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
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
8:25 pm
No Calvin Johnson breaking records on the Falcons watch!!!!!!!!!
Roger
December 22nd, 2012
8:25 pm
My prediction for the game:
As soon as the game gets close or not a Falcon blowout, Phil begins to say, On no, not again. Same old falcons…boo…We are doomed…Ive been a Falcons fan since 4000BC and this always happens…
Jimmy
December 22nd, 2012
8:25 pm
Time to light up the Lions!
LOL at the Aints
December 22nd, 2012
8:26 pm
Getem Jeff!! JS in a chippy mood tonight, I guess if i was in Detroit I would be in a foul mood too! LOL
phil
December 22nd, 2012
8:26 pm
Mercer whipped Alabama in basketball today…
I love those boys. Should’ve whipped Georgia, wake and george mason too and did beat FSU a few weeks ago.
Tough team, those Bears.
Pigskin
December 22nd, 2012
8:26 pm
Breathe y’all !!!
Lets DO this !!
Roger
December 22nd, 2012
8:26 pm
And Phil. I say that as a joke being I have been dissapointed too many times by the Falcons, but as serious in this is a weekly think lol
"Chef" Tim Dix
December 22nd, 2012
8:26 pm
Mike Tureco (sp?) is a great announcer, period. Could do play by play on just about anything and do it well.
Jason
December 22nd, 2012
8:26 pm
Phil is a “so so” fan. He doesn’t like the Falcons even when they are up on the defending Super Bowl champs 34-0. If we win the Super Bowl his excuse will be “But yeah we did it with home field, would have been better had we won on the road.” Can’t please some people.
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
8:27 pm
SCHULTZ is a lil edgy tonight. I guess being in DETROIT around those mean spirited Yankee Sports Writers he had some of their attitude rub off on him. LOL
Roger
December 22nd, 2012
8:27 pm
Michigan is a blight upon the United States!
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
8:27 pm
if the Braves were losing 7-0 and the other team has a perfect game with 2 outs, I pull for my team to get a hit instead of watching a perfect game by the other teams pitcher! GO FALCONS
phil
December 22nd, 2012
8:28 pm
Roger, you’re exactly right.
We’re in trouble already since everyone is picking us tonight.
C’mon, man!
DawgNole
December 22nd, 2012
8:28 pm
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2012
8:16 pm
Let choke play Jeff ………….he isn’t a pain, he doesn’t hurt nobody…………we know how to deal with it………………..
____________________
Get over it. We shouldn’t HAVE to deal with it. He brought NOTHING of value to the blog. NOTHING whatsoever. A hater and liar at best.
Jimmy
December 22nd, 2012
8:29 pm
ESPN giving the Birds unanamous love.
It is a bad omen.
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2012
8:29 pm
lol at Roger……………………..
phil
December 22nd, 2012
8:30 pm
Jason, i’ve been a diehard since 1977.
You are beyond clueless. Go drink another. And merry christmas anyway.
Michael M.
December 22nd, 2012
8:30 pm
yup as soon as a Falcon turns the wrong way !………………….hehehehe
JSS
December 22nd, 2012
8:31 pm
“Michigan is blight upon the United States”
Ha ha, yeah right (Wallace, Bilbo, Maddox, Connor, Helms, and Thurmond), those names ring a bell? Stick to football games…
DawgNole
December 22nd, 2012
8:32 pm
phil
December 22nd, 2012
8:26 pm
Mercer whipped Alabama in basketball today…
I love those boys. Should’ve whipped Georgia, wake and george mason too and did beat FSU a few weeks ago.
_______________________
Didja HAVE to mention those UGA and FSU games?
phil
December 22nd, 2012
8:33 pm
Let’s tonight enjoy the Christmas present that is Tony Gonzalez!
What a great, great player we’ve had in this man these last few years.
We have been fortunate to have him.
Roger
December 22nd, 2012
8:34 pm
unemployment and crime, Michigan near the top
My friends in Ohio dare not go to Detroit at night
Jason
December 22nd, 2012
8:34 pm
Hope we get the ball first.
