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
1990_Champs_GT
December 9th, 2012
9:57 pm
When they take Cam’s Heisman away, will they take today’s victory away too?
I bet he gets to keep it like his dad kept the money he got for selling him to Auburn boosters.
old man
December 9th, 2012
9:57 pm
5150 UOAD:
This is a football blog. You know how to read, don’t you?
DawgNole
December 9th, 2012
9:58 pm
5150 UOAD
December 9th, 2012
9:42 pm
Maybe the TEAMS lose is because they(players) get tired of trying to please fans like some of you posting.
I’ll take Atlanta money for a few years then I’ll go somewhere where the FANS are better and care about the players.
Support the Players and the players will give back.
_______________________
You have it backwards there, Techster. The players are paid handsomely to perform regardless of what the fans on a blog think. It’s their JOB to perform, and the ATL players across ALL pro sports have failed to perform when it counts (postseason) for nearly half a century. That’s disgraceful–and has nothing to do with whether or not the fans “care” about them.
hit a single
December 9th, 2012
9:58 pm
This may be what the Falcons needed. They have gotten behind before and were able to come back. Now they better realize that you better play for 4 quarters. I know that is a cliche but I believe they will learn from this. It is a long season and sometimes you need a wake up call. Maybe this will piss them off and they will respond. People calling for Smith to be replaced are just plain out stupid.
SMITTYSTHEMAN
December 9th, 2012
9:58 pm
For you morons that keep chirping about Ryan throwing for 340 yards, how many yards did he have in the first half? 40, 50? He made up the rest in the second half when the Panthers defense starting playing more prevent with the big lead they had. He is not, I repeat, he is NOT a super bowl quarterback!!!!!
old man
December 9th, 2012
9:59 pm
Ron, our defense, I thought, actually did OK. But no defense can play non-stop for an entire half without getting gassed.
TCCB
December 9th, 2012
9:59 pm
Camy Cam juice please. Damn Cam is the first player in NFL history to do all of the things that he did to the Falcons. Check out what the NFL network has to say about Cam Newton and his game today. Go Cam!!!!!
JSS
December 9th, 2012
10:00 pm
POAD…
That is myth talk, Delta has the worst on-time departure record in the industry… Better luck hitchhiking
The Truth
December 9th, 2012
10:00 pm
5150,
Don’t need to outlaw cars, just guns.
Falcons have been lucky. Luck has now run out.
Falcons65
December 9th, 2012
10:00 pm
Cool that the Falcons squeezed in a football scrimmage during their vacation. What a coincidence that they all happened to be up in Charlotte today. Wait, was this a scheduled football game?
Dick M
December 9th, 2012
10:02 pm
What an embarrassment…..How can ANY of these imposters look themselves in the mirror and not be ashamed of the most dismal performance this season?? They were treated like punks by a team with a losing record who are not going to the playoffs. What does this say about the character or lack of by these incompetents. I am sick to my stomach.
Thomas Brown
December 9th, 2012
10:02 pm
Country Brown. I guess he wasn’t Ray Withrow then. Or Cleon Jones. Cleon Jones a left-hander swung at balls behind his back at Fulton County Stadium, but that was the Braves.
Country Brown played his last Atlanta Crackers game before I was born. Sorry.
Any other Atlanta Crackers’ players you could have named, and I would have instantly remembered watching them play here and
WIN.
hit a single
December 9th, 2012
10:03 pm
It is those ugly uniforms. Go with the red helmets, black jerseys and white pants. The ones we beat the Saints in and stay with them.
SMITTYSTHEMAN
December 9th, 2012
10:04 pm
The defense kept us in the game as long as they could. It was the pathetic offense (ZERO points at the half — REALLY??) that could’ve given the defense a breather every now and then by staying on the field!! The offense and the pathetic play calling was the culprit in this game….period!!
old man
December 9th, 2012
10:05 pm
If our O-line had showed up, we would have won this game. Another squeaker, but we would have won it.
Our D would have stayed off the field for a lot more of the game.
The interception play was awful. Our O-line just stood and watched 3 guys rush and flush MR out of the pocket. Matty had about half a second after the ball touched his hands.
