If last week’s Falcons were for real, we’re about to find out
If Julio Jones, Matt Ryan and Falcons can avoid letdown at Detroit, they'll really have something to celebrate. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
(Online readers: I’m taking the risk of posting this before 11:59.59 p.m. Friday on the assumption the world will still be here at 12:00.01 a.m. Saturday.)
DETROIT — Imagine if the world actually ended on Friday after everybody had finally started to buy into the Falcons?
Alas, life goes on. The Mayans are left to seek a refund from their director of world predictions, Danny Sheridan. The rest of us now watch and see how the Falcons react to acceptance.
That was no small victory last week when the Falcons doubled-over the New York Giants 34-0. If they couldn’t quite make up for last season’s 24-2 playoff loss at New York, they at least finally gave a glimpse of their ceiling. Their quarterback, Matt Ryan, came up big in a big moment. Their offensive line neutralized one of the best front fours in the NFL. Their defense, even without safety William Moore, one of its most important players, and a banged up Asante Samuel and Jonathan Babineaux, handed the Giants their first shutout in 16 years.
But it is equally important how they respond to that victory.
The Detroit Lions are not nearly as bad as a 4-10 record or a six-game losing streak would suggest. They have a dangerous passing connection with local appeal (Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson) and talent on both sides of the ball, even if the locker room is a dysfunctional mess and Ndamukong Suh, for all of his skill, seems to have a cranium full of nougat. But this is a game the Falcons should win, especially knowing that a victory (or a tie) would clinch at least a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Great teams don’t just respond well to adversity. They respond when everybody is telling them how great they are.
“This is not the time to go cool,” tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “It’s not the time to think you’ve arrived. Actually, it’s the worst time to have that attitude. You’ve got to make sure we go to the playoffs and keep that same kind of momentum. Maybe we learned that against Carolina. Maybe that loss was something good for us.”
“I think we learned our lesson from the Carolina game,” running back Michael Turner said. “We are not taking anything for granted. We’ve still got work to do. We’ve still got things to get better at. They are going to give us their best shot. We know that.”
Anybody guaranteeing another first-round exit for the Falcons had their eyes closed last week.
Anybody guaranteeing a Super Bowl had their eyes closed in 2008, 2010 and 2011.
Both qualify as silly drivel.
Bottom line: We still don’t know what to expect. We saw both ends of the spectrum in consecutive weeks: falling behind 23-0 and losing to a 3-9 Carolina team, then blowing out the defending Super Bowl champions.
Do you really want to take a strong position one way or the other?
But the Detroit game will tell us something. This is the time of the season when title contenders come together. The carrot of a victory securing a first-round bye — and therefore a week for the Falcons to rest some regulars in the final game against Tampa Bay — should provide all the motivation they need.
Gonzalez again: “I’m anxious to see how we respond after last week. … You can’t dwell on what you’ve done in the past. We set the standard of what we can do against a really good football team. We have to make sure we duplicate that week in and week out. Our focus going into that game was the best it’s been all year. We have to have that type of effort the rest of the season. That’s what good teams do in December.”
And so far, the Falcons are 1-1.
By Jeff Schultz
From the music jukebox, just in case we all are going bye-bye
Otherwise, some recent clicks from my archives
– Falcons’ line on a roll, now gets rematch against Suh
– Haters’ roundup: National view on Falcons has changed (including video)
– Ryan asks for more, gives more at right time for Falcons
– Falcons, Smith know now is time they’re going to be judged
– SEC’s decision to not suspend Dial sends wrong message
– Dale Murphy sounds off on steroid users in Hall of Fame and his own candidacy
– Bobby Petrino finds a school willing to sell its soul
– Falcons give a performance that leaves us wondering again
– “Sack Schultz” unveils Bowl Blowout Contest (from Potato to BCS)
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291 comments Add your comment
LOL at The Aints
December 21st, 2012
1:34 pm
LOL
JSS
December 21st, 2012
1:37 pm
Nobody has reading comprehension problems to top True Falcon Fan, well Thomas Brown is a close second… They are miles ahead!
LOL at The Aints
December 21st, 2012
1:38 pm
LOL!! JSS calling someone an Idiot, I’m astounded by the Irony,, LOL
LOL at The Aints
December 21st, 2012
1:43 pm
I thought you were “above” all the name calling JSS,, you have really let me down buddy,, LOL..
JSS
December 21st, 2012
1:43 pm
You’re astounded by everything LOL, it is why you’re looking at your hands and trying to figure things out every 35 seconds, a dumb man’s version of ‘Memento?”
