Falcons respond as great teams should, beat Lions (updated)
Michael Palmer celebrates with Tony Gonzalez after his one-yard touchdown catch made it 21-3. (AP)
(Updated: 1:15 a.m.)
DETROIT – With no guarantees for the future, the Falcons nonetheless did all they could Saturday night to comfort its fan base and fire a warning shot over the rest of the NFL’s playoff field. They are ready this time.
The bandwagon still seemed half-empty after 11 wins. The 34-0 bodyslam of the New York Giants last week caused a majority of skeptics to reconsider their position.
But after Saturday’s 31-18 win over the Detroit Lions, the doubters almost certainly represent an extreme minority, like those few purchasing the only sweater at full retail before Christmas.
This was a test for the Falcons. They passed. They didn’t “go cool,” as tight end Tony Gonzalez had put it days after the win over the Giants. They stepped on the gas. They jumped out to a 21-3 lead on three touchdown passes by Matt Ryan. They survived some hiccups in the third and rebounded when Ryan orchestrated one of the best scoring drives of the season, with six straight completions and a 16-yard scramble (where did that come from?)
Ryan completed 25 of 32 for 279 yards and four touchdowns. For the second straight week, he looked as good as he has at any time in his career.
You wanted a statement? This was it. A win over the Lions doesn’t equate to a win over the Giants in marquee value. But it says something about a team’s strength, character and direction when it can win this kind of game. They’ve rendered the final regular season game against Tampa Bay meaningless. They’ve clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed and home field through the playoffs.
Now all they have to do is make this count for something.
“It means a lot because this was one of the goals,” wide receiver Roddy White said. “We wanted to play in the (Georgia) Dome and have everybody come to us, and then we’ll give them our best shot.”
White led the Falcons with eight catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns. And it’s hard to look good when you’re a receiver playing in the same game as Calvin Johnson. The former Georgia Tech star finished with 11 catches for 225 yards and broke Jerry Rice’s single season NFL record for receiving yardage.
Lions’ fans in Ford Field exploded after Johnson’s record-breaking catch. The Falcons didn’t mind because they had already secured the win and everything they came for.
“I like our chances (in the playoffs) a lot better at home with the Dome rocking,” Gonzalez said. “But it doesn’t mean anything obviously. We still have to go out there and play. It doesn’t mean we’ve arrived. We still have to go out there and play some great football.”
Matt Ryan threw for 279 yards and four touchdowns and is playing at his best. (AP)
They still have something to prove. But the Falcons are a team with direction. The Lions are a team in need of a fire extinguisher. They seem to be in a perpetual grease fire.
How is it that a franchise can have a jewel of a player like Johnson and yet be 4-11 with a seven-game losing streak, long-since exterminated from playoff contention? Lions’ fans exhibited two emotions in the first half: They cheered Johnson and booed almost everybody else.
The Falcons lquickly eased concerns of a letdown following the win over the Giants. They played fast, jumping out to an early lead. They seemed loose. In pre-game warm-ups, all of the players huddled around wide receiver Harry Douglas, who exhibited some break-dancing moves, jumping up in the air and doing a belly landing on the turf. (Wasn’t he just on the injury list with sore ribs, or was that a smoke screen?)
Ryan was at the center of the early assault. He completed his first 12 attempts. In the half, he went 15-for-16 for 184 yards and three touchdowns.
There was that one incomplete intended for Julio Jones in the end zone. Wimp.
Ryan actually had 22 straight completions before that pass, two short of the NFL record, going back to the Giants game. Ryan laughed when asked about the near-record, saying, “They told me about it after the game. But I was preoccupied with other things. … It’s one of those things you don’t really talk about on the sideline. Don’t feed the demons.”
It was 7-0 in the first quarter after White, on a third-and-1 play, burned ex-Falcon Chris Houston for a 44-yard touchdown in the first quarter. It was 14-3 in the second after Ryan checked down to White, who took advantage of a great down-field block by Sam Baker on Detroit Louis Delmas, who streaked 39 yards for another score.
The Lions’ second fumble of the game — by Johnson at the Lions’ 40 – set up the Falcons’ third score. On second down from the 16, Ryan lofted a pass toward the back right corner of the end zone for Jones, who made the catch and somehow dragged both feet in bounds to make it 21-3.
