LIVE: Falcons seek No. 1 seed; AJC endures minus D-Led
An artist's rendering of Darryl Ledbetter's injury. (Zazzle.com)
DETROIT — Good evening. Welcome to Monday night football on Saturday night. Because while the NFL sees nothing wrong with multiple Thursday games that increase the chance of concussion hangovers (shortened game weeks) and is pushing for an 18-game season, at least it won’t make teams play on Christmas Eve.
Before we get to the Falcons-Detroit game, I’d like to give a shout out to the captain of the AJC’s Falcons’ coverage, Darryl “Lightning Led” Ledbetter. He’s a former high school cornerback who claims to have patterned his game after Jack Tatum, the only difference being that Tatum took out opponents and
Here's actual updated look at Ledbetter's left leg.
Ledbetter took out himself.
Last Saturday morning, while carrying three loads of laundry, he tripped on a book that was left on the stairs at the state Ledbetter manor. Down went Lightning. His left leg buckled.
An X-ray revealed no damage so D-Led toughed it out last Sunday, covering the Falcons- New York Giants game with what he (and a mistaken doctor) believed was just a bad knee sprain. But a followup MRI
Matthew Stafford (Georgia) and Calvin Johnson (Georgia Tech) have been a lethal combination since uniting in the NFL. (AP photo)
revealed D-Led had a ruptured quadriceps, which required surgery Thursday.
While the AJC is not required to declare our writers’ inactive list until 90 minutes before kickoff — competitive reasons — I’ll disclose that D-Led did not make the trip to Detroit, nor is he expected to cover next week’s regular season finale against Tampa Bay.
“I’m hoping to be back by the playoffs,” he said.
That still put him ahead of Ray Edwards.
So the able and fleet-footed Michael Cunningham has come in off the bench and is in Motown with me for tonight’s coverage. Michael told me he long had been dreaming of making a December trip to the tropical paradise that is Detroit. (I might have made that up.)
OK, about the game. The Falcons are coming off their biggest win and most impressive performance of the season, a 34-0 blowout of the Giants. This game can’t match that one in marquee value but there’s a lot on the line. A win over the Lions guarantees them a first-round bye and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, which would give several banged up players a week of needed rest. Here are the scenarios:
• They secure a first-round bye with: 1) A win or tie tonight; OR 2) a Green Bay loss or tie vs. Tennessee; OR 3) a San Francisco loss at Seattle.
• They secure the No. 1 seed with: 1) A win tonight; OR 2) a tie and a San Francisco loss or tie; OR 3) A Green Bay loss or tie and a San Francisco loss.
A strong performance against the Lions would be a good sign going into the postseason, whereas an emotional letdown would again make some wonder about what lies ahead. As tight end Tony Gonzalez said, “This is not the time to go cool. It’s not the time to think you’ve arrived. Actually, it’s the worst time to have that attitude.”
Stating the obvious: The Falcons’ defense likely will double-cover wide receiver Calvin Johnson (who has a chance to break Jerry Rice’s single-season receiving record) because there is not much else on the Lions’ offense to worry about. Offensively, the team will be rematched against Mr. Wholesome, Ndamukong Suh, and the Lions’ defensive front. Detroit actually has been pretty solid defensively, especially for a 4-10 team, but the Lions have hurt themselves with turnovers (26) and penalties (6.9 per game).
That’s all I’ve got for now. The Falcons try to secure home field and the AJC endures without Lightning Led.
The cyber-venting lines are now open.
By Jeff Schultz
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1,122 comments Add your comment
Jimmy Crack
December 22nd, 2012
7:23 pm
Ndoubleteam Suh!
Jason
December 22nd, 2012
7:26 pm
Imagine if the Falcons had Roddy White, Julio Jones, and Calvin Johnson with Tony Gonzalez in the slot? Oh my goodness.
Jeff Schultz
December 22nd, 2012
7:26 pm
Put in timeout — Forget about Calvin. Signed an 8-year/$132 million in March that takes him through 2019.