Mariage Parfait Gueze
December 22nd, 2012
8:34 pm
Rise up
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
8:35 pm
I will be wearing a Free Choke T-shirt unless he really said racist comments. I only heard him refer to our playoff record and had this crazy thought that Matt Ryan was not good which is the one thing that made me mad but it was his opinion.
DawgNole
December 22nd, 2012
8:35 pm
Hawks blowing out the Bulls–so far. Let’s make it an ATL sweep!
phil
December 22nd, 2012
8:35 pm
I’m a dawg first, dawgnole, but not when the hometown Bears play em. It’s my only exception.
Pay em some attention, folks. These guys are well coached and can play some ball. 8th in the nation in points allowed. Not bad for ANY team, much less Mercer.
Roger
December 22nd, 2012
8:35 pm
JSS all those Demorats can pack up and go north too
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
I heard TG on the Dan Patrick show he would of came back after this year but since the Falcons are going to win the Super Bowl, he will retire and be missed. I really see him in a Falcon jersey, I use to think of him as a Chief. What a great man!!!!!!
Roger
December 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
and I was no fan of idiot jessie helms
falconsrus
December 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
Merry Cristmas Falcon fans and Jeff “the funny one” Shultz
JSS
December 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
That is cause they can’t past Toledo…. Stick to football, your provincial character is showing… They CoAmerica, Joe Louis, and the Greektown casinos just like the rest of the bandwagons sometime jam the Georgia Dome (15 minutes after kickoff)…
Roger
December 22nd, 2012
8:38 pm
Lets go Falcons…sorry to post off topic
Jeff Schultz
December 22nd, 2012
8:38 pm
Lions win toss, choose to receive.
falconsrus
December 22nd, 2012
8:38 pm
Christmas oops
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
8:39 pm
RISE UP and bring the Pain Falcons!!!!!!! wooo hoooooo lets get it started
phil
December 22nd, 2012
8:39 pm
Win the super bowl?
Keep the cart BEHIND the horse….please.
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
8:39 pm
I hope DOL get better but I want to see a picture of Suh like the picture of DOL on this page. Hurt SUH.
Macon Fan
December 22nd, 2012
8:39 pm
Play ball, already.
LOL at the Aints
December 22nd, 2012
8:40 pm
JSS, this is Atlanta,, get over it! LOL
45ACP
December 22nd, 2012
8:40 pm
Does anyone know what the hell JSS is talking about?
phil
December 22nd, 2012
8:40 pm
Lost the toss?
Booooooooooooo!!
DawgNole
December 22nd, 2012
8:41 pm
goFalcons
December 22nd, 2012
8:35 pm
I will be wearing a Free Choke T-shirt unless he really said racist comments. I only heard him refer to our playoff record and had this crazy thought that Matt Ryan was not good which is the one thing that made me mad but it was his opinion.
_______________________
Then you haven’t been following his dialogue–and you and your T-shirt will be in the tiny minority on this blog.
JSS
December 22nd, 2012
8:41 pm
Roger
December 22nd, 2012
8:35 pm
“JSS all those Demorats can pack up and go north too”
Why? They can just change parties and stay in Georgia, Bama, Mississippi, and South Carolina
Roger
December 22nd, 2012
8:41 pm
provincial like getting advanced degrees in the UK and China, working in Korea, Europe and Japan most of my life…enlighten me about your more worldly background?
Macon Fan
December 22nd, 2012
8:41 pm
Oh crap. Should not have kicked off so deep. Defeat is certain.
Jeff Schultz
December 22nd, 2012
8:42 pm
First boos. Justified. Who burns a timeout after 1st play?
Jason
December 22nd, 2012
8:42 pm
Detroit trying to get the ball to Calvin early. Can’t say I blame em.
phil
December 22nd, 2012
8:42 pm
Calvin johnson already….
Sigh.
Farnsworthy
December 22nd, 2012
8:42 pm
Lions won the toss?
It’s over.