For the Falcons, the ‘D’ in ‘defense’ also stands for ‘dud’
One photo of John Abraham tells us all we need know. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Since Oct. 24, the day the Bengals had scored 32 points in the Dome, the Falcons’ defense had been more consistent than their star-spangled offense. (Five offensive Falcons to the Pro Bowl, only one defender.) It had held Baltimore to 21 points, Green Bay and New Orleans to 17. It was becoming the fleet and fierce unit general manager Thomas Dimitroff had envisioned as he was building.
Suffice it to say that TD the GM never envisioned what happened Saturday. Nobody did. Nobody could have.
A defense that didn’t yield more than 32 points in any game this regular season was overrun for 42 points — in the first three quarters. The D had made a big early play, Stephen Nicholas forcing a Greg Jennings fumble that Brent Grimes gathered. That enabled the Falcons to take a 7-0 lead. That would also be the last time over the next five Green Bay drives that the Packers didn’t score a touchdown.
Five possessions, five scores. The first four came on drives of 81, 92, 80 and 80 yards. (The final series spanned a mere 50.) The Packers’ Aaron Rodgers didn’t complete every pass, but he came close. Through three quarters he had passed 31 times, completing 27. He’d thrown for 330 yards in 45 minutes.
Rodgers had treated the Falcons’ secondary as if the signing of Dunta Robinson had never been consummated, as if Brent Grimes hadn’t developed into a big-play cornerback, as if nothing that occurred this regular season had been anything more than a sweet dream.
Alas, this was reality, stark and sobering. In a playoff game against a top-class quarterback, the Falcons’ newly tailored defense was made to seem shabby. The pass rush couldn’t get there, and nobody downfield could cover or tackle or do much of anything.
It was so bad that the Falcons, who’d led 14-7, ventured into the final period down by 28 points. This from a team that had, with Matt Ryan as its quarterback, lost only one Dome game before falling to New Orleans on Dec. 27. That night was disappointing, but not because of the defense. This night, by way of contrast, was so crushing as to make us wonder if the defense is indeed, as Dimitroff suggested this week, rounding into a championship unit.
Could Brian Williams have meant that much? He’s the Falcons’ fifth defensive back, the nickel man. He played in every regular-season game but hurt his knee against Carolina on Jan. 2. He couldn’t go Saturday, and into the nickel stepped Christopher Owens. Falcons defensive backs have had worse nights over the years — remember Charles Dimry against Jerry Rice? — but there haven’t been many. And Robinson and Grimes weren’t any better.
Credit Rodgers and the Packers for seizing on Williams’ absence. That said: Should losing your nickel man reduce a defense — a defense that ranked No. 5 in the 32-team NFL in points yielded — to rubble? If five possessions garner 35 opposing points, can you really be said to have a defense at all?
No, the offense wasn’t very good, either, and Matt Ryan was terrible. (His end-of-the-first-half interception will live in infamy.) But few offenses could have kept pace with the ravenous Packers this night, and certainly Mike Mularkey’s grind-it-out game plan is poorly suited for a point-a-minute game. This loss can be shared by all, but the defense was first — or, put more precisely, last — among equals.
But what now? Is this game a signal that the defense cannot hold up under duress, or was it simply one wretched night under the glare of the postseason? Thomas Dimitroff has some decisions to make, and they won’t be easy calls.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
813 comments Add your comment
Governor Deal
January 16th, 2011
7:56 am
Don’t blame me, blame COA and DOT, it is their fault!
suwanee dawg
January 16th, 2011
7:56 am
No real pressure on Rodgers and when we blitzed we missed him. Coverage was not bad, but give any great quarterback time he will make the perfect throws. No one understands the three yard pass play when we were already within field goal range – that pick six was the deal breaker.
Big Al
January 16th, 2011
7:57 am
Indigo. Georgia and the Falcons. The Fighting Ifs.
Fan Since Nobis
January 16th, 2011
7:58 am
I said a few weeks a go it would be one and done, but that was only because they have no winning tradition …yet. They just had back to back winning seasons. Now they need back to back playoff seasons. Then move further up in the playoffs in consecutive seasons…then they will have a winning tradition. Playoff football is different than the regular season and they weren’t up for it simply because they didn’t know how. Work in progress
kevin lewis
January 16th, 2011
8:05 am
Please…I wish there was a falcon haters blog .Then all of you idiots could go there and rant to each other. Bad games will always come ..for All teams. You cant justify ripping the guys like that. Plus its obvious you all only caught an espn highlight this morning and have no idea what happened the rest of this season. Go back to your skateboarding and i’pods!