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
7:27 pm
HOME FIELD, HOME FIELD, HOME FIELD, HOME FIELD, Here the Falcons come! HOME FIELD HOME FIELD, after tonight it will be the Falcons that have Home Field! WOOOOO HOOOOOOO
DawgNole
December 22nd, 2012
7:28 pm
Matt “CHOKE” Ryan
December 22nd, 2012
7:09 pm
Slow your roll losers, Detroit is a 4 win team, well that’s an upgrade from the 3 win team that WHIPPED the Falcants 2 weeks ago, just a week before they played an uninspired Giants team.
_____________________
You mean that 3-win team you kept insisting was a 2-win team when they played the Falcons? LIAR!
Joe
December 22nd, 2012
7:29 pm
I like how “choke” points out that we lost to the Panthers, but doesn’t remember his team losing to the Chiefs lol
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 22nd, 2012
7:30 pm
geez it is Saturday night Football is coming on and all the men are home while the wives are shopping.
The Idiot posters will be out all night saying stupid crap just be jerks.
I hope ROGERS get more use. He isn’t being used enough or very well. IMO
phil
December 22nd, 2012
7:33 pm
Raise your hand if you’ve heard me say this before….
We have zero chance today.
Lol! Merry Christmas!
kurula
December 22nd, 2012
7:33 pm
jeff — how close are we to the 18 game season becoming a reality? i wouldn’t mind that, but i’d like to see this caveat: roster sizes must increase and EVERY player must be inactive for minimum of 2 games.
DawgNole
December 22nd, 2012
7:35 pm
Put in Timeout . . .
December 22nd, 2012
7:30 pm
I hope ROGERS get more use. He isn’t being used enough or very well. IMO
____________________
Co-sign.
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2012
7:35 pm
There is Phil…………………you know we have every chance tonight!
DawgNole
December 22nd, 2012
7:36 pm
phil
December 22nd, 2012
7:33 pm
Raise your hand if you’ve heard me say this before….
We have zero chance today.
Lol! Merry Christmas!
____________________
I’m typing with one hand ’cause the other one’s raised.
Holiday greetings to you as well.
Jeff Schultz
December 22nd, 2012
7:40 pm
FYI: Falcons will be wearing “S.H.E.S.” decals on their helmets in remembrance of the 26 people killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 22nd, 2012
7:40 pm
18 game season means players will be payed LESS but more players will have to be on the team. With the Concussion rules and 18 games hahaha players will have to be playing flag football. Can’t hit High can’t hit Low 18 games? some teams will look like M*A*S*H units.
Jeff Schultz
December 22nd, 2012
7:41 pm
Whoever you are … enough with the profane spelling of Tebow or risk banning.
Jeff Schultz
December 22nd, 2012
7:42 pm
Kurula –Not close at all. It’s a Roger Goodell dream right now.
DawgNole
December 22nd, 2012
7:42 pm
Jeff Schultz
December 22nd, 2012
7:40 pm
FYI: Falcons will be wearing “S.H.E.S.” decals on their helmets in remembrance of the 26 people killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
_____________________
Important perspective during this holiday season. Christmas will be extremely difficult for many of the folks up there. Peace and goodwill to all of them.
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
7:46 pm
We have offense linemen scoring TD’s who they going to cover? My favorite on the Falcons Soundtrack ESPN just played.
JSS
December 22nd, 2012
7:47 pm
Christmas miracle alert!!! You mean Sidbury is active? Ha ha ha ha, it must have been the curse of Ledbetter!!!
Joe Tess Fish House
December 22nd, 2012
7:48 pm
What UR problem Shults?
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 22nd, 2012
7:48 pm
Did you know if the Falcants lose to the lowly Lions, the combined records would be 15-27? That’s very impressive.
Why should they be respected?
Jason
December 22nd, 2012
7:48 pm
The road to the Super Bowl…GOES THROUGH ATLANTA! Go Falcons!
JSS
December 22nd, 2012
7:50 pm
Oh, it’s going to one of those night? SMDH
Jason
December 22nd, 2012
7:50 pm
What combined records CHOKE? You have to be specific when speaking.
Godzilla V Mothra
December 22nd, 2012
7:52 pm
Jeff Schultz
December 22nd, 2012
7:41 pm
Whoever you are … enough with the profane spelling of Tebow or risk banning.
Schultzie……That’s Joe Tess and that’s the best he can spell. Not sure how his spelling of Tebow is profane.