Thomas Brown
December 9th, 2012
10:05 pm
5150 UOAD December 9th, 2012 9:42 pm
“Maybe the TEAMS lose is because they(players) get tired of trying to please fans like some of you posting. I’ll take Atlanta money for a few years then I’ll go somewhere where the FANS are better and care about the players. Support the Players and the players will give back.”
_____________________________________________________
That is such crap. Quit making excuses for the performance.
1990_Champs_GT
December 9th, 2012
10:05 pm
There’s two things we know for sure: 1) The Falcons will play a playoff game. 2) If they don’t win, they will have a new head coach.
What we don’t know is if we’ll get both sides of the ball playing well enough to get home field advantage. Today did not bode well for that…
LOL at the Aints
December 9th, 2012
10:06 pm
Thomas Brown is one busy dude, LOL
DawgNole
December 9th, 2012
10:06 pm
Answer This
December 9th, 2012
9:48 pm
Help me here Dawg is that the same team you stuffed who is going to a BCS bowl?
_____________________
Indeed it is.
ltdbrave
December 9th, 2012
10:06 pm
well, when you do not have a rushing game at all, what do you expect? The Falcons have yet to shw they have a decent ground game. Don’t look for anything in the playoffs either. The only way this team moves into the second round of playoffs is thru a bye in round 1. I know you die hard falon fans do not agree but when you only had 2 first down the entire first half, what kind of championship team is that?
Thomas Brown
December 9th, 2012
10:07 pm
SMITTYSTHEMAN December 9th, 2012 10:04 pm
“The defense kept us in the game as long as they could”
_____________________________________________
Crudola the defense kept us in the game as long as they could. They let Cam Newton drive down the field to our end zone every single drive, only he forgot he was running to get them there and did not run in the Red Zone for some odd reason.
JSS
December 9th, 2012
10:09 pm
“Any other Atlanta Crackers’ players you could have named, and I would have instantly remembered watching them play here and WIN.”
Eddie Mathews
Thomas Brown
December 9th, 2012
10:10 pm
Florida is playing in a BCS Bowl playing a worse football team Louisville than Nebraska. Louisville is # 21 and Nebraska # 16 in the BCS Poll – if you want to talk about BCS. There is NOTHING about playing in a BCS Bowl except for the $ 18 million dollars each team earns for their conference, except for Notre Dame who has special arrangements with the BCS.
DawgNole
December 9th, 2012
10:12 pm
Give him hell, Thomas. I have to retire for the night.
Thomas Brown
December 9th, 2012
10:12 pm
He’s one. But we had so many great players to go watch on the Crackers. Unlike the Braves recently under this ownership. And, unlike the Falcons and unlike the Hawks.
SMITTYSTHEMAN
December 9th, 2012
10:12 pm
TB — If you will remember (if you can), while the D let Cam have his way a lot of the time, they stiffened up and held the Panthers to field goals when they needed to. That’s what gave the pathetic offense a chance to get us back in the game. But the offense was too pathetic to keep us close!
Thomas Brown
December 9th, 2012
10:13 pm
You know like only I can.
TU87
December 9th, 2012
10:13 pm
This was a good loss IMO. Shows the team that they need to refocus. 2 DBs out. The main game is next week against NY. They are a playoff team and it is a home game, which is exactly the scenario the Falcons will face in their first playoff game – playing a playoff team at home. Beating Carolina on the road meant nothing. More important to win next weeks game, especially after the Giants put up 52 today.
Thomas Brown
December 9th, 2012
10:14 pm
The offense went to sleep watching the defense let Cam Newton take the ball down the field against us, only to forget to run the ball himself in the Red Zone or the score is 35 to nothing just after half-time. Total melt down on defense.
Thomas Brown
December 9th, 2012
10:15 pm
Smitty, I think I have proven that I can remember everything from age 4 through today.
CGD..
December 9th, 2012
10:16 pm
JSS
December 9th, 2012
6:59 pm
“And the beat (and spin) goes on…”
Aint that [The Truth]!
