Live from the Dome: The risen Falcons eye their culmination
A proud patron on Dec. 10, 2007. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
It was a Monday night in December, and the Saints were in town. It was not a tough ticket. It was simply tough to watch.
It was Dec. 10, 2007. Earlier in the day Michael Vick had been sentenced to 23 months in jail by a judge in Richmond, Va. That night the team Vick used to lead lost to New Orleans 34-14 under the Georgia Dome to fall to 3-10. The next night would see Bobby Petrino, who had coached the Falcons those 13 games, being introduced as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks.
For a franchise that had seen its share of valleys, that week — it closed with the Falcons losing 37-3 under interim coach Emmitt Thomas in Tampa — was the nadir. It was possible to view this city’s NFL entry as having nothing: No coach, no quarterback, no hope.
On a Monday night three years and 17 days later, the Falcons again played host to the Saints on a Monday night, and this time it wasn’t a occasion best avoided. It was, on the contrary, an event being billed as the biggest home regular-season in the Falcons’ 46 seasons of operation. Win and the Falcons would, in one fell swoop — and Falcons do swoop, last we checked — do all of the following:
• Beat their biggest rival, who happens to be the reigning Super Bowl titlist.
• Win their division for only the fourth time ever.
• Clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
That the Falcons could actually lose to the Saints and still accomplish Nos. 2 and 3 on the above list by beating woeful Carolina here six days later meant nothing to the man who’d made all this happen. In January 2008 Falcons owner Arthur Blank had interviewed New England’s chief scout from Boulder, Col., via Webcam, and such was the impression Thomas Dimitroff made that he was named general manager.
Within 12 months, Dimitroff had hired a coach (Mike Smith) and signed a feature back (Michael Turner) and drafted a quarterback (Matt Ryan) and lifted this woebegone franchise, miracle of miracles, to the playoffs. From there the men of Dimitty and Smitty have moved from strength to strength: A second consecutive winning season under arduous circumstances last season, and now 12 victories over the first 14 games of 2010. Funny how much easier things work with folks of surpassing smarts in charge.
But back to Dimitroff on Monday afternoon: He lives in Buckhead, but he’d abandoned the family home. He called the director of team travel and asked for a room at the team hotel downtown, Dimitroff said, “so I can get some work done and return phone calls.” But he wasn’t too harried to read AJC.com — presumably the Falcons get complimentary wireless — and he felt compelled to ring one writer (i.e., me) and remind him of an unusually sunny forecast offered in preseason.
“You going to be there tonight?” Dimitroff said. Then: “It should be something.”
It was convenient in December 2007 to say that Vick’s indictment/incarceration had set the Falcons back three years. As it turned out, they made the playoffs in their first season under Dimitroff, and nearly every move since has sped the plow. The trade for Tony Gonzalez last year and the signing of Dunta Robinson this spring were moves that had to be made if the Falcons were to be taken seriously, and we saw in big-time tests against Baltimore and Green Bay how serious this team is.
And now it was a Monday night in December in the final week of calendar 2010, and a culmination was there to be grasped, a culmination nobody could have foreseen three years and 17 days ago. In December 2007 the operative emotion regarding the Falcons was pity. We feel sorry for them no more. We feel only admiration.
And with that, the floor is again open for questions, comments and Christmas caroling. I’ll be here all game, and I’d appreciate the company. It gets mighty lonesome with only 70,000 of my best pals around.
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1,621 comments Add your comment
Katherine
December 27th, 2010
10:07 pm
low scoring game so far
todd grantham
December 27th, 2010
10:07 pm
the games been somewhat of a yawner though.
Mark Bradley
December 27th, 2010
10:08 pm
Arthur M. Blank wears Jeff VanGorder shirts.
Falcons2010
December 27th, 2010
10:08 pm
“except that the game is over”
I’m having fun watching this exhibition game! And it would be nice to know whether or not the Birds would have won if the NFL played 4 quarters
DAWG 555
December 27th, 2010
10:08 pm
I sure miss the days of Cosell, Gifford and Dandy Don. Yes, I am showing my age, but these announcers suck
todd grantham
December 27th, 2010
10:08 pm
Mr. Blank prefers furs designed by Brad Van Pelt.