LOL at The Aints
December 21st, 2012
1:46 pm
That just goes to show you’re no better than any of the rest of us. Ya Jack Wagon LOL!!,, You do know what a Jack Wagon is dont you. Smart guy. LOL
JSS
December 21st, 2012
1:47 pm
Nope, Thomas Brown is an idiot… Any man who uses “clairvoyant” as a derision in a infinite term is an idiot, simple as that…
JSS
December 21st, 2012
1:49 pm
Get another tattoo LOL, you’re about to forget you’re train of thought again… Oops there it goes….
Samuel
December 21st, 2012
1:52 pm
All the Falcons have to do is take care of business Saturday night and then worry about the next opponent -The Tampa bay Bucs. It’s a one game at a time process……
LOL at The Aints
December 21st, 2012
1:53 pm
JSS
December 21st, 2012
1:43 pm
You’re astounded by everything LOL
Not really JSS, just the arrogance and stupidity of some people, Like you. LOL
DawgNole
December 21st, 2012
1:53 pm
JSS
December 21st, 2012
1:34 pm
@ DawgNole…
Manny (Esquire), Moe (the idiot True Falcon Fan), and Jack (for obvious reasons Thomas Brown)… Why didn’t you clue them in that they were being bamboozled by an imposter?
______________________
I spent the better part of the college football season doing battle with TB on Jeff’s UGA blogs. In the spirit of the holiday season–and because lately he’s been focused on others (you, MCR, Honey Boy, Buckeye, et al)–I’ve decided to watch his fray(s) from the sidelines and focus more on the Jeff’s Falcons blogs. Of course, that means repeated collisions with MCR, who posts, shall we say, a bit more concisely than TB–likely due to his (MCR’s) severely limited mental capacities. Said limitations in turn make blog battles less time-intensive.
I would point out also that “MCDTD” is doing an admirable job of diminishing MCR’s already-miniscule credibility. By the way, has MCR bothered to answer your question yet? Didn’t think so; he has trouble responding to direct inquiries.
DawgNole
December 21st, 2012
1:56 pm
Samuel
December 21st, 2012
1:52 pm
All the Falcons have to do is take care of business Saturday night and then worry about the next opponent -The Tampa bay Bucs. It’s a one game at a time process……
_______________________
True, that. And contrary to the opinions of many, these last two games are far from “meaningless.” It’s all about momentum and homefield advantage now–two HUGE factors in playoff success.
LOL at The Aints
December 21st, 2012
1:57 pm
Like Forrest Gump said,, Thats all i got to say about that. Go Birds!
JSS
December 21st, 2012
2:03 pm
LOL, short attention theater has that effect on you? Explains a lot…
Go Falcons..!!
December 21st, 2012
2:04 pm
The Falcons need to put their BOOT pressed firmly against the LIONS neck and apply pressure with extreme prejudice….I’ts that time of the Season. From here on out the Birds need to be nasty and mean. No more playing to your opponents level of intensity. Time to set a standard where a standard never been.
GO FALCONS..!!!!!
Fred Garvin
December 21st, 2012
2:17 pm
Home field is huge, nobody wants to play the Falcons in Atlanta,
DawgNole
December 21st, 2012
2:19 pm
JSS
December 21st, 2012
2:03 pm
LOL, short attention theater has that effect on you? Explains a lot…
___________________
Careful there. I’ve dealt with plenty of long-attention theater. Like I said, just taking a holiday season break–and watching from a not-too-far distance. Has MCR answered your question yet? Let’s see if you can elicit an opinion (or lie, in his case) from him.
JSS
December 21st, 2012
2:47 pm
Answered which question? The fake one posted by the imposter about Flacco? That is tripe stuff, the team (especially the defense had been screaming for Cam Cameron’s head for as long as Falcons fans had been after Mularkey and Van Gorder… He finally dug his own grave by turning Ray Rice into a glorified decoy…
I do see where he chastised the fake (and idiots dumb enough to answer it) before my RSS feed notified me of the violations…
LOL at The Aints
December 21st, 2012
3:04 pm
my RSS feed notified me of the violations… AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, do you feel violated JSS,,
Thomas Brown
December 21st, 2012
4:04 pm
He has been whining all day about being taken to task for his exact words, calling it cut and paste, and he’s been whining all day that everyone is out to get him.
JSS
JSS
December 21st, 2012
4:27 pm
“Whining?” Nah, you’re an idiot that couldn’t catch anyone in anything… Shoot, let me use something that you and you kind can understand… You’re the Roscoe P. Coltrane of blogging: “Hot Pursuit (of redundant posts)!”
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
4:34 pm
What is the over and under that at least 2 rookie qbs continue the Flacco tradition of winning a playoff game in their first playoff game?
