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
mountain_jim
November 29th, 2009
2:28 pm
Think we end the no back-to-back winning seasons streak?
I am starting to doubt it, and if we lose this game I really will doubt it.
j
November 29th, 2009
2:29 pm
Ryan needs to be back in.
ryan is done for the day. what do you expect him to do when he comes back? the guy will be a sitting duck for stiles g.
lamac66
November 29th, 2009
2:29 pm
Did I hear boo’s as they left the field? should be able to get great seats by seasons end.
@Ruraleducation,
Hell, you should get “good” seat now if you work for some corporation. Where do you think all that money went for the so-called collection for the Mike Smith fine went?
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
2:29 pm
The o-line was great last season. The hidden key to everything. It has been less great this time.
"Chef" Tim Dix
November 29th, 2009
2:29 pm
Halftime show featuring the Hosea Williams Singers and the Reginald Eaves Dancers!
reebok
November 29th, 2009
2:29 pm
The Falcons are weak on both lines and absolutely terrible in the defensive backfield. The consecutive winning-season curse continues.
Extremus
November 29th, 2009
2:29 pm
Mr. Bradley,
Understood regarding the salary cap. And I agree with you that the DBs are the most pressing need. But can it be done, do you think? Can we address all of these needs given those limitations in only one offseason? If not, then I’m afraid “the process” may take some time longer than we’d all like to see. Guess this offseason we’ll see just how good Dimitroff can be as a GM.
Hawkster
November 29th, 2009
2:30 pm
Tried to escape this debacle by switching to Hawks game….uggggh….didn’t work.
Cedrick
November 29th, 2009
2:30 pm
Hey Mark Bradley,
“John Abraham has disappeared before our very eyes.”
You have to be allowed to do what you do best and not drop him (Abraham) into zone coverage. Thats what Vangorder is doing to Abe right not. Abraham is not calling the defensive calls.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
2:30 pm
This is actually a cute halftime show. Tin soldiers and ballerinas and chipmunks and snowmen and even a snowglobe. Presented by the Georgia Lottery.
Cedrick
November 29th, 2009
2:32 pm
lamac66,
They will be giving some tickets away at Home Depot in a few weeks to help drum up business.. HAHAHAHAHA
"Chef" Tim Dix
November 29th, 2009
2:32 pm
Hawks first taste of a period of adversity. How will Woodson respond?
JJ
November 29th, 2009
2:32 pm
It looks bad right now, but I still give Atlanta a 75% chance to win this game by a couple of TDs. Van Gorder will make some adjustments at halftime.
GoTech610
November 29th, 2009
2:32 pm
Cedrick,
I can’t agree with you more. It was a poor, poor day for the ACC. But those games happen. GT is 2-1 against this SEC this year at least they schedule SEC teams.
GT came out flat like they knew they would win and they played like it. Defense needs one more year and another coordinator. UGA hadn’t been able to run on the worst defenses all year, until last night. The GT defense was suspect all year and they let up last night, it finally caught up to them. The turnover’s on offense didn’t help. Jaybo had no business throwing the ball like he did and Nesbitt and Dwyer hadn’t messed up the mesh all year and they did it twice last night.
Just not a good night for the Jackets. They lost the turnover margin and still almost won though.
50 feet to your left
November 29th, 2009
2:33 pm
the chik-fil-a cows have been out air-dropped by whatever that halftime show was. the t-shirts are still falling from the sky.
"Chef" Tim Dix
November 29th, 2009
2:34 pm
Mark, in the snow globe is that snow or losing cash 3 tickets?
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
2:35 pm
A bad sign: Wilson and Redman warming up, but not Ryan.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
2:36 pm
I’m guessing that means Ryan is out for the game. And if he’s out for this one, he might be out longer.
MiltonDawg
November 29th, 2009
2:36 pm
This game could get ugly, secondary looks lost AGAIN out there. Do we even have a sack yet?
yoda
November 29th, 2009
2:37 pm
Is it my imagination or what, but whenever somebody yells pass the secondary does a duck an run. Ole Smitty and Dimitroff must see something in these peckerwood DB’s that they forget to bring on gameday.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
2:37 pm
Official word: Ryan will not return to the game.
MiltonDawg
November 29th, 2009
2:37 pm
If Ryan is out, God help us all!!! Redman looks ok, but scared in the pocket.
Jimmy
November 29th, 2009
2:38 pm
The offensive line played great last year, yes,
But they were not playing a lot of top tier defenses either.