FHZ
December 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
Turner runs sideways because the Falcons O-Line cannot clear holes up the middle..
Falcons O-Line is going to face the D-Lines of The Saints (again), Eagles…maybe The Giants or The Bears..
It’s not going to be any better form here on out.
Reality Check
December 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
@Vick Supporter
Hey thanks for passing on that link of qb rankings.
They have Vick ranked in the Elite column and Noodle arm at number 8 in the “Cusp” column – what does that mean….ha ha ha.
The Elite
3. Michael Vick, PHI: There isn’t a more dangerous player in football. He’s the only quarterback in the league who can routinely beat you for 300 through the air and 100 on the ground at an efficient rate.
Saints Suck
December 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
Gruden has figured out that rushing 4 is not a blitz. No wonder that idiot is out of a job,
Tough Nolla Guy
December 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
when r y’all going to rise up?
Sean
December 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
I just think its sad that the game is over. Second half probably would have been pretty good
Jimmy
December 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
Ed “Count” Hocula and the stripes are calling a poor game.
Saints coverage is way too physical.
There’s a lot of illegal downfield contact that is not being called.
todd grantham
December 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
and his favorite snack is a little dessert made by Mark Lemonjello.
Katherine
December 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
I’m feeling good about the 2nd half too……
Vick Supporter
December 27th, 2010
10:10 pm
The Great Brian Williams,lol
how2fish
December 27th, 2010
10:10 pm
DAWG 555 I agree they were great together and when Don starting picking on Cosell it was priceless !
Sean
December 27th, 2010
10:10 pm
Gruden is generally pretty good. Others not so much. Troy Aikman is decent, as is Chris Collingsworth.
Falcons2010
December 27th, 2010
10:10 pm
If Todd could have snapped the ball correctly, the Falcons would be leading 7-3 at the half and would have kept the Saints out of the endzone for the first half .. which would have been a really good sign.
just obvious
December 27th, 2010
10:10 pm
Jimmy
December 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
Ed “Count” Hocula and the stripes are calling a poor game.
Saints coverage is way too physical.
There’s a lot of illegal downfield contact that is not being called.
It is very obvious.
todd grantham
December 27th, 2010
10:11 pm
the game MIGHT be over.
Katherine
December 27th, 2010
10:11 pm
Tough Nolla Guy
December 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
when r y’all going to rise up?
You must not have seen the falcons in the 2nd half this season
mac
December 27th, 2010
10:11 pm
Well..here we are on the national stage of monday night football..The Falcons look like pure T *&^%!!
They talk about Respect!? For What?? Stinking up the joint!!?? No Way In hell They Advance in the play offs!!
Tough Nolla Guy
December 27th, 2010
10:11 pm
y’all better score your first posession. ‘cons are tired. the second half will be easy.
todd grantham
December 27th, 2010
10:11 pm
all 3 of these announcers make Howard Cosell seem understated.
Headley Lamar
December 27th, 2010
10:12 pm
First time ill bet in awhile the Falcons haven’t run more plays in the first half.
Falcons2010
December 27th, 2010
10:12 pm
“when r y’all going to rise up?”
well it’s not like the Saints are running and passing up and down the field scoring on every possession, so unless it comes to that … the Falcons can Rise Up whenever they feel like it
drmondo
December 27th, 2010
10:12 pm
I just want our coordinators to adjust more than NO will after halftime. There’s been times (Philly) where they’ve just appeared lost. They’ve also done a really good job other times. This is a big game, so step up!!
Najeh Davenpoop
December 27th, 2010
10:12 pm
Big hold by the Falcons D, especially since the Falcons get the ball to start the 2nd half. The way the half ended you kinda get the feeling the Falcons are going to get points on that first possession.
Tough Nolla Guy
December 27th, 2010
10:13 pm
Katherine
December 27th, 2010
10:11 pm
Tough Nolla Guy
December 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
when r y’all going to rise up?