CHOKE….well…..not so much……….
ha ha
JSS
December 21st, 2012
4:36 pm
“Violated?”Anytime I see that quadratic equation of babbling ding-bats of user-names on a blog, yep I feel oozing primordial dimness cascading around us all, inevitably all of that idiocy has to intersect somewhere (here in their crappy posts)…
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
4:43 pm
@DawgPile…I mean DawgNole
Dodging? You still haven’t answered why Vick at 22 won his first playoff game and CHOKE at 27 still has a big goose egg.
Why doesn’t CHOKE have a mediocre 200 yard passing game in the playoffs yet?
Why did CHOKE get shutout last season in the playoffs?
Come on you dodger you, and I’m not talking baseball……
HA HA
Georgia
December 21st, 2012
5:11 pm
The Falcons vs the Lions. Not worried here. Scenes I’d like to see: An antelope with night vision googles in the jaws of the mate of the Lion he made fun of in that Geico commercial. You see, she snuck up behind those two morons while they yucked it up.
Falcons 31. Lions 23.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
5:16 pm
The Lions only have 4 wins, and the Giants were 8-5. So anything less than a blowout of 34 or more points is a failure, or it will look like the Falcants that got whipped by the Panthers will be the true losers.
ha ha
DawgNole
December 21st, 2012
6:45 pm
JSS
December 21st, 2012
2:47 pm
Answered which question? The fake one posted by the imposter about Flacco?
_________________________
The question below–the one you asked of us early this afternoon. I don’t believe that was an imposter since I asked you for clarification, and you attempted to provide some.
JSS
December 21st, 2012
12:45 pm
@ DawgNole and MCR…
Why did let those poor fools make behinds of themselves arguing with a fake like that on here?
DawgNole
December 21st, 2012
6:50 pm
Matt “CHOKE” Ryan
December 21st, 2012
4:43 pm
@DawgPile…I mean DawgNole
Dodging? You still haven’t answered why Vick at 22 won his first playoff game and CHOKE at 27 still has a big goose egg.
Why doesn’t CHOKE have a mediocre 200 yard passing game in the playoffs yet?
Why did CHOKE get shutout last season in the playoffs?
Come on you dodger you, and I’m not talking baseball……
_________________________
I’ve been asking you far longer why you continue to post lies on here–and you STILL haven’t addressed that. Yes, dodging is what you’re doing–over and over. Let’s try again. Why do you continue to post lies on here?
Crickets.
JSS
December 21st, 2012
7:05 pm
@ DawgNole…
He said something earlier, I didn’t until scanned back after I finished my last production report… So it seems redundant answering my questions in hindsight
________________________________________________________________________________
Matt “CHOKE” Ryan
December 21st, 2012
10:24 am
“Now didn’t Jeff warn you little LOSERS about hijacking screen names? You and DawgNole needs to learn how to follow rules and get
”
along with others……HA HA
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 21st, 2012
7:21 pm
It will be a great Saturday. I’m taking to the Tech Bball game at 4 then we are headed to Stats to watch the Falcons beat Lions.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 21st, 2012
7:24 pm
If we STOP responding to CHOKE the hits on the blog will go down and maybe Jeff Schultz will finally Ban CHOKE.
Choke is just very sad.
MoTown Mop Up
December 21st, 2012
7:26 pm
5-9 Arizona blew out 4–10 Detroit 38-10 last week.
This game could get real ugly real fast.
DawgNole
December 21st, 2012
7:52 pm
Put in Timeout . . .
December 21st, 2012
7:24 pm
If we STOP responding to CHOKE the hits on the blog will go down and maybe Jeff Schultz will finally Ban CHOKE.
Choke is just very sad.
___________________
I doubt Jeff will ban him; he’s pretty tolerant. Good idea to ignore him, though; I just haven’t been able to discipline myself to do it–especially when he posts lies. Liars should not go unchallenged–even when they don’t (like MCR) change their lying ways.
“Very sad” is being too kind. Very sick, disgraceful, shameless, disgusting, racist, dishonest, demented, ignorant, biased, arrogant, sleazy, deceitful, etc., would be more appropriate.
DawgNole
December 21st, 2012
8:02 pm
JSS
December 21st, 2012
7:05 pm
@ DawgNole…
He said something earlier, I didn’t until scanned back after I finished my last production report… So it seems redundant answering my questions in hindsight
____________________
You asked MCR (and me) specifically: “Why did let those poor fools make behinds of themselves arguing with a fake like that on here?”
In light of your previous exchanges with TB, I assumed that HE (TB) was the “fake like that” to whom you referred. So I deferred to MCR–for reasons I explained to you earlier. And MCR STILL has not answered your question. Again I say, he (MCR) struggles to answer specific questions because his modus operandi is lying and dodging. Always has been. So he continues to stonewall you on your specific question–as he does others with specific questions–especially when they require facts instead of his customary lies.