At that point, it seemed like the Falcons’ only chance of losing this game depended on how many nations Johnson would conquer in one night. He had nine catches for 178 yards through three quarters. It was he and quarterback Matthew Stafford who largely engineered a 60-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter that suddenly made things uncomfortable in Falcons’ land (21-13). An ensuing field goal made it 21-16.
But Ryan restored order. Just as he took over in the Giants game last week, he took over again, completing six straight passes. He had a 16-yard scramble on second-and-17. And after completions to White, Jones and Gonzalez, who does Ryan throw to for the one yard touchdown? Michael Palmer. That made it 28-16.
Asante Samuel picked off Stafford on Detroit’s next possession. That pretty much was it. The Falcons were soon celebrating a win, a bye week and a No. 1 seed.
We’ll soon find out what it means. But they have to like the view.
By Jeff Schultz
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194 comments Add your comment
ramguy68
December 23rd, 2012
12:49 am
@playmeortrademe Johnson is just a nicer version of Randy Moss with a really stupid nickname playing against today’s soft NFL defenses.
You’ve never played much football in your life have you? Madden games don’t count.
Michael
December 23rd, 2012
12:51 am
Great? Or is that sarcasm.
ramguy68
December 23rd, 2012
12:53 am
@Eric C. amguy68, I’ve seen enough to know that it would be nice to have a defense more like the 49ers than the Saints
Kinda like the 49′er defense that showed in SF against the Giants? I think the Falcons handled them a little bit better.
bart
December 23rd, 2012
12:55 am
The safety demonstrated to all other playoff teams that the Atl OL is weak – how do you call a power running play and have the D-line push the OL back into the end zone. Weak, weak weak. This will kill them in the playoffs when they need that one yard.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 23rd, 2012
12:56 am
..it seems some of these FANS never played the game ever. Pros know how great an accomplishment records are. Players hated to lose to Jordan but they were also fans of his game. When a player is an a..hole other players are not happy with his success but when the player is a Great Player and Person they take pride in being a fan too.
Fan since 66
December 23rd, 2012
12:56 am
Good point Ramguy. A couple of weeks ago, the Pat’s looked lost for most of the game. The true test is how teams respond to adversity and change the gameplan on the fly. The Falcons have shown that all season. You just can’t win 13 games in today’s NFL without being able to adjust on the fly and actually make those changes work on the field. I’m a little concerned about the insistence of running Turner, but he IS a bruiser and makes the defense work to bring him down. That has to wear them down throughout the game, I would think.
Go Falcons!
HPDawg
December 23rd, 2012
12:58 am
Tell em ramguy68!!!
Fargan Bastage
December 23rd, 2012
12:59 am
@Ramguy68
You hold yourself out as some kind of expert. Are you Roman Gabriel or Deacon Jones from the 68 Rams? Were you in a pro bowl? I actually agree with your assessments but you could be a little less self indulgent.
playmeortrademe
December 23rd, 2012
1:00 am
Look out everyone, ramguy68 has come to let us, “the general public”, know we are all ignorant….
Get off your high horse, man. You haven’t been watching much football either if you can’t tell that today’s defenses are weak, with record numbers getting put up on offense almost every year.
HPDawg
December 23rd, 2012
1:02 am
Let’s see, the Falcons did win, right? Rather comfortably right? C’mon guys!
Fan since 66
December 23rd, 2012
1:05 am
Gotta put this out there…anyone see Sam Baker make the block to spring Roddy on his 2nd TD. We slam him all the time, but he was out there making the block. How bout an attaboy! Maybe his back is finally fixed! (fingers crossed)
Go Falcons!
Eric C.
December 23rd, 2012
1:06 am
@Ramguy68, in “general” terms…over the course of the season, the 49ers defense has “generally” been better than the Falcons…if you don’t see that, then you are no smarter than the “general” public.
Fan since 66
December 23rd, 2012
1:10 am
@HP Dawg…you gotta work your way through the “Mayan Maelstrom” of naysayers on these Falcon blogs. In all fairness, we have been disappointed many more times than we’ve been satisfied, but this year, something just feels different. Every once in a while, I catch myself thinking the glass is half empty, but then the “Birds come through and win. Maybe, just maybe…this is the year!
Go Falcons!
tripptraitorboy
December 23rd, 2012
1:18 am
Put In Timeout…Did you play the game?