KD
January 16th, 2011
8:05 am
The Falcon’s or any Atlanta team will never win here if the fans don’t support them in the good or bad times case in point Packers and Steelers fan travel and support there team. Great Job Falcon’s. I still hate the hawks.
Dan
January 16th, 2011
8:05 am
I’ve been a Falcons fan since Steve Bartkowski started at QB. Enough is enough! Time to find another team or just give up on the NFL. Piss on the Falcons they’re losers.
Dan
January 16th, 2011
8:06 am
kevin lewis…… The Falcons ALWAYS find a way to dash the hope of thier fans. Screw em!
kevin lewis
January 16th, 2011
8:07 am
Well put indigo!
Bird Dog
January 16th, 2011
8:08 am
The Pack is Back
bigtaco
January 16th, 2011
8:10 am
second string qtr back finished youor game! Wow, what a joke of a team. You can always be a Saint’s fan- at least then you can say your team has a ring!
kevin lewis
January 16th, 2011
8:11 am
Boo Hoo Dan maybe theres another sport out there that you can understand and enjoy..
coondog
January 16th, 2011
8:11 am
No D. No O. Can’t tackle. Can’t punt. Can’t run. Can’t throw. The center pass blocks on a sneak. The nickel back was not worth a nickel. Who the hell are these guys and what did they do with the Falcons? At least we didn’t make any mistakes on punt returns … the Pack never had to punt. The only guy I recognized was Brian Finneran, who almost made a heroic play with the on-side … that was just a tough break, but he played his heart out from my angle. Kudos to Weems. Good night.
Kenny D
January 16th, 2011
8:13 am
Ok, let’s sum this up ! Matt Ryan is not ready for the Big Stage, he played like a 3rd year ROOKIE !
The DEFENSE is JOKE ! The OL stinkssssssssssssssssssssss !
I know Roddy is PISSED 1 or 2 touches in the first half………….
Get Rid Of Them
January 16th, 2011
8:15 am
The problem is not with the players it is the Offensive and Defensive Coordinators. Get rid of both of them!! It was the worst game plan period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Onlysaw firsthalf
January 16th, 2011
8:16 am
Saw it coming and couldn’t finish the rest of the game. Maybe the best perspective comment was from the Saints fan who stated that Atlanta does have a good team that will get better and congratulated the Falcons on a good season.
What happened?
January 16th, 2011
8:19 am
It’s time to bring back the slogan – GO BRAVES!!!!! AND TAKE THE FALCONS WITH YOU!!!!!
criminy
January 16th, 2011
8:21 am
Pack win as I predicted. The Falcons were one of the weakest #1 seeds in years and the Packers proved it. A complete dismantling. RISE UP out of bed Falcons fans and smell the coffee. Your team isn’t nearly as good as you thought.
Bag On My Head
January 16th, 2011
8:22 am
My complaints;
1) We don’t blitz nearly enough – get aggressive on a top QB
2) Our entire defense was terrible – I thought I was watching the bulldogs with all the missed tackles
3) Matt Ryan will never go above a Tier 2 QB in the NFL – a level below Brady, Manning, and RODGERS
Dennis Green
January 16th, 2011
8:22 am
They were NOT what we thought they were. COME ON MAN!!!
Kenny D
January 16th, 2011
8:22 am
Dude, I’ve been a Fan since 1966 and I will NEVER HATE ON THE FALCONS ! They need to make BIG changes on both side of the ball i.e Defense and THAT OL !
I think the Falcons was next to last in defense this year. I know Matt could have gone to Tony G and Roddy (Big play makers). Granted Jenkins did a great job (the fumble didn’t matter, the game was lost at that point !
Matt need to spend time with D Marino or he need to study D Brees films ! I’m serious. They are pocket passer……..
GO FALCONS !
