Live from the Dome: OK, I’ve decided – I’m picking the …
All is in readiness in the city where snow and ice never descend. (Photo by M. Bradley)
True confession: I’ve actually spent a lot of time thinking about who’s going to win this game. (Ordinarily I just go with my gut, which can prove problematic. Perhaps you knew that already.) And I, at the risk of blowing it for everyone, am picking the Falcons. My rationale:
The Falcons have been the better team. The Falcons are playing at home. The Falcons have already proved they can beat Green Bay.
Ergo, the better team/home team/proven team should win. By the count of 20-17, let’s say. And now, having said that …
Green Bay is the only team remaining in the NFC bracket capable of coming here and stealing one. The Bears? No. The Seahawks? Get real. The Packers are a good team capable of winning if the Falcons perform the way they did against New Orleans on Dec. 27. But I’m thinking the Falcons won’t. I’m thinking they’ll learn from that night that a game of such magnitude is no place for timidity. I’m thinking, in sum, that the Falcons will get past this impediment and play in Super Bowl XLV.
But that’s just me. And I’ve been known to be wrong. But I’ve just spoken to a high-level Falcons official — have fun guessing who — and that individual is frankly peeved at the plethora of pundits picking the Packers tonight. (Try saying that three times fast with a mouthful of peanut butter.) And I’m thinking the home side will render a performance to remember — for good reasons.
And with that, this floor is again open for questions, comments and threats for having jinxed the Falcons. I’ll be here all night, and I’d appreciate the ride-along. (Speaking of riding along, I rode to the game from the Atlanta Bread Co. on South Cobb Drive with esteemed colleague Darryl Orlando Ledbetter. D-Led has a sporty Mustang. Bet you didn’t know that about him.)
But I digress. Time to get ready for some football. Time to rise up. Time to watch the Falcons send the Pack packing. Join me, please. You’ll be sorry you did.
By Mark Bradley
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1,956 comments Add your comment
todd grantham
January 15th, 2011
6:38 pm
Have you seen A M yet?
Buck 22
January 15th, 2011
6:38 pm
That’s me too- another advantage for the Birds!!
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
6:39 pm
I have not yet had an audience with Arthur Marston Blank.
Jt
January 15th, 2011
6:40 pm
The tide seems to be turning in Pittsburg
florida falcon
January 15th, 2011
6:41 pm
I hate Bitchburg! or is it Pigsburg?
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
6:42 pm
I would venture to say that the Falcons defense has been better longer than Green Bay’s running attack.
todd grantham
January 15th, 2011
6:42 pm
I went to med school with a chap named Melay Marston. I wound up in a MASH unit in Korea and he had a cushy slot at at Tokyo hospital.
florida falcon
January 15th, 2011
6:43 pm
I hope hines ward gets his azz kicked, his act is old! Someone please snap rapistbergers’ knee cap!
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
6:43 pm
The home team is making a comeback in a football game. That happens occasionally.
Tampa Falcon
January 15th, 2011
6:45 pm
Good grief I’m nervous about tonight! Bradley picking the Birds isn’t making me feel any better. Yikes!
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
6:45 pm
I’ve actually read the book, “M*A*S*H.” Great book. Every bit as good as the Robert Altman film. Written under a pseudonym.
Buck 22
January 15th, 2011
6:45 pm
I am sick of hearing about how great Aaron Rogers is. He is good but I don’t think we need Matt to out perform Aaron tonight, we just need him to be consistant and good on 3rd down. Then the national media can talk about what a great game Rogers had but how he just came up short again in his second playoff year.
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
January 15th, 2011
6:46 pm
Van Brocklin dressed-down Harmon Wages on the sideline once. That one’s on video.
He asked Hyland if he wanted to “stack furniture.” He He
Cousin Vicker
January 15th, 2011
6:46 pm
How does a loss at Vandy and a blowout win at Ole Miss affect UGA’s rankings? To steal a Bradleyism: Not much I say.
Tampa Falcon
January 15th, 2011
6:47 pm
Great Book. Okay movie. Amazing TV Series.
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
6:48 pm
Aaron Rodgers is a fine quarterback. But he’s not Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. And Big Ben has won twice as many Super Bowls as Rodgers has playoff tilts.
joebob
January 15th, 2011
6:49 pm
Of course the Falcons are going to choke on national tv. Plus, the packer fans will probably be louder than the worst sport fans in the country.
Jt
January 15th, 2011
6:49 pm
Tampa Falcon- one thing is worse than Bradley picking the Falcons. Chris Carter of 4 letter network fame did as well.
ln29576
January 15th, 2011
6:49 pm
Gotta love those Packers
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
6:49 pm
I’d imagine Georgia will drop out of the Top 25 — they were barely in it — but not for long. They’ll beat the Vols on Tuesday night.