Eric C.
December 23rd, 2012
1:19 am
Fan since 66, I really hope you are right. Like you, I’ve been dealt many bitter pills by the Falcons. I though things were “different” in 2010 and then again in 2011…hopefully you are on to something.
JamaalSweetvoice
December 23rd, 2012
1:19 am
Great we have Home Field Advantage!
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 23rd, 2012
1:23 am
tripptraitorboy….Yes
Great Falconi
December 23rd, 2012
1:23 am
I’d like to see Quizz get the ball more, but it isn’t like his YPC is very high. After tonight, it’s less than 4.0. We just don’t block the run well enough, though Quizz gives us a better chance because he can make a cutback. I’d like to see more Snelling along with Quizz. Turner just doesn’t have it anymore. There’s no shame in that, but I’d rather see his redemption song in the playoffs (and it probably would happen that way) than to continue to feed him the ball and watch him pick up a foot on first down.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 23rd, 2012
1:27 am
The other play that we haven’t seen used is the full back in the flat pass.
Bull Cox was open on at least 4 plays that could have been for first downs or 3rd and very short.
RYAN Cox and catch the ball and run. I’ve seen him do it.
tripptraitorboy
December 23rd, 2012
1:28 am
wELL WHATEVER POINT YOU “ATTEMPT” TO MAKE GUESS YOUVE GOT SUBSTANCE…LOL
MICK
December 23rd, 2012
1:31 am
Why do you have micromanage Falcons, posters? We’ve got home advantage!!
playmeortrademe
December 23rd, 2012
1:56 am
I think Snelling has a history of fumbles, doesn’t secure the ball well sometimes. But I agree that he and Quizz both seem like better options than Turner because of their pass-catching abilities. I like having a fullback normally, but with that receiver corps and TG, Atlanta needs to go almost exclusively to a single back formation and let Ryan read the defense. There could also be plays where Snelling is the FB with Quizz in at RB. That’s five people to defend. You can’t cheat the safeties or Julio/Roddy burns you, linebackers have to cover TG, linebackers have to honor play fakes, blitzes get picked apart by screens or quick slants. Too much to stop. But when the Falcons run Turner, you can stop him with 6 or 7 in the box (like lions did tonight), and since he’s slow to the line, linemen and linebackers can read the play and come off blocks and still make stops for short yardage, safeties can play back further and know they have time to make a play before significant yards are gained. And then Turner is not a big threat to catch a pass out of the backfield or turn up and get yards after the catch. It’s not Turner’s fault, Falcons coaches need to use their personnel more effectively sometimes..
Eric C.
December 23rd, 2012
2:16 am
Mick, re: 2010.
So…I say rest the starters next week.
The Bucs aren’t playing for a playoff spot and the Falcons have #1 secured…don’t risk an injury!
If anything, you could say losing the final regular season home game just about guarantees a win in the divisional round because the Falcons never lose back-to-back games, eh?
ATL all the way
December 23rd, 2012
2:26 am
Incase anyone hasn’t noticed the past two superbowl champions have have ranked in the bottom of the league in rushing so I’m not worried about dat. Our offense will score a lot of points weather we throw it 50 times or run it 40 times.
Thomas Brown
December 23rd, 2012
2:52 am
JSS,
I presume you’re on drugs, with your unclear posts ? Have you ever written a post which isn’t Indecipherable, Incomprehensible, Narcissistic, Obscure, and Supercilious ?
Whiznot
December 23rd, 2012
3:11 am
Well done Roddy White and the high flying Falcons! The Man approves.
Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson happy to be in the NFL record book – MLive.com | BB 10 News headlines
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jeffrey d
December 23rd, 2012
4:08 am
I’d feel a lot better if the yardage wasn’t 522-344 in favor of Detroit.
Lions’ coach Jim Schwartz, on Calvin Johnson’s record-setting day: ‘The best is … – Detroit Free Press | BB 10 News headlines
December 23rd, 2012
4:19 am
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Thomas Brown
December 23rd, 2012
5:10 am
jeffrey d,
Yes, but the 3 turnovers and -0- TD Passes, are just more of the same for any Matthew Stafford led Offense. It is what he has done all 4 years and is what he did when he was here, too.
