LIVE: Falcons seek home field and, yes, respect
The last time Matt Ryan saw Eli Manning, he was congratulating him for a playoff win. (Getty Images)
Let’s start with this: I’m thoroughly convinced that even if the Falcons go out today and beat the New York Giants by two touchdowns, there is still going to be a segment of the fan base — a large segment — that says, “Just wait until the playoffs.”
And that’s fine. Because as we’ve discussed ad nauseam this season, the Falcons will be judged by how they do in the postseason, not the regular season, which again is going well (11-2). But a strong performance against the Giants would at least ease some of the concerns moving forward.
The Falcons, coming off their worst game of the season at Carolina (30-20 loss), lost to New York 24-2 in the last year’s playoffs. The Giants had a record of only 7-7 with two games left in the season but won their last two over the Jets and Dallas to win the NFC East and then beat four teams with better records than them — the Falcons (10-6), Green Bay (15-1), San Francisco (13-3) and New England (13-3) to win their second Super Bowl in five years.
If the Falcons’ offense scores anything today, it would put them ahead of the playoff loss, when the team’s only points came on a safety. They need to figure out a way to have some success against New York’s front four because there’s a reasonable chance these two teams will meet again in a few weeks.
A few important items before I open the cyber-venting lines:
• The Falcons will be without safety William Moore (hamstring). Wide receiver Roddy White (knee) did not practice all week but will start. Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineux (ribs) and wide receiver Harry Douglas (ribs), who were limited in practice, are active. Cornerback Asante Samuel (shoulder), out most of the last two weeks, will start.
• The Giants are missing three regulars — running back Ahmad Bradshaw (knee), cornerback Prince Amukamara (hamstring) and safety Kenny Phillips (knee).
• The scenarios for the Falcons clinching a bye and home field in the playoffs are similar to a week ago. They can clinch a bye with: a win and a Green Bay loss or tie; a win and a San Francisco loss; or a tie and a Green Bay loss. They can clinch the No. 1 seed with a win and a Green Bay loss or tie and a San Francisco loss. (Green Bay plays at Chicago and San Francisco plays at New England.)
Need something to read from during the week:
– Here’s my column on judgement time for the Falcons and Mike Smith.
– Here’s Darryl Ledbetter’s piece on Asante Samuel’s history against Eli Manning.
– Here’s Michael Cunningham’s story on whether the Falcons felt too satisfied before their loss to Carolina.
– Here’s Ledbetter again on the “voices” in Sean Weatherspoon’s head.
OK, that’s it for now. The floor is yours.
Let’s hear your thoughts on the game.
By Jeff Schultz
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1,026 comments Add your comment
Basstringerfish
December 16th, 2012
3:09 pm
Did Julio get kicked?
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 16th, 2012
3:09 pm
Uh oh Julio the fragile warrior is hurt again…poor guy. Meanwhile A.J. Green is a stud
Falcants pick the wrong guy again 
Jay Dubu
December 16th, 2012
3:09 pm
Almost had it!!! Not a bad play.
phil
December 16th, 2012
3:09 pm
A field goal?
Sad.
Why do we have a sissy for a coach?
And Julio is as fragile as any baseball player. What a sissy boy himself.
Mora less Petrino
December 16th, 2012
3:10 pm
We need Barrett Jones and a big back in the upcoming draft. Short yardage had been ridiculous the last two seasons!
Jay Dubu
December 16th, 2012
3:10 pm
Birds can’t afford to get Jones hrt.
tmc
December 16th, 2012
3:10 pm
that 3rd down play call would have been great if Quiz was the running back.
Turner is not a toss-sweep cutback guy!
C’mon Coetter.
Basstringerfish
December 16th, 2012
3:10 pm
Bob Dawg! Right with you…getting tougher to put the damn garland around the door though…
Roger
December 16th, 2012
3:10 pm
Is Julio hurt again?
Georgia
December 16th, 2012
3:11 pm
There is no way falcons can lose now. Just behold a sheer beauty of a team. It’s time for the falcons to show off.
Michael M.
December 16th, 2012
3:11 pm
Giants better get busy or they going home with a Goose Egg for their score today………………..
Jason
December 16th, 2012
3:11 pm
Before the game, “CHOKE” said we’d get beatdown. We are the ones doing the beatdown but he’s still here….making himself look dumber, and dumber.
BobDawg
December 16th, 2012
3:11 pm
Redskins now lead the Browns by 10…. UHOH G-Men!!!!
JSS
December 16th, 2012
3:11 pm
Nah, he twisted his back when tried to throw that crack back block…
Michael M.
December 16th, 2012
3:11 pm
he is a dork…………………wake up Choke !…………………………
NFC South Champs
December 16th, 2012
3:12 pm
27 zip that
Sid
December 16th, 2012
3:12 pm
hang on here and just beat the Bucs who have tanked it then home field throughout.
Mora less Petrino
December 16th, 2012
3:12 pm
We need Barrett Jones and a big back in the upcoming draft. The short yardage situation has been ridiculous this season and last!
