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
phil
December 22nd, 2012
11:37 pm
I take that back….
Always glad to win but this was ridiculous defensively.
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
11:37 pm
We are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jason
December 22nd, 2012
11:38 pm
Lions must have like 30 first downs
Falcons65
December 22nd, 2012
11:38 pm
Home field. Merry Christmas, indeed.
Roger
December 22nd, 2012
11:38 pm
nice win falcons home field advantage suck on that haters!
Growler
December 22nd, 2012
11:38 pm
@Eric C.. I know, right? That play call was mind-boggling.. just hope something similar doesn’t happen next month, that’s all that matters…
jo
December 22nd, 2012
11:38 pm
A little sloppy but the falcons scored when they had to. Good job if underwhelming.
Sam
December 22nd, 2012
11:38 pm
Is mike smith on a hot seat if he doesn’t win a playoff game
phil
December 22nd, 2012
11:38 pm
I take that back…
Alwaysnglad to win, but…..
JSS
December 22nd, 2012
11:38 pm
And phil, that put ‘em over 500 yards…
FalconUGAFan
December 22nd, 2012
11:39 pm
Congrats Falcons! Thanks for the great season…Let’s continue in the playoffs!
FalconWin
December 22nd, 2012
11:40 pm
WHO CARES FALCONS WIN!!!!
phil
December 22nd, 2012
11:40 pm
Yep.
500 yards. Your falcons.
And yes, smith will do something stupid to mess this up.
He always does.
DawgNole
December 22nd, 2012
11:40 pm
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2012
11:34 pm
Be a 13- 3 team this year………………………which is better…………play the starters all game long next week or give em a break and lose……………….
______________________
Why not give ‘em a break and WIN?! Losing should NOT be a part of the equation–and is NEVER acceptable.
Voice of Reason
December 22nd, 2012
11:40 pm
CHOKE the JOKE!!! What do you have to say now!! Best record in the NFC!!!!!!!!!
Falcons65
December 22nd, 2012
11:40 pm
Nice to get it done. Feels good, man.
phil
December 22nd, 2012
11:41 pm
Ryan is a CJ fan….
I don’t like that garbage.
Roger
December 22nd, 2012
11:41 pm
do we sit starters next game or play em?
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
11:41 pm
Nice comments from Ryan about Megatron…….It is great to see a player be as much a FAN as a Competitor.
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
11:42 pm
Falcons are the best forget the rest
Rob
December 22nd, 2012
11:42 pm
Snelling wouldn’t have gotten that safety, he runs hard, Someone needs to tell turner that he weighs 250lb. And stop DANCING
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2012
11:42 pm
Yup, home field……………….and past losing experience makes the Falcons really going to be hard to beat this go-round …………….enjoy the weekend fellas and Merry Christmas to you all ! You too Jeff !
Voice of Reason
December 22nd, 2012
11:42 pm
JOKE, please crawl under your Eagle, dung-ridden rock. We will look for your garbage wherever your favorite player lands …
playmeortrademe
December 22nd, 2012
11:42 pm
Good win, everyone can get healthy.
But does it seem like Mike Smith and the coaches put it on autopilot sometimes, like the 3rd quarter and the safety? I hope the intensity of the playoffs changes all that. Real football starts in three weeks.
JSS
December 22nd, 2012
11:42 pm
Oh, and tell your boy Thomas Brown, ask me again what that “50+ passes” stat means again… That kid is a statistical moron…
Growler
December 22nd, 2012
11:43 pm
See you all January 12th. Happy Holidays and New Year!
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
11:43 pm
matt ryan said that cause it the right thing to say, ask CJ to look at Matt Ryan’s bling in his super bowl ring and records mean nothing, championships dont get broken
Season Ticket Holder
December 22nd, 2012
11:43 pm
The Falcons will have to find an answer to the running game. Turner is lost his mojo.
Ivan
December 22nd, 2012
11:44 pm
Falcons won handily. Merry Christmas
13-2!!!!!!!!!
