turner couldn’t sell ads much during hockey games to products southerns wanted. Tuborg Beer was a HUGE sponsor but that wasn’t working on TV in the south. If people didn’t come to the game you had to have people watch on TV and Turner couldn’t get enough people to watch………….Yes Turner had a stake in the FLAMES being successful because they were making him money or losing him money.
DawgNole
December 9th, 2012
9:18 pm
5150 UOAD
December 9th, 2012
9:01 pm
I think you can say the FALCONS didn’t SHOW the Giants much for next week.
_________________
Whoa, I actually agree with you on that one. Now there’s a rarity.
Artie
December 9th, 2012
9:19 pm
As usual, the Falcons will tank in the playoffs.
DawgNole
December 9th, 2012
9:21 pm
BravesFan79
December 9th, 2012
9:06 pm
Ive seen the Giants look WAY worse than the 1st half of the Falcons game tonight, so all you fools that wanna jump off the Falcons bandwagon and get on the Giants… go ahead, but us true fans still believe and know the potential of this team to be great!
___________________
“. . . . potential of this team to be great!”
Potential? You know, after 46 years, “potential” just doesn’t cut it anymore.
big gator
December 9th, 2012
9:21 pm
These are Georgia teams, UGA was the first Pretender, Falcons are next, but these guys want a new stadium, ha, ha, come on, Patriots, Giants have super bowl rings, you dont hear them talking about a new stadium?
Champions dont play like this, Panthers are terrible and there record proves it, look at the whipping the giants put on the Saints, it just a matter of what round the falcons are going out.
G-dub
December 9th, 2012
9:21 pm
Bobby Cox won a world series and would have won two if Lonnie Smith could run bases
G-dub
December 9th, 2012
9:24 pm
Sad to see the Falcons play a bad game and lose to an inferior team and everyone wants to blow up the team. It’s not like they have won 5 or 6 super bowls. The expectations are not that high
Johnny Vaught
December 9th, 2012
9:24 pm
Hardy is same obscurity who earlier said the Panthers were a “better” team than the Falcons,
Why don’t you try writing complete sentences nimrod!
tmc
December 9th, 2012
9:26 pm
amnesia is fine unless you don’t fully forget it… because you will be doomed to repeat it unless you make sure prepare not to.
This team is not getting better as the year goes on.
quite the opposite.
Jamal
December 9th, 2012
9:27 pm
NO running attack and a SOFT defense equals disaster!
DawgNole
December 9th, 2012
9:28 pm
Answer This
December 9th, 2012
9:09 pm
Who claims you Dawg? Nick Saban……kaboom! Lol you are owned got to the Puppy blog and tell us why and how your team cant hold down a lead….at least u have a team….now this other guy……whos his team again? Lol.
_____________________
Kaboom is right. And it’s still stinging. But at least it was against a top-notch team–and was a whole lot more competetive than today’s shameful display.
Answer This
December 9th, 2012
9:29 pm
@big gator
tell us again who the first pretender was?
LOL at the Aints
December 9th, 2012
9:29 pm
Facons lose and it the JSS Show!! LOL
DawgNole
December 9th, 2012
9:30 pm
Pete
December 9th, 2012
9:16 pm
Some things never ever change………….like Atlanta leading the pack in disapponiting it’s fans. Any sport, any team.
It’s Atlanta.
It’s in their DNA.
___________________
That’s the painful truth.
Scam Newton
December 9th, 2012
9:31 pm
If I can kick the *** out of the Falcons, imagine what Eli will do to them next week. Ryan will choke worse than Linda Lovelace.
SMITTYSTHEMAN
December 9th, 2012
9:31 pm
Michael Turner is way past his prime and while I love Jaquiz for his heart and drive, he’s definitely not the answer. If the Falcons don’t seriously consider a premier running back in the next draft, I will no longer pay a dime of my hard-earned money to come to another game. To utilize all the weapons in their pass receiving arsenal, they HAVE to have an effective running game to complement it. And while most people love Matt Ryan (and I too think he is a “good, not great” quarterback), he does not have what it takes to take this team to the Super Bowl.