Mike Smith for Governor
December 16th, 2012
3:12 pm
Down by 27 and they run the ball. That tells you that the Giants have given up. RISE UP and “choke” should be choking on his crow.
Jason
December 16th, 2012
3:13 pm
Go back to page 1 and look what I said before the game started…I said the Falcons would win big. Am I not right?
Oventbrel
December 16th, 2012
3:13 pm
Some of the haters are getting really mad on this board. I had no idea that being up on the Giants 27-0 in the 4th was an insignificant accomplishment.
Jeff Schultz
December 16th, 2012
3:13 pm
Through 3 quarters and it’s all Falcons 27-0 over Giants. Matt Ryan: 16-21, 201, 2 TDs, 0 ints. Eli Manning: 11-22, 143, 0 TDs, 2 ints.
dean
December 16th, 2012
3:13 pm
Choke: “It’s just a flesh wound!”
SCFalcon
December 16th, 2012
3:13 pm
Time to run it down their throat. Need another long drive in the fourth quarter.
DawgNole
December 16th, 2012
3:13 pm
phil
December 16th, 2012
3:01 pm
It isn’t January….
Meaningless butt whuppin. Lol
______________________
Not meaningless when it takes you a step closer to homefield advantage in the postseason. Not meaningless when you take down a team that’s beaten you 7 straight times in your house.
BobDawg
December 16th, 2012
3:14 pm
No Catch!!!
falconsrus
December 16th, 2012
3:14 pm
@ old bird there is no ignoring Choke he is like a risen on the butt of humanity
Good Grief!
December 16th, 2012
3:15 pm
I hate to Nit pick, but why the hell can’t this team stick it in the end zone from the 1 friggin yard line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Georgia
December 16th, 2012
3:15 pm
Just go home, New York.
Drew
December 16th, 2012
3:15 pm
This big score is not even a headline grabber on ESPN or SI. They’re showing Colts/Texans and GB/Bears.
12-2 and nobody cares.
Do NFL fans think Carolina is better than the Falcons? No, not really. They think Cam is better than the Falcons but not Carolina. Yet Carolina blew the Falcons out last week.
So the Falcons blow the Giants out and who do NFL fans think is better? Giants, for the same reason the Panthers are not considered better than the Falcons.
Hillbilly D
December 16th, 2012
3:15 pm
And Julio is as fragile as any baseball player.
Well, I’d take Andre Dawson or Carlton Fisk “fragile” any day, just to name a couple.
Ol'JacketFan
December 16th, 2012
3:15 pm
Effing Nashville Fox channel just cut to the Packers/Bears game! And, as it was the Fox game here Direct has it blacked out! What a load of manure!
Section 212
December 16th, 2012
3:15 pm
no catch. Did you all see Asante run across the field to tell Smitty the challenge that catch?
NFC South Champs
December 16th, 2012
3:15 pm
pure domination
falconsrus
December 16th, 2012
3:15 pm
@ Dean nice Python ref.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 16th, 2012
3:15 pm
Giants 1 Falcants 1 – guess which one matters?…..ha ha
BobDawg
December 16th, 2012
3:15 pm
Nice Challege!
Mike Smith for Governor
December 16th, 2012
3:15 pm
GREAT challenge! Hate the play by play guys. You’d think the Giants were ahead listening to them call the game.
DawgNole
December 16th, 2012
3:16 pm
Michael M.
December 16th, 2012
3:04 pm
Giants destroyed the Caints last week and we destroying the Giants this week……………….hehehe
_____________________
Selective memory. They stunk it up against the Panthers last week–after the N.O. game.
houze
December 16th, 2012
3:16 pm
@ ALL you Falcon’s haters…What a great game!!! Sorry to dissapoint you ALL. We just kicked some serious @##. Who wants to play us now? Go home and get some advice from your mom about what to say next!!!
Mora less Petrino
December 16th, 2012
3:16 pm
The Birds need to draft Barrett Jones and a big back. The short yardage situation has been ridiculous this season and last!
Basstringerfish
December 16th, 2012
3:16 pm
Hey Phil, I bet we can arrange for you to meet Julio and you can say that to his face instead of being a coward behind a keyboard!
Oh, and I wonder if you’d tell Brian McCann he’s a sissy boy… Dan Uggla????
Just guessing the answer to be be no…
jo
December 16th, 2012
3:16 pm
Loving the D
Eli "CHOKE" Manning
December 16th, 2012
3:16 pm
Can’t we at least get 2?
Section 212
December 16th, 2012
3:17 pm
Spoon tried to knock Cruz’s head off!
DP
December 16th, 2012
3:17 pm
The Falcons hating troll is so distraught he’s posting under both “Choke” and “phil” to make it look like somebody agrees with him.
Mike Smith for Governor
December 16th, 2012
3:17 pm
Tom C finally realized that going for it on 4th down is a bad idea….
BobDawg
December 16th, 2012
3:18 pm
I don’t think the G-Men are “feeling” the playoffs this year… I think they have their Tee-Times ready for the end of the season…
DawgNole
December 16th, 2012
3:18 pm
Our kingdom for a punt returner.
tmc
December 16th, 2012
3:18 pm
That’s a fumble… who recovered the ball?