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
dean
December 16th, 2012
2:23 pm
I missed the beginning. Who gets ball after half?
DawgNole
December 16th, 2012
2:24 pm
phil
December 16th, 2012
2:00 pm
Fire someone!!
_____________________
Always your best line. What took you so long?
Atlfalconsfan0125
December 16th, 2012
2:24 pm
You have to step on their throats. A score here and a score after the half would have put them away. Killer instinct. That will be our down fall.
GA Dome
December 16th, 2012
2:24 pm
We get the ball after half time, we can make a statement like GA did against Bama by taking the kick off and scoring a td.
Falcon James
December 16th, 2012
2:24 pm
The Falcon are looking pretty legit right now.
Michael M.
December 16th, 2012
2:25 pm
better to sit on it down that close to the goal line …………..you never want to give the Giants an easy chance to score……..
georgianabulltiger
December 16th, 2012
2:25 pm
Falcons.
Eric C.
December 16th, 2012
2:27 pm
Haha, sounds like a role reversal…now the giants are the team getting stuffed on 4th and short situations!
Atlfalconsfan0125
December 16th, 2012
2:27 pm
That end of the half was LOSER MENTALITY. Im so mad
falconsrus
December 16th, 2012
2:27 pm
D###
Eric C.
December 16th, 2012
2:28 pm
Just wish the Falcons offense would stop shutting down when getting a good lead…this is similar to the last Saints game
NFC South Champs
December 16th, 2012
2:28 pm
momentum
dean
December 16th, 2012
2:28 pm
Hey Choke…u keeping tabs on Flacco? Uh, NOT SO GOOD today!
Jeff Schultz
December 16th, 2012
2:29 pm
Falcons with 17 points despite having only 134 yards in offense (80 on one TD drive, 54 on the other 5+ possessions). Giants with 198 but 2 interceptions and a missed FG.
DawgNole
December 16th, 2012
2:29 pm
Pigskin
December 16th, 2012
2:04 pm
Who’s winning? I can’t tell from the blog.
_____________________
Maybe if you watched the game, you’d know.
JSS
December 16th, 2012
2:29 pm
Atlanta gets the ball
Atlfalconsfan0125
December 16th, 2012
2:29 pm
You think the SB winning Bill Belichick would have taken the knee? Hell no. 1 minute and 2 timeouts. We all know Matt Ryan can drive us for the FG with 40 seconds and no timeouts. Why not go for it?
Falcon James
December 16th, 2012
2:30 pm
There was no reason to get agressive at the end of the half. We are getting the ball back and we sent the Giant in the locker room with they head hanging.
nobody
December 16th, 2012
2:30 pm
What is up with Roddy and Julio? It feels like Ryan never throws to them for the past few games.
NoShamSam
December 16th, 2012
2:30 pm
If we win does that mean that the Giants played badly or that we played well??????
Jason
December 16th, 2012
2:30 pm
Jeff you are too infatuated with yards. Yards don’t matter at all. Wins aren’t based on yardage…
and had the Falcons thrown the ball down the field, but it been intercepted and returned for a TD, you guys would be saying how stupid it was. It was a good call to kneel.
5150 UOAD
December 16th, 2012
2:30 pm
Please understand “CHOKE” will be eating Cheese Dip made with Salsa, QB Jockstraps and wine so he can’t post for the halftime.
jo
December 16th, 2012
2:31 pm
Falcons offense needs to get it going because you know at some point Ny is going yo start svoring.
JSS
December 16th, 2012
2:31 pm
Dean, you aren’t really watching the Ravens-Broncos…
Pigskin
December 16th, 2012
2:32 pm
DawgNole
lol
Watching bro
Michael M.
December 16th, 2012
2:32 pm
17 – 0 and shutting down that Giants offense and they going for it on 4th downs looks like a Falcons killer instinct to me………………………………………
NFC South Champs
December 16th, 2012
2:32 pm
Rise-UP number 12
jo
December 16th, 2012
2:33 pm
Noshamsam, even if falcons win convincingly the national media will say NY played poorly.
Jeff Schultz
December 16th, 2012
2:33 pm
Jason — Yardage can be misleading, just like time of possession. That stat was merely to illustrate it’s not like the offense is functioning at high level despite 17-0 level.
5150 UOAD
December 16th, 2012
2:33 pm
JSS………….Falcons seem to have the BALLS…….today. LOL
dean
December 16th, 2012
2:33 pm
JSS, Nah. I just saw the highlights. Flacco threw a 98yd pick six. Ravens down 17-0 to Denver.
JSS
December 16th, 2012
2:33 pm
That pick 6 was horrible, but the Broncos are pounding that D
Jeff Schultz
December 16th, 2012
2:33 pm
Jason — Or to put it another way, I’m not “infatuated.”
Falcon James
December 16th, 2012
2:33 pm
Too legit to quit
Pigskin
December 16th, 2012
2:34 pm
@ jo
Of course.
tmc
December 16th, 2012
2:34 pm
The difference in this team in the first 7-8 games vs. this team for the last few games… is simple.
THE OFFENSIVE PLAY CALLING!
Dirk Cutter is supposed to be a great offensive mind?
dink & dunk, dink and dunk, short yardage woes..
We’re up 14-0 on a 3rd and 1 (again). Coming out of a timeout, we run a naked-backfield toss sweep to a 150 lb wide receiver who never runs the ball?
C’mon man. I guarantee you the NYG defense was laughing at that.
You got to ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK when you are leading.
2nd & 1, go to the endzone. Not Turner up the middle, again!
OMG, it’s so frustrating.
DawgNole
December 16th, 2012
2:34 pm
Georgia
December 16th, 2012
2:17 pm
I’m watching eight games at once with direct tv.
_________________
Red Zone Channel’s better. I watch it during commercials (i.e., constantly) on the Falcon telecasts.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 16th, 2012
2:35 pm
Can the Falcants count on picks by Manning in the playoffs? Good luck with that. It’s still the same old CHOKE with 7 points without the benefit of the opponents turnovers
houze
December 16th, 2012
2:35 pm
alright…keep the pedal on the metal…
goFalcons
December 16th, 2012
2:35 pm
Here we GO
jo
December 16th, 2012
2:35 pm
Announcer just said basically Ny put themselves in a bad situation lololol. Not that the falcons played well.
dean
December 16th, 2012
2:35 pm
Moose says it’s all because of Giants mistakes.
DawgNole
December 16th, 2012
2:37 pm
Jimmy Crack
December 16th, 2012
2:20 pm
NOT IN OUR HOUSE!!!
____________________
Well, not eight times in a row in our house–we hope.
DawgNole
December 16th, 2012
2:37 pm
Nice step-up in the pocket by Ryan that time. He usually folds under that kind of heat.
goFalcons
December 16th, 2012
2:37 pm
No more doubt on who is the best team in the NFL, Ladies and Gentlemen I present the greatest team in the NFL……..The Atlanta Falcons!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jay Dubu
December 16th, 2012
2:37 pm
You have to come out of the halftime and be ready to put this game away if you’re the Falcons.
houze
December 16th, 2012
2:37 pm
HD from jonesboro high school! Nice! Drive alive!
Sid
December 16th, 2012
2:38 pm
put it away on this drive!
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 16th, 2012
2:38 pm
HA HA Roddy was open by a mile and CHOKE throws his noodle arm butterflies and the defense catches up…ha ha
falconsrus
December 16th, 2012
2:39 pm
Buuuuuuuuuuuuuurner!!!