Patrick
January 16th, 2011
8:24 am
I am surprised they kept blitzing in 2nd half. In the reg season game, they controlled GB better by rushing 3, dropping 8. I didn’t see much of that. Maybe injury to Williams prevented that from being employed.
So more depth and experience will help their chances next season. Just follow the Braves lead and keep coming back to the playoffs, and soon it will result in a title.
Paco
January 16th, 2011
8:27 am
Trade Ryan and a top draft pic for Vick. JUst kidding, but make the trade for Joey.
OldTimer
January 16th, 2011
8:28 am
Williams did make that much of a difference. They were at least 5 3rd down plays that wouldn’t have been converted with him on the field.
kevin lewis
January 16th, 2011
8:28 am
The coaching staff needs to “take a look at” each other in the off season. THEIR performance was much worse than anything the players may or may not have done. Simply no excuse for their shipwreck last night. Somebody’s got some ’splainin to do in that office!
Samuel L. Jackson
January 16th, 2011
8:29 am
Falcons Fans……..ITS TIME TO RISE UP! Yes….rise up from your seats and turn off the TV…….rise up from your seats at the Dome and leave…….rise up and tell Arthur Blank to shove his team. Dats what I’m talking about when I say “Rise Up”!
Wade
January 16th, 2011
8:30 am
WOW. What a bunch of whiny assed fans. Great team, great season, ran into a buzz saw and most of you are carping like it’s the end of the world. Rogers hung up 45 points on a poor (’cept Kurt Warner) Arizona team and lost last year.
Sometimes you have to walk before you can run. GB has been playing for its life for the last 5 weeks and Atl. took a week off and it showed. Get over it, you’ll have more chances, so will GB by the way. But what ever happens, you ain’t going to win it every year (as that idiot from NO can’t seem to figure out).
kevin lewis
January 16th, 2011
8:30 am
Man please keep the bag on your head ..and stop up any holes!
Paul's Johnson
January 16th, 2011
8:32 am
The Falcons thought they had brought the can of whoopass not realizing the Packers had the opener.
Ga Sports Teams Problems
January 16th, 2011
8:34 am
# 1…NY Style Sports Writers…we have the worst in the Nation…by far…constantly negative…constantly critical. AJC sportswriters need mental therapy.
#2…The negative writing styles of Bradley, Shultz, King, Carvell all feed the negatism among fans. That is why Atlanta is constantly at the bottom of the great sports cities…the fans are not supportive and feed off the sportswriters negativity.
Go Dawgs, Falcons, Hawks, Braves! Tought ending but great season Falcons!
kevin lewis
January 16th, 2011
8:34 am
I think Samuel Jackson is from N.O. also.
Paul's Johnson
January 16th, 2011
8:36 am
LOL…I love all the “i’ve been a Falcons fan since…forever”…..hahahahahaha.
Van Brocklin
January 16th, 2011
8:37 am
…………… talk about making adjustments …………..
Paul's Johnson
January 16th, 2011
8:37 am
Ga Sports Teams Problems……..LOL….Mark Bradley cost the Falcons the game last night…….LOL
Skeezix
January 16th, 2011
8:39 am
Had a bad feeling ’bout this one, but didn’t expect total domination. The Pack played like Lombardi’s still coaching from the heavens.
Now can we focus on baseball?
Thanks Falcons
January 16th, 2011
8:40 am
I took the Green Bay and the points! Thank you Matty Ice.
BUZZMAN
January 16th, 2011
8:41 am
Well what did I tell you, we never really beat a team this year. We never blew out anyone except Arizonia. We still have that mentally that the Falcons have always had. Just because we were a number 1 seed, we thought we could have gone all the way. Our defense never showed up. Ryan thought he could be the wonder boy. Not taking anything away from Green Bay, they are a excellent team and only excellent teams make it to the superbowl. Hopefully The Falcons will pick some decent Defense players with the draft or do some trades. We also need a running back that has speed and has a good cutback. Turner is good for North to South but other than that he can’t catch or cutback.
Buckeye
January 16th, 2011
8:43 am
Also time for Matty to get a hair cut…..too thin to pull off the brady/bieber look!
Real Fan
January 16th, 2011
8:44 am
That resounding thud you heard was all of the fair-weather Falcon fans jumping off the bandwagon! It’s hilarious that every Packer fan in the AJC photos was a transplant now living in metro Atlanta. They are the REAL Fans!!!