Matthew Stafford has 15 Fumbles and 53 Interceptions in his career to 79 TD Passes with a career 59 percent completions, giving him a Passer Rating of 79.2 again this season.
443 yards Matthew Stafford threw against our secondary, but note he threw -0- TD Passes.
This is why Matt Ryan is a better quarterback than Matthew Stafford, throwing for 126 TD Passes on 62 percent completions.
When you settle for 3 Field Goals while we settled for none, and have 3 turnovers while we had none again, you’re going to be 4-11 and us 13-2, no matter how many yards you throw.
Never First, Just the Best!
December 23rd, 2012
5:41 am
Falcons Win 31-18.
Can we borow Mega-Tron for the Playoffs? I bet he would make a great shut down corner.
Never First, Just the Best!
December 23rd, 2012
5:44 am
jeffrey d
I’d feel a lot better if the yardage wasn’t 522-344 in favor of Detroit.
Don’t feel bad. The Lions have a great WR and some what above average QB with a good o line. But thats all. We wont see that combo in the playoffs.
Thomas Brown
December 23rd, 2012
5:45 am
11 TD 09 INT 58% .79 # 27 Michael Vick
20 TD 10 INT 59% .86 # 12 Joe Flacco
31 TD 14 INT 69% .99 # 02 Matt Ryan
Elvis is Alive
December 23rd, 2012
5:54 am
MT33 reminds me of an intoxicated person trying to run into a wall. He can’t get around it and tries repeatedly to run staight at the wall and gets knocked back again and again. Sadly, I give him the nickname,”STONEWALL”! No lateral movement when approaching the line. I believe he has a “tell” when he is going to get the ball. Or someone shows a “tell” to the defense.
We did show some new wrinkles. The end around and the screens/flats passes are keeping the
Defense on their toes.
Nice block by Baker. Konz has talent but had a rough nite. Most would against Suh.
Game ball to JJ, Roddy,MR2 and Koetter. Nolan couldn’t stop the drag pass over the middle.
MS says he wants to play 60 except when we have a lead. I do see a tendency to revert to conservative football. Probably comes from a lack of faith in the our defense, which in past years has been sketchy.
Tampa this week and let the second string play. I’d like to see Dominic Davis and McCown get some reps.Allowing Antoine Smith to get some Game experience may be the answer we need at RB. And for some reason I see a “halfback” pass.
As I used to sing..”It’s Now or Never”..I’ll change the lyrics to ,”It’s NOW or NEXT Year”
Rise up ..Angry Birds..Rise up !!!!
Big Daddy
December 23rd, 2012
6:19 am
Great win for the Falcons!!! For the most part, I thought the play calling was superb. Matt does a good job of reading the defense at the line and making whatever changes he sees as necessary. Turner does not have the explosiveness that he once had but, he is steady, does bust some big plays every game and rarely puts the ball on the ground. We have seen running backs who have helped us out during the course of the season by fumbling the ball and every now and then multiple times.
The defense has preformed well this season. When Brent Grimes went down, I suspected his replacement might be a letdown. McClain has proven himself and his value to this team. Rogers has shown he can be a great change-up to Turner when inserted during the game. Gonzales seems to have been rejuvenated with the wide receivers taking some of the heat from him and Ryan’s play and calls have been exceptional, 5 interception game notwithstanding. Good game and I like the fact that as far as we go, we will be playing indoors. GO FALCONS!!!
JSS
December 23rd, 2012
6:29 am
Thomas Brown, don’t come crawling in with you usual hooey! You say “more of the same from the Matthew Stafford>” But you are so obtuse to not realize that you just endorsed the position that carried on your usual cut-and-paste war trying refute… You’re myopic in your views, the same crap that say you’re so against is exactly what you keep posting… “Vick” and “Flacco,” according to people like you, you shouldn’t have to put his numbers against those types of QBs in the first place… Why, he’s on the Olympus level… Let’s put his numbers against Rodgers and Brees 2010 thru 16 weeks… Why he so great and Herculean, put them up there with Brady 2007… (RME)
Thomas Blabber Brown is more like it…
JSS
December 23rd, 2012
6:37 am
And have you ever written a single sentence with punctuation marks used in the correct manner? I mean seriously, that’s stuff teachers correct by the sixth grade, especially in honors English…
Samuel
December 23rd, 2012
6:39 am
I think the Falcon’s are saving some of that playbook for the playoffs. Let’s hope Turner, Snelling and Jaquizz Rodgers can get that run game going better in the playoffs. If not, use Julio Jones and Roddy White in screen plays to compliment the run, like they did against Detroit. But some of you boneheads, probably didn’t realize that. GO Birds!!