December 22nd, 2012
11:44 pm
Choke is too busy crying with his best bud Vick.
jo
December 22nd, 2012
11:44 pm
I say don’t sit starters next week. Play them unless we get way ahead. Too much time off will create rust like we saw in the 2010 playoffs!
DawgNole
December 22nd, 2012
11:44 pm
Voice of Reason
December 22nd, 2012
11:40 pm
CHOKE the JOKE!!! What do you have to say now!! Best record in the NFC!!!!!!!!!
__________________
He won’t be saying much of anything anymore–hopefully. He left in a snit when Jeff warned him about the nature of his posts. Made my night!
playmeortrademe
December 22nd, 2012
11:46 pm
Johnson breaking Rice’s record and Peterson maybe breaking Dickerson’s record is nothing more than an indication of how pitiful NFL defenses have become. No fundamentals, no tackling, they barely hit each other in practices anymore. Falcons are exhibit A of how bad tackling fundamentals have become.
stendek
December 22nd, 2012
11:48 pm
Hi Jeff. Glad Falcons won but there is always a but. Falcons have two potentially fatal weaknesses! One is Michael Turner. Do not give this slow foot the ball any time or anywhere. Especially in end zone! Then there is D Robinson. This guy is a total liability! So what if he hits hard? How about defending a pass once in a while? Falcons did get W in Motown. Clinched home field throughout playoffs. Now is time to get serious! Merry Christmas all. Peace.
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
11:49 pm
When you can’t head hunt and a WR is not afraid to do gator arms,,is it really breaking a record?
Drew
December 22nd, 2012
11:49 pm
The playoffs will go through Atlanta, for one game, then that’ll be the end of that and it’ll be back in Green Bay.
Atlanta Falcons… one and done.
Bah humbug
December 22nd, 2012
11:49 pm
Falcons will win the NFC? The Falcons can’t even win the KFC!!!
Bah! Humbug!
Get Back Jojo
December 22nd, 2012
11:49 pm
Nice job Falcons!! What was that about a playoff atmosphere?
Hey “CHOKE”, ESPN…..All the other naysayers…….
HOW YA LIKE US NOW?
GO FALCONS!!!!!
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
11:49 pm
playmeortrademe…………….I didn’t see people making many good tackles on Dickerson or Rice when they were making their records. I think that is because the players making the records cause people to not make good tackles.
jo
December 22nd, 2012
11:50 pm
Looks like falcons will be overshadowed by receiving record. There was conceal time when being the best in the nfc. Would be a big deal.. espn stinks.
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
11:50 pm
*to have to do gator arms
Voice of Reason
December 22nd, 2012
11:51 pm
JOKE – just saw you stopped posting about 3 hours ago. Wonder why. Me thinks that makes you troll dung …
Eric C.
December 22nd, 2012
11:51 pm
Growler, that play needs to be burned. Anyway, good win.
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
11:54 pm
Tiger Woods is a crappy golfer. None of his records matter cause the Golf ball is better. The clubs are bigger the courses are too nice……Tiger Woods couldn’t carry Bobby Jones golf bag……….
Eric C.
December 22nd, 2012
11:54 pm
Unfortunately, there were some plays where Turner was obviously not up to speed. Forget running turner outside…no more toss sweeps for Turner! He is too slow to cut up field through a seam…
Turner the “play” burner!!!!
jo
December 22nd, 2012
11:55 pm
Remember the Texans only won in detroit because of a bad ref call and GB bareheaded won too. All things being equal, falcons played Detroit better than they did despite Turner and a lethargic defense.
phil
December 22nd, 2012
11:56 pm
The CJ lovefest continues unabated…..
Please.
stendek
December 22nd, 2012
11:57 pm
When Falcon D plays with intensity it shuts out NYG! When not it loses badly to Carolina and gives up tons of yardage to Detroit. So it goes…
agent7g
December 22nd, 2012
11:59 pm
1892 yards. Great. 5 TDs. Nope.
phil
December 22nd, 2012
11:59 pm
Merry Christmas to you all!
Even the ones who may hate it.