Playoffs? Hmmmm
Answer This
December 9th, 2012
10:17 pm
Even the Hobbitt can tell you about Delta…..wow to much! As for you Thomas all those stats still say you dont have a Championship since the 80’s stay out of this young man, not about your team. More about getting this guy Dawg to understand that no matter what he will cheer for his puppies and stand up for them….much like I will for the Birds….now if you want to get in this….
SMITTYSTHEMAN
December 9th, 2012
10:17 pm
The defense woudn’t have had a “total meltdown” if the offense had helped them out and been capable of doing anything in the first half but going three and out. It’s a two-way street.
CGD..
December 9th, 2012
10:19 pm
Vegas rates the 11-2 Falcons as the 7th best Team in the NFL= NOT A CONTENDER BY A LONG SHOT..
Looks like somebody got it right..
Go with Ryan and lose your shirt among other things..
SMITTYSTHEMAN
December 9th, 2012
10:20 pm
Haha CGD — well said.
Answer This
December 9th, 2012
10:20 pm
Thomas dont talk about a teams defense until you look at yours…..please keep quiet….your defense loaded and it STINKS…..300 yards on the ground………STINKS…..your defense also Dawg! STINK!!!!
Rip
December 9th, 2012
10:21 pm
Same interview from Smithy and Ryan next week, we have to put this game behind us very quickly maybe you can because you will pick up your check this week, But this was poor play today on both sides of the ball. Tell me something I did not know. You talk about fixing the problem well I have seen the problem all season and the smoke and mirrors do not work anymore, teams know that you can not run the footbal because your offensive line have skirts on, and you can not pass protect because your Oline can not lift any WTS. to get better but prefer a donut, sorry a dozen creamy fills donuts. All the talk about how good the falcoons are and in the playoffs, enjoy your playoff party but do not invite to many people over, the game will be over quickly
CGD..
December 9th, 2012
10:22 pm
PREDICTION:
Flacco: 6 wins
The other guy: 0-4
SMITTYSTHEMAN
December 9th, 2012
10:23 pm
32 delusional years and counting. And no, I’m not a Tech fan, although they have won a national championship more recently than the Dawgs. Roll Tide! BWAHAHAHAHA
Answer This
December 9th, 2012
10:25 pm
Hahahahaha smitty you going to start a riot! They will chase you all over this blog talking about them untamed puppies!
SMITTYSTHEMAN
December 9th, 2012
10:27 pm
Usually the ones who can spout out all these meaningless statistics are the ones who have never lined up with the pads on. What a joke. Your numbers mean nothing except your team can’t win the big one and haven’t for 32 years running!
SMITTYSTHEMAN
December 9th, 2012
10:34 pm
Answer This — HAHA let them. They have nothing to say till they win the big one. This was their best opportunity in 32 years and they still couldn’t do it. It will now be probably another 32 before they have that good of a chance. All that talent going to the NFL and can’t cash in — BWAHAHAHA!!
GwinnettDad
December 9th, 2012
10:34 pm
Looks exactly like the first playoff game that’s upcoming in January, when the Falcons will go 0-4 in first round playoff games with Ryan as QB. Wish it was different, but get used to it.
Hillbilly D
December 9th, 2012
10:34 pm
Ralph “Country” Brown was actually before my time but he was my aunt’s favorite player, so I’ve always remembered his name.
Answer This
December 9th, 2012
10:37 pm
Hahahahahahaha! All that talent and that still use the bathroom in the crate! Untamed puppies!
air of mendacity
December 9th, 2012
10:37 pm
I hope everyone is wrong about Matt – I say it is not his fault – if you give him time, he looks great. If the ground game worked at all then we would have won the game. Don’t know how it is fixed, but it needs to be before the playoffs.
SMITTYSTHEMAN
December 9th, 2012
10:38 pm
I’m about to turn in, with a smile on my face. Good luck Falcons against Eli. Good night all!
Brutal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 9th, 2012
10:40 pm
Toooooooooooooooooooo softtttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!
Answer This
December 9th, 2012
10:40 pm
Heres a question for you smittystheman….
What college team will put more draft picks in the pros this year and did not make a BCS bowl?
One guess!
CGD..
December 9th, 2012
10:41 pm
Too bad Ryan’s game does not translate to playoff wins…
Playoffs?