Tampa Falcon
January 15th, 2011
6:50 pm
Please tell me the “Swam” picked the Packers!
Jt
January 15th, 2011
6:51 pm
Rodgers is good. It’s just that if you are a sports talk junkie like I am, you get to where you resent him because of the way he is slobbered over repeatedly by the “experts”. He is the flavor of the month
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
6:51 pm
I’m not sure who picked whom. I hear Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, however.
Josh Smith For 3
January 15th, 2011
6:52 pm
Seems to me ESPN & Co. are giving the Packers a little too much credit on their running game. If there’s anything football fans recognize, it’s that consistent guys like Michael Turner get stuffed at times during the season and, on the other hand, under-the-radar players and bench players occasionally run wild. Starks had one solid performance, but if Ryan Grant was suddenly good to go 5 minutes before the game started you can bet your house that Starks would be sitting the bench.
mountain_falcon
January 15th, 2011
6:53 pm
Rut Roh Reorge
Badgerfanzz
January 15th, 2011
6:53 pm
GO PACKERS!!!!!
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
6:54 pm
Yeah, I’d probably take Michael Turner, who led the NFC in rushing, over a guy who had one good outing.
mountain_falcon
January 15th, 2011
6:54 pm
welcome to our neighborhood mr rodgers, lmao
Buck 22
January 15th, 2011
6:55 pm
According to the people who should know — He is right up there with Payton and Tom. It is almost like he is winning all these games on his own. Last time I looked he had some pretty good weapons to throw it to.
Tampa Falcon
January 15th, 2011
6:56 pm
Let’s hope we knock Mr. Rodgers into the land of make believe.
BC
January 15th, 2011
6:58 pm
What’s the atmosphere like Mark? You think the dome will be full by kickoff for once?
Eric C.
January 15th, 2011
6:59 pm
I’m hoping that the Packers offense operates under the illusion that it can have a running game…Starks – 23 carries for 39 yds would be nice.
phillyfalconsfan
January 15th, 2011
6:59 pm
ive had good luck with four bags of roof shingles in the back of my mustang cobra up here. that said, maybe todds girlfriend would work even better… is she on facebook so we can tell how much she would lower the gas mileage?
Joe "Choke" Flacco aka Mr Charlie
January 15th, 2011
6:59 pm
Where is “choke’? 94 yards of offense going into the 4th…..A real stud.
chem
January 15th, 2011
7:00 pm
The Falcons pass defense took a nosedive after Brian Williams tore his ACL last year. His absence could make a difference in this game. Rodgers and co. will test Owens.
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
7:00 pm
It’s tied in Pittsburgh, I note.
Joe "Choke" Flacco aka Mr Charlie
January 15th, 2011
7:00 pm
What timing, so rattled he can’t take the snap. hahahahah…I just keeps getting better.
Buckhead Bulldog
January 15th, 2011
7:01 pm
Hines Ward…what a stud! All tied @ 21, bottom of 3rd Q. Wow! Steelers juts recovered a fumble on the Ravens 25.
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
7:01 pm
Folks are still filing in — we’ve got another hour to go — and it’s not yet electric in the Dome. But I bet it will be by 7:45 p.m. EST.
Eric C.
January 15th, 2011
7:02 pm
The NFL and media want a Bears vs Packers match-up – why even watch the experts?
Draggin Fly
January 15th, 2011
7:02 pm
Wayne Rogers > Aaron Rodgers
Joe "Choke" Flacco aka Mr Charlie
January 15th, 2011
7:02 pm
Let see, Vick Chokes, we have an entire article talking about Ryans notebook when we know that Vick never owned a notebook….Now we have Flacko not even being able to take a snap. hahahahaaha
ln29576
January 15th, 2011
7:02 pm
Love those cheese heads, GoPackers
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
7:03 pm
That’s right, Eric C. Just listen to me — I’m as much of a non-expert as you can be.
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
7:04 pm
The Ravens look out of it.
FalconIce
January 15th, 2011
7:04 pm
Wow, the Ravens are choking BIG TIME.
Mark Bradley
January 15th, 2011
7:04 pm
Which isn’t a nice way to look in a tie game
Eric C.
January 15th, 2011
7:04 pm
I was at the last home playoff game…it was very quiet in the pregame but got really loud, it’s going to be crazy I’m sure
Football wife
January 15th, 2011
7:05 pm
Go Falcons!
NoShamSam
January 15th, 2011
7:05 pm
Can’t stand listening to those network announcers. I hope the radio broadcast in synchronized with the tv.