Live from the Dome: I’m back, and so’s the Burner
Slept fast. Went to Mass. Now I’m back downtown, chatting again. Last night was great fun — fine game, unexpected (at least by me) result, much to discuss. Example: Why did Paul Johnson call four consecutive deep passes with the game on the line? We know his stylized offense doesn’t feature the short or intermediate pass, but what about the ol’ option toss? Did PJ bail out — mixed metaphor alert — on his bread and butter?
I wish I could say I had great hope for another great game here at the Dome, but I don’t. I figure the Falcons beat the Bucs by three touchdowns. I figure the Falcons need to beat the Bucs by three touchdowns just to remind themselves they can still be a playoff-caliber team, recent results notwithstanding.
Four losses in five games will have a chilling effect on a franchise and its fans, and traffic around the Dome seemed unusually light around 11:30. (And I was running late.) Can’t imagine there’ll be a full house today, but I’m bad at predictions. Example: Tech 42, Georgia 27.
Wrongheaded though I am, I hope we can make the most of whatever this day brings. The idea is to talk about the Falcons, but we can certainly accommodate the occasional Tech-UGA submission. So I ask once again: Join me, won’t you?
Oh, and this one actual snippet of news: Michael Turner is in uniform and seems to be moving expeditiously in warmups. He’ll play. And Jerious Norwood is no longer among the inactives. That makes for a full house in the backfield, which isn’t the same thing as a full-house backfield. But it’s a most welcome sign.
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1,228 comments Add your comment
lamac66
November 29th, 2009
3:59 pm
Look at the arm on Freeman! He got that ball between 3 defenders. Helps to have an arm to get the ball into tight spots.
LantaFalcons
November 29th, 2009
4:00 pm
at least the falcons can’t be considered “dangerous” or “good” anymore. All they can do now is hope to ruin other teams chances at the playoffs.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
4:00 pm
Some folks have left, amazingly.
David
November 29th, 2009
4:00 pm
This season is over if we don’t win this one. It’s probably over, anyway, but losing at home to a talentless team without a defensive coordinator and rookie QB…. that’s the season.
Cuz
November 29th, 2009
4:00 pm
Van Gorder there is an opening in Athens you can apply for, probably one in Atlanta also not far from the Dome.
Cedrick
November 29th, 2009
4:00 pm
“Chef” Tim Dix,
Look at whats happening on the field thats why its so hard for us to let go of VICK!!
playmeortrademe
November 29th, 2009
4:00 pm
One more 1st down and its over. How many months till the Hawks choke in the playoffs?
Joe M
November 29th, 2009
4:00 pm
Here comes another pass for 1st down.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
4:00 pm
Falcons used their final timeout. Third and seven.
PMC
November 29th, 2009
4:00 pm
Season over. Start cutting people now. Elam should be packing his locker at the moment.
Same old sorry pathetic worthless falcons. year after year after year of garbage misery from this loser franchise.
David
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
Okay… can we dial up a blitz and pressure Freeman, or are we going to give him 6 seconds to scan the field and find the open receiver? I’m guessing we give him all day.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
I’m so happy the Falcons are losing. I’m so happy! SO HAPPY SO HAPPY SO HAPPY!!! This is my life long dream, ever since OBAMA bailed me out and put me on welfare for life! Nothing could be better because this is what MY WHOLE LIFE IS BASED ON. I will be so depressed when the season is over because I have nothing else to do.
I HATE WHITE PEOPLE and Falcon fans.
Dawgs2009
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
Coach Smith cannot coach this team. He is a failure! He should’ve pulled this team together by now!
Jimmy
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
Strip the ball!!!!!!!!!!
We need a stop and/or a turnover.
Give us a little bit of luck!
D.Ellis
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
Get it back with 2 minutes no TO’s for game winning drive
Cedrick
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
“Chef” Tim Dix,
Look at the EMPTY seats in the dome that why Mr. Blank misses VICK!!!
Frustrating to be a Falcon Fan
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
Just turned off the tv. Hapless Falcons. Same old same old. Have hope and they lose to a 1-9 team and make them all look like all pro players. This is the pits. Falcons lay down and give the worst team in the league a win.
j
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
mike smith is already feeling the pressure.