Foghorn Leghorn
December 21st, 2012
8:59 pm
Schultz will never ban MCR and JSS, that would cut his blog hits in half. Oh, and MCR will never ever answer a question, he’s on auto pilot. A broken record if you will. He’s really pretty funny. Stupid but funny. JSS thinks he’s funny, unfortunatley he is not. He’s just stupid.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
9:05 pm
Vick 22 + playoff win – CHOKE + 27 = 1 and done.
ha ha
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
9:06 pm
@DawgPile
Why hasn’t the legend CHOKE won a playoff game by age 27 when Vick the loser did it at age 22?
ha ha
Foghorn Leghorn
December 21st, 2012
9:07 pm
Actually JSS and MCR serve a purpose here, every good blog needs a couple of Douche bags. Keeps things lively.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
9:08 pm
Vick sucks……playoff win
Flacco sucks….playoff win
Sanchez sucks…..playoff win
Tebow sucks….playoff win
CHOKE rules….ZERO playoff wins
ha ha
DawgNole
December 21st, 2012
9:08 pm
Foghorn Leghorn
December 21st, 2012
8:59 pm
Schultz will never ban MCR and JSS, that would cut his blog hits in half. Oh, and MCR will never ever answer a question, he’s on auto pilot. A broken record if you will. He’s really pretty funny. Stupid but funny. JSS thinks he’s funny, unfortunatley he is not. He’s just stupid.
_________________
The others have banned MCR. Why not Schultz?
And yes, MCR is stupid. But funny? I don’t think so. Maybe the first 10,000 times he repeated the same lies, but that’s long since worn thin. He’s about as funny as roadkill–with a comparable odor.
JSS is just confusing–and perhaps confused as well.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
9:25 pm
@DawgPole
Are you a virgin? Maybe give caffeine a breadk?
ha ha
DawgNole
December 21st, 2012
9:45 pm
Matt “CHOKE” Ryan
December 21st, 2012
9:25 pm
@DawgPole
Are you a virgin? Maybe give caffeine a breadk?
_____________________
“breadk”? Hello?
Nothing worse than a liar–except for a liar who can’t write/spell.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
9:51 pm
@DawgPile
You do realize that every time you stray away from CHOKE failures and focus on grammar and spelling, when the topic is not on English, you prove me right every time. You don’t have a valid justifiable alibi for CHOKE’s continuous failures.
So enjoy your loser, LOSER….
HA HA
By the way. What is your formal educational level? Nevermind,
stupidity is not verifiable…..
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
9:53 pm
@DawgPile
Why was a 22 year old Mike Vick able to win his first playoff game, yet a 27+ year old CHOKE only has goose eggs?
Oh that’s right, there is no answer other than he’s a L-O-S-E-R
HA HA
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
9:58 pm
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/246453-brett-favre-vs-micheal-vick-who-was-the-bigger-story
Oh the memories…………..
ha ha
The 22 year old underdog Mike Vick lands the legend Brett
Favre his first playoff loss at Lambeau Field……
CHOKE? Well he let Aaron Rodgers own his building 48-21.
ha ha
DawgNole
December 21st, 2012
10:01 pm
Matt “CHOKE” Ryan
December 21st, 2012
9:51 pm
@DawgPile
You do realize that every time you stray away from CHOKE failures and focus on grammar and spelling, when the topic is not on English, you prove me right every time. You don’t have a valid justifiable alibi for CHOKE’s continuous failures.
____________________
You do realize that every time you fail to respond to the question of why you continue to spew lies on here, when the topic is your lying, you “prove ME right every time.” You don’t have a valid, justifiable alibi for your ongoing lying and illiteracy–or for your refusal to address your ongoing lying and illiteracy. When are you going to apologize to Jeff and the other posters for desecrating his blogs with your filth? Maybe you can answer that question since you can’t seem to bring yourself to admit that you’re an illiterate liar.
IceMan
December 21st, 2012
10:53 pm
Why isn’t it obvious to everyone that Mr. Jeff Shultz is “Choke”?? Or is everyone just playing along?
I enjoy reading this blog nonetheless….
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
11:10 pm
@DawgPile
The day I agree with anything you say will be the day that God forgives you for being stupid..
ha ha
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
11:11 pm
Hey guys, it’s been 9 years since Vick gave this city it’s last playoff win. Why is it taking CHOKE so long?
ha ha
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 21st, 2012
11:13 pm
DawgPile
What’s the difference between you, CHOKE & manure?
Manure stinks but at least it serves a purpose……
HA HA