And Sam Baker was not playing.
I think Baker is a guard–not a tackle.
Look at how many sacks the Bucs–The BUCS have on us!
Clearly, we have a lot of holes.
We need a left tackle who can pass protect.
DB’s
What else?
"Chef" Tim Dix
November 29th, 2009
2:39 pm
Does Laura freelance?
Say at the GoldRush?
Rural Education
November 29th, 2009
2:39 pm
The Falcons have looked less physical than almost every team they have played, Why?
David
November 29th, 2009
2:39 pm
It’s almost hard for me to watch us play defense. Why is it that every offense we play that has struggled suddenly comes to life when they play the Falcons?
Did McKay really draft this poorly for so many years? Is there a possibility of SOMEHOW trading up in the draft and grabbing Eric Berry? We need help, and he could help with the run and the pass, which are both pitiful.
Extremus
November 29th, 2009
2:39 pm
Hopefully Ryan’s injury is not long-term; injuries alone have really been a frustration for this year’s Falcons, and admittedly you can’t predict or defend against those (although blocking for your quarterback tends to help). Maybe Redman can help us eke out a win here and then we’ll see what happens going into next week. If we lose, however, we’ll pretty much be riding out the string, and if that’s the case I wouldn’t rush getting Ryan back out there at all.
TMoney
November 29th, 2009
2:39 pm
Abraham on the whiff.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
2:39 pm
Good news: Abraham rushed the passer. Bad news: He whiffed on the sack.
Jimmy
November 29th, 2009
2:40 pm
Add a D Lineman to the list. No add two.
"Chef" Tim Dix
November 29th, 2009
2:40 pm
Hey I just heard Abe’s name called…
MiltonDawg
November 29th, 2009
2:40 pm
UGLY!! C’mon Abraham!!!
lamac66
November 29th, 2009
2:41 pm
Ryan needs to be back in.
ryan is done for the day. what do you expect him to do when he comes back? the guy will be a sitting duck for stiles g.
@J
He was a sitting duck when he was in the game so….But I would expect him to get back in the game just to try it out then call it a day. But hey Redmond is doing better than Ryan was before the injury so….
"Chef" Tim Dix
November 29th, 2009
2:41 pm
MiltonDawg: when I saw UGLY I thought Laura.
JJ
November 29th, 2009
2:42 pm
Abraham almost hit 93 in the leg with his helmet. 93 looked pissed.
JJ
November 29th, 2009
2:42 pm
Hawks making a run…
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
2:42 pm
The Falcons have not announced a diagnosis on Ryan’s injury beyond “an injured toe.” If it were just a bruise, they’d have said — wouldn’t they?
Jimmy
November 29th, 2009
2:42 pm
Eric Berry would be a great pickup. We would have to mortgage the whole team to get him though.
TMoney
November 29th, 2009
2:43 pm
Dahl, Baker, and Ryan all out.
Jimmy
November 29th, 2009
2:43 pm
The falcons won’t announce Ryan’s injury until required to do so by the league.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
November 29th, 2009
2:43 pm
Did the CHOKE see a podiatrist yet?
I think he is faking it. He is trying to duck all the POOR play he has been stinking on the field.
There is nothing wrong with his toe and if it is, so what – SUCK IT UP!
You are getting paid franchise money – get your sorry butt back on the field.
Yes, he is faking it!
The team will still be 1-5 in the last 6 games – they are toast. Can’t even beat a 1-9 team at home, who has fired their offensive & defensive coordinators.
The CHOKE is not just WEAK he can’t take the heat.
He is a BUST
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
2:44 pm
I spoke incorrectly earlier. Redman had, according to D-Led, taken two snaps against San Fran this year. Had not thrown a pass in 27 games.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
2:44 pm
Falcons didn’t even line up correctly. Then they throw an incompletion.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
2:45 pm
This is pretty bad, injuries aside.
TMoney
November 29th, 2009
2:45 pm
3 & out. But at least it wasn’t a sack or turnover.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
2:45 pm
Got worse. Blocked punt.
JJ
November 29th, 2009
2:45 pm
That was quite possibly the worst 3-play series I have ever seen an offense try to run in the history of football.
TMoney
November 29th, 2009
2:46 pm
Blocked punt, we just look horrible today.
Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2009
2:46 pm
Getting booed some.
Falcon_Dawg
November 29th, 2009
2:46 pm
THis is freakin’ pathetic. All of the sudden this team has no fire in their bellies. Completely flat, and then allow a punt to be blocked ugh!