You must not have seen the falcons in the 2nd half this season
—–
really. not tonight baby. you are playing the sb champs, y’all are lucky the refs refused to call that blatant inteference call against decoud.
he ran into the receiver
todd grantham
December 27th, 2010
10:14 pm
I wouldnt have wanted to be on that plane with Ronnie Van Zant.
just obvious
December 27th, 2010
10:14 pm
Tonight’s game would be a nice win, but a loss does not change anything for the Falcons. Home field by beating the Panthers.
FHZ
December 27th, 2010
10:14 pm
Low-scoring = favors The Falcons here..
Even Roddy does not score many quick, long Touchdowns..
He’s all that The Falcons have, (or all the Ryan looks for deep).
The coverage is good tonight.. (or as good as The Falcons will get against The Saints).
It’s not the pass-rush.. Brees has time, but he’s facing good coverage.
If the Falcons don’t loosen-things-up on offense, their defense will tire, and Brees may bust them..
Douglass isn’t the same…yet.
gary32
December 27th, 2010
10:14 pm
We should have 3 or 4 sacks on Brees cannot keep letting him escape!!!!
todd grantham
December 27th, 2010
10:15 pm
and i never really liked Abagail Van Buren.
Mark Bradley
December 27th, 2010
10:16 pm
How about Marco Van Basten?
gary32
December 27th, 2010
10:16 pm
our defense has brees on his heels with the blitz
how2fish
December 27th, 2010
10:16 pm
Tough Nolla Guy you still whining about that ??
Tough Nolla Guy
December 27th, 2010
10:16 pm
Falcons2010
December 27th, 2010
10:12 pm
“when r y’all going to rise up?”
well it’s not like the Saints are running and passing up and down the field scoring on every possession, so unless it comes to that … the Falcons can Rise Up whenever they feel like it
—–
if you score 7 and we score 10 you know the outcome. so much for the homefield advantage. first posession y’all better do something or will will put you out of your misery.
all that talk by roddy and this is what you have to show for it?
come on folks, do something.
80sFalcon
December 27th, 2010
10:16 pm
Why does no one respect the Falcons? We can’t even get a highlight in our own building
todd grantham
December 27th, 2010
10:16 pm
but i do like Van Morrison’s music.
Mark Bradley
December 27th, 2010
10:17 pm
Saints with 153 first-half yards, Falcons 122. Good D being played tonight.
K-Dub
December 27th, 2010
10:17 pm
Gruden… C’Mon man!
Tough Nolla Guy
December 27th, 2010
10:18 pm
no running game. that fat boy can’t run sideways? he’s like a horse stuck in mud.
Tpeg
December 27th, 2010
10:19 pm
Great D game, but I feel as if the shoot out is coming. 4th quarter, our D holds longer than theres. Besides, Brees has to be getting tired from the sheer terror of seeing our jerseys everywhere.
Saints Suck
December 27th, 2010
10:19 pm
Falcons have shut down the Saints run. They have put a lot of pressure in Breeze by rarely blitzing. Reggie Bush is not a factor. Turner has been shut down, but Ryan seems to have a bead on the NO secondary.
Tough Nolla Guy
December 27th, 2010
10:19 pm
the only thing i see rising up so far is arfur blank’s head after he stuffs his face.
Katherine
December 27th, 2010
10:19 pm
Tough Nolla Guy
December 27th, 2010
10:18 pm
no running game. that fat boy can’t run sideways? he’s like a horse stuck in mud.
What an ignorant comment…you only wish you were in as good of shape
how2fish
December 27th, 2010
10:20 pm
Tough Nolla Guy I really suggest you pray we aren’t within 3 points with 4-5 mins left..rise up !
Mark Bradley
December 27th, 2010
10:20 pm
Those ol’ halftime adjustments — who made them?
Tough Nolla Guy
December 27th, 2010
10:20 pm
Katherine
December 27th, 2010
10:19 pm
Tough Nolla Guy
December 27th, 2010
10:18 pm
no running game. that fat boy can’t run sideways? he’s like a horse stuck in mud.
What an ignorant comment…you only wish you were in as good of shape
—–
trust me I am in better shape than that butterball. he needs to get rid of his butt implants.