JSS
December 23rd, 2012
6:45 am
So if you’re going to continue to perpetrate that fraud, you need this badly…
http://www.andyshack.com/2009/08/13/strunk-white-good-grammar-guide/
Bookmark it, use it, otherwise all of those misdirected adjectives that you point at me are just mere mirror reflection…
Falcon 228
December 23rd, 2012
6:52 am
Goal accomplished. Stay healthy, focus on the game ahead. Great win.
Knute Rockne
December 23rd, 2012
7:01 am
Intellectual Ninja is correct…….Fire Coach Smith……..he has no clue on how to coach in the NFL
This Ninja nimrod is a complete idiot. He uses 7 paragraphs to demonstrate his lunacy. I am continually amazed at how many former Atlanta Water Works employees see themselves as professional football experts.
Knute
JSS
December 23rd, 2012
7:32 am
Rockne, he’s no ex-AWW employee… Be careful, that is truly one of the most dangerously deranged individuals to ever post on the AJC blogs… Seriously, do not engage him unless you have all types of secure firewalls and adequate device protections in place… You’ve been warned…
Carz
December 23rd, 2012
7:46 am
Gruden put it best. They are using the run game to force teams to prepare for it. I also think they are giving Turner significant snaps to save Quizz ’s health for the playoffs. I think Quizz will be huge in the playoffs. Lets not dump on the aging Turner with negative comments. He’s carried us for years and is over the hill, but still has value. He’s the most productive back in Falcons history.Give him his respect as we move towards Quizz.
Scary to see Matt take off and run a couple of times last night because it’s regular season. In the playoffs, however, I hope Matt takes off a few times to keep them honest. Pull out all the stops.
zbulldawg
December 23rd, 2012
7:48 am
RISING UP GETUSUM of THAT
ramguy68
December 23rd, 2012
7:49 am
@Fargan Bastage
@Ramguy68
You hold yourself out as some kind of expert. Are you Roman Gabriel or Deacon Jones from the 68 Rams? Were you in a pro bowl? I actually agree with your assessments but you could be a little less self indulgent
I’m not being self indulgent. I’m just tired of the same old lame comments week after week, game after game by people who have obviously never worn a jockstrap. Roman Gabriel? Why couldn’t pick out someone who was good…relatively speaking of course…..come on man!
Let's Go
December 23rd, 2012
7:51 am
Come on Jeff, Great? Yes this team is good but let’s be real they have some issues and hopefully in the next 2 weeks they can get them worked out. Luckly they will have home field in the playoffs but honestly the Packers and 49ers probably are better right now but the way the seedings are coming together they will have to play each other before the NFC championship game. I think the Falcons match up very good against the Seahawks, Redskins, Cowboys, Bears, Vikings, or Giants so I do believe they get to the championship game.
Coming thru Dome
December 23rd, 2012
8:01 am
Great win for the Falcons. They are a very good team in a year that appears not to have a true power house nfl team. Home field is great and they are absolutely capable of going to Super Bowl given this years competition. That being said the inability to pick up short yardage when everyone in stadium knows you are going to run remains a problem and could be a true problem in playoffs. A touchdown at the two instead of a ;field goal in fourth quarter would have put them up three scores and would have been a knock out punch. Also they could have run significant clock off when they got dropped for a loss and a safety giving lions ball back at end. Turner is washed up and gets his yard now once pass is established and the defense is playing pass. He can’t get yards when we have to run only when we choose to run. Can falcons win anyway. Yes. Packers two years ago and New England every year have been winning without run game. The NFL is different than 15 years ago. You CAN win without run game. Those teams have elite QBs It can be done but is Ryan enough of a QB for falcons to do it. We will see. The team is fairly healthy. The only major season ending injury was Grimes. Play starters into 3rd quarter next week. With the bye if starters don’t play next week they will be looking at three week layoff between last night and playoffs. Don’t want to get rusty. Nice win falcons. Hoping for nice January
Coming thru Dome
December 23rd, 2012
8:05 am
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