JSS
December 9th, 2012
9:31 pm
And babble boy goes to his homophobe handbook… What happened, JimDeMint didn’t send you his quitters handbook?
Answer This
December 9th, 2012
9:31 pm
Sorry Dawg that was the championship game….lol and u blew it like u always do! This was a regular season game! Lol! Your puppies blow.and you know it! All that talent….the lead….and u still blew it! Lol your team blows chunks……
Answer This
December 9th, 2012
9:33 pm
Dude please keep your closet thoughts to yourself….no one cares what you do on your off time.JSS….dont bring it on the blog Hobbitt boy!
Thomas Brown
December 9th, 2012
9:33 pm
I am tired of reading about ice hockey teams Canada stole from us, twice – once to Winnipeg and once to Calgary. The Winnipeg group when it was here, made the play-offs once. The Calgary group, won no Stanley Cup, Conference Championship or even Division Championship. We went to the games with the Flames. It was exciting. I learned the game. The Thrashers I was never buying into after what they did to us with the Flames. Those Flames games, as was told to you by others, were full stadiums. Had they done anything, the Atlanta Sports’ fans would’ve supported them.
I am not into supporting losers.
The Braves, Falcons, Hawks, (Chiefs, Flames, and Thrashers) have given us a grand total of 1 World Series.
I used to go to every Crackers’ game. We never missed those games, either. We won every year. Ponce de Leon ballpark was a load of fun watching a great team do the impossible every night. Our players were great and our coaching was superb. I later went on to lettering in 4-sports myself in a 3-sports’ year.
Numb, as described by Falcons Flap, is correct.
Falcons Flap
Don’t get me wrong, watching Sid Bream slide home was fantastic, if improbable. That was 1992. This is 2012. The Braves have done nothing with all the promise of 1992. All those pennants at Fulton County Stadium where the Crackers played talking about the Braves, and they won once with all the promise of Sid Bream’s slide home in 1992. The Crackers played at Fulton County Stadium in 1965.
In 1966, the Braves and the Falcons started playing there. We never missed a game. The Braves always had somebody you could watch play, but never had a full team. The Falcons have been abysmal from the outset.
I ate lunch there at Fulton County Stadium every Friday at the West End Rotary Club with Rankin Smith. We had seasons’ tickets to the Falcons at Fulton County Stadium every year.
The Braves played there at Fulton County Stadium after the Crackers. The Falcons played on the baseball field sideways with cardboard seats added close to the field. When we bought the Hawks from St. Louis, I had already been listening to them on KMOX AM dial. They won the Division behind Lenny Wilkins, Zelmo Beaty, Joe Caldwell, Bill Bridges, and Paul Silas, and then we bought the Hawks right then in 1968. The Hawks on KMOX AM dial had won the NBA Championship in St. Louis. I know. I listened to every game. It was exciting, and I never even lived in St Louis and only went there once in driving through. We didn’t have anything in basketball those days except for Whack Hyder and Oglethorpe. We went to all those games, too.
The Braves have been nothing but a disappointment and recently, unlike when we opened Fulton County Stadium, our owners have not given a single top player to go watch.
The Hawks have never done anything either.
Then, there is this Falcons’ franchise and honestly, like Ted Turner, I like Arthur Blank. I sat beside Ted Turner at the Omni for the NCAA Final 4 in 1977 the Last Harrah. Arthur Blank needs to go get him a running back and get rid of the aging do nothing defense full of nothing but question marks. With Mike Smith’s background, Arthur Blank deserves better on defense than he showed today.
Ted Turner did all he could; then he sold us out too to move to Montana and raise dental floss.
This is a world-class city of 6 million, Olympic City, all the Major Sports, great transportation, wonderful weather, tremendous athletes on every street and we cannot win a damn thing.
old man
December 9th, 2012
9:33 pm
Bench Michael Turner.
LOL at the Aints
December 9th, 2012
9:33 pm
MCR! Where ya been buddy,,Man the Rats are comming out of the woodwork, LOL
old man
December 9th, 2012
9:33 pm
Release Michael Turner.