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2012
7:52 pm
I’ll trim back that Falcons 49- 17 victory……….The Birds will win at a score of 41- 15………no sense in them being too tired for Christmas !
phil
December 22nd, 2012
7:53 pm
This game will tell me something….
If we intend to go into the playoffs “hot”, which everyone these days claims to want to see, then we had best crunch these bums tonight.
Hoping we have no injuries.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 22nd, 2012
7:53 pm
Jason
December 22nd, 2012
7:48 pm
The road to the Super Bowl…GOES THROUGH ATLANTA! Go Falcons!
___________________________________________
30-24 48-21 24-2 is not a road, it’s a dog gone valley
ha ha
Jason
December 22nd, 2012
7:53 pm
If the Falcons win tonight, what do they do against the Bucs? Go all out and just play to win? Rest the starters the entire game? Play the starters for a half and into the 3rd quarter? What? If I were the team, I’d play balls to the wall and try to win. Momentum is huge and you don’t want them to have 2 weeks off because they already have a bye the week after.
Flacons never learn
December 22nd, 2012
7:54 pm
Im gonna rite UR bosses an tell them you threated me just cuz I have truble speling
phil
December 22nd, 2012
7:54 pm
41-15?
No.
LOL at the Aints
December 22nd, 2012
7:54 pm
Should be a great blog tonight. Looks like all hands on deck! LOL
Jeff Schultz
December 22nd, 2012
7:55 pm
Harry Douglas was just in the middle of a team huddle during warmups, doing break-dancing moves. He was jumping up and landing on his chest — more than once. Doesn’t he have sore ribs?
Reggie Ball
December 22nd, 2012
7:55 pm
Does anyone care what happened to me?
Jeff Schultz
December 22nd, 2012
7:56 pm
Any stealing of somebody else’s screen name will result in banning. This is your one and only warning.
phil
December 22nd, 2012
7:56 pm
Choke does have a point…
Why don’t we win a playoff game first.
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
7:56 pm
Best thing to happen to our Falcons was they did come up short during the Panther game. It did more good for this team then bad. The Falcons are going to play with authority tonight and get out of the way or get run over by the Mighty Mighty Falcons! Go Falcons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeff Schultz
December 22nd, 2012
7:57 pm
“Joe Tess Fish House — What UR problem Shults?” <<< You.
Flacons never learn
December 22nd, 2012
7:57 pm
UR just mad that there may be a Beter QB thatn Maty Rayan
phil
December 22nd, 2012
7:57 pm
Apparently most of you are bucking for a banning….
What is going on?
Calm down, folks and prepare to…..
Boooooooooo!
Ricnic
December 22nd, 2012
7:58 pm
D-Led get better soon!
Jason
December 22nd, 2012
7:58 pm
Matt Ryan has some swagger. This whole team has a different swagger I haven’t seen from them. I like it!
Titletown Falcon Fan
December 22nd, 2012
7:58 pm
Although I do not understand them, I can appreciate trolls when they are funny and insightful, but this Choke character is just plain awful…and my opinion has nothing to do with his disdain for the Falcons, just a very weak thinker.
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2012
7:59 pm
They claim they will play the starters through the first half most likely next week ………………
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
7:59 pm
FALCONS 61 LIONS 3
Jason
December 22nd, 2012
7:59 pm
Ways to make this blog a lot better Schultz….
1) Ban “CHOKE”
2) Ban Phil
They are the same person so really you’re banning one.
"Chef" Tim Dix
December 22nd, 2012
8:00 pm
Good Lord Jeff, what kind of bet did you lose to have to GO to Detroit to cover this game? Let me tell you about this new -fangled thing sweeping the nation…
It’s called radio.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 22nd, 2012
8:00 pm
PREDICTION:
Detroit 31
Falcants 13
WHAT IT MEANS:
Falcants re-exposed….ha ha
phil
December 22nd, 2012
8:01 pm
Choke just makes me laugh…
He’s clearly a doof and moron, but it’s so pathetic as to amuse me.
And of course there’s the fact that we have collapsed in 3 straight playoff games. Choke is exactly what has happened.
JSS
December 22nd, 2012
8:02 pm
Jeff Schultz
December 22nd, 2012
7:56 pm
“Any stealing of somebody else’s screen name will result in banning. This is your one and only warning.”
Greatest falling on deaf ears warning in the history of blogging!