Fair-weather fans
January 16th, 2011
8:45 am
Typical fair-weather falcon fans reactions. You have a decent team with a good qb and all you do is trash him. Most people on the blog only root for the coons when they win. Learn from the Packer and Cub fans on how to be loyal during the losing years. When the falcoons are winning everybody claims to be a lifelong fan. BS!!! 80% of the fan base is fair weather. Atl fans are front runners.
Al Beeski
January 16th, 2011
8:46 am
Yes, Owens looked like Dimry & BVG made no adjustments to stop Rodgers, but big picture concern to me is Matty Ice’s arm strength. I know arm strength doesn’t make you a HoF, but i sense huge problems in the future due to his lack of zip on deep routes.
Pat Dye
January 16th, 2011
8:46 am
That Sucked !
Pat
January 16th, 2011
8:48 am
Breaking News: Falcon Fans “Rise Up” in record numbers!!! As they leave with their heads up their azz after Packers beat them 48-21 in their house!!!!
Where da fans Where da fans????? It’s only the third quater!!!!
Yee hawwwwww
Gen Neyland
January 16th, 2011
8:49 am
The fat lady sang and Elvis has left the building. No Popeye/spinach moment. No parades, no rose petals, no brass ring. What began with promise, planted in the summer of 2010 bore rotten friut at harvest. It withered on the vine last night. For the Falcons, professional footballers all, what away to get sent off on vacation…Maybe a Lock-Out won’t be such a bad thing for this city…
CJ
January 16th, 2011
8:50 am
The Falcons have a good team but GB’s record was deceiving. Even though they were only 10-6, GB had not even been BEHIND by more than 7 points in any game all year. All their losses were close and they were dealing with 15 players lost to IR. Now the injuries are kind of behind them and the QB is hot. What is even scarier than their performance tonight is how good GB would be with all their starters back. Can you imagine that offense with Grant and Finley added to the mix?
Pat
January 16th, 2011
8:51 am
Breaking News: Falcon Fans “Rise Up” in record numbers!!! As they leave with their heads up their azz after Packers beat them 48-21 in their house!!!!
Where da fans Where da fans????? It’s only the third quater!!!!
TV for rent, cheap!!
January 16th, 2011
8:51 am
Go Braves… well, almost, again (bye Bobby, and thanks).
Go Dawgs… Choke!
Go Jackets… Are you kidding me?
Go Hawks… not, yet, TBD.
Go Thrashers… equal opportunity comment for the yankee migrants.
GO FALCONS!!! Please save us; we really need you.
Oh, the pain, the pain.
Maybe I can’t rent out my flat screen and find a hobby. Fore!
Navigator
January 16th, 2011
8:54 am
I’m in late and don’t have time to read all the comments, but defense was the big driver of the defeat. Take away the interception from Ryan for a touch, they gave up 41 points and if the game had been closer, it would have been a lot more. I have posted for three years that the defensive head coach could not scheme for a team but played the same defense no matter who they played, and could not change up on the fly. Remember the Philly game, it wasn’t a lot better than this one to. Getting to Ryan, yeah he looked like a third year QB who could not carry the team on his own, and of course he needs two more receivers as Roddy White can be double teamed, and nobody else pulls up the slack. They have one good defensive back (Brent Grimes) who is a great number two, but Robinson is neither great or a number one or two corner. There is a big drop off if any of the starters are out, so the bench needs strengthening to. Coming into the game, I felt the time off would hurt the Falcons, but not to this degree, and Green Bay probably is the best team in the NFC. I doubt very seriously that Chicago will stop them either.
joe taxpayer
January 16th, 2011
8:55 am
The fans were never sold on this team. The sport talk show guys,sports writers, and the NFL hype machine tried to sell us how great this team was; however we dumb no nothing fans could see that they were good but not great. SEC games in the dome still have a better atmosphere.
BuzztheKiller
January 16th, 2011
8:55 am
Well- this Falcon fan can admit I was wrong about everything except the Packers being classless. Oh well, as hard as it was to watch, as a lifetime Falcon (Atlanta for that matter) fan, can’t say I have not seen this movie before. Never quite good enough…Congrats on the best season ever to go splat!