Dr. R
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
I’d say this game was indeed decided on the lines. Tampa’s pressure on Atlanta QBs and the Tampa line keeping the Falcons off their guy. Despite all the fancy stuff, this game is still about blocking and tackling, the basics. Team that does it best and doesn’t drop the ball wins. Speaking of which, that fumble by Snelling was a killer. They’d have been first down inside the 30 there and might have been able to do something.
uga_b
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
hopefully they will fake the punt
Sid
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
Mike Smith and Co you deserve to lose to the worst team in the NFL. Players unmotivated, unprepared and most of all you FAILED to get a new kicker during the week. INEXCUSABLE. Oh well at least my prediction of a loss came true. Truly the laughing stock of the NFL for 43 years. Even more so than the Lions.
PMC
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
9-7 was too much to hope for. It will probably be another 3 years before they are worth anything again.
THis offensive line should be bagging groceries.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
Odd call. Bucs run it.
Didn’t want a sack, I suppose. But it’s still a 52-yarder.
Cuz
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
These are the times that try men’s souls.
Joe M
November 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
Thank God they ran it.
Jimmy
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
Need a little luck here.
D.Ellis
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
MISS IT!
welikebaseball2
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
Uh oh, Falcons versus 3rd Down…okay, good stop. They let us off the hook by not passing! LOL
John
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
Matt is walking around, this is the playoffs on the line here…I’m just saying, Stafford played with a separated shoulder…Yeah, $h!t happens…field goal kickers miss field goals….remember Roddy & Jenkins, couldn’t catch a cold when Vick was here..no excuse then…no excuse now!
yoda
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
MB they ain’t trying to save time…they’re just prolonging the agony!!!!!!!!!
PMC
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
Can we sell this group to Calgary too?
dawgfan1911
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
A rookie is out playing a 10 year vet at the QB position and the defense didnt blitz, NOT sure Y????? I am so sick of the Falcons and glad the bulldogs are done. That win against Georgia Tech did nuthing for me! Georgia football is very poor, especially on defense! GTech will lose to Clemson next week and we will have another wasted football season in the state of Georgia. Threew teams with Horrible Defenses, all of the players look clueless on all three teams! How Pathetic!
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
And it’s no good.
Odd call on third down.
D.Ellis
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
YEAH LETS GO WIN THIS GAME BABY!!!!!!
COME ON O!!!!!!!!
Jimmy
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
Got lucky! Let’s do it now!
JJ
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
Good lord Raheem Morris is the worst game manager I have ever seen. Or maybe with just 1 win he doesn’t care.
Dawgs Man
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
Matt ” Choke ” Ryan. Loser!
Joe M
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
Whew! But can Redmon really take us down to score? We better max-protect!
Cuz
November 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
Missed it.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
4:03 pm
Falcons at the 41, 2 1/2 minutes left.
Joe M
November 29th, 2009
4:03 pm
Redmond. My bad.
playmeortrademe
November 29th, 2009
4:03 pm
Tampa wants to give us this game…. TAKE IT!!!
David
November 29th, 2009
4:03 pm
Wish Ryan was in right now. The way we’ve been moving it on offense (and the way we’ve been blocking), I don’t feel too comforable right now.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
4:03 pm
Redman underthrows Tony on first down.
"Chef" Tim Dix
November 29th, 2009
4:03 pm
Think about this : how many snaps has TB’s QB lined up under center?
Dare I say more than Matty in HIS career?
Just saying.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
November 29th, 2009
4:03 pm
An ELITE quarterback would not let a so-called toe injury stop him from leading his team. A freakin pinky, I mean toe injury. Coach Smith, I have a boo boo
Hell Matt Stafford (a rookie) played through a SEPARATED SHOULDER!
CHOKE is a big something rhythms with a cat
“DUMP THE CHUMP”
Jimmy
November 29th, 2009
4:03 pm
The old Redman is back.
Joe M
November 29th, 2009
4:03 pm
Good gracious his arm looks weak.
45ACP
November 29th, 2009
4:03 pm
There is something wrong with my TV. It shows the Falcons losing to Tampa Bay.
Vol4ever
November 29th, 2009
4:03 pm
Simply pathetic. No excuses for his BS.