Live from Falcons-Vikings: Anybody excited about this one?
"Hey, I'm pumped. Who's with me?" (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
I wish I could say I’m looking forward to a great day of pro football here at the Dome, but I’d be a big fat liar. The Atlanta Falcons tend to play to the level of the opposition, and if that happens today …
(Pause to shudder.)
The Minnesota Vikings are awful, and they’re without their best player. (Adrian Peterson, RB.) They’re also without Brett Favre, Randy Moss, Alan Page, Joe Kapp, Carl Eller, Fran Tarkenton, Chuck Foreman, Cris Carter, Mick Tinglehoff and anyone else who ever put the pop in the Purple. The Vikings are 2-8, having beaten two other terrible teams (Arizona and Carolina).
This is one of those games the Falcons should win by three touchdowns, and I’m thinking it’s a game they need to win by three touchdowns. Even at 6-4, there’s scarcely a buzz about this team nationally or locally. I got out of Mass later than usual this morning, and I was thinking I might hit traffic around the Dome, but I drove right in at 11:30.
It’s 12:03 as I write, and there’s almost nobody in the house. I know it’s the Sunday after Thanksgiving and the day after Tech-Georgia, but still … this is, on the record, a pretty good NFL team. I wondered in preseason why more people weren’t talking about the Falcons, and on the final Sunday of November I’m wondering still.
So I ask again: Are you pumped about the Birds? Are you too stuffed with Thanksgiving turkey to care? Has watching Florida fall to 6-6 and Clemson to 9-3 last night dulled the senses? Is there anybody out there? Is this microphone on?
With that, I’ll hang up and await your responses. Assuming there are any.
By Mark Bradley
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1,179 comments Add your comment
Wayne stuck in AL
November 27th, 2011
3:00 pm
After a weekend of exciting college football, who the hell could care about the NFL? If I happen to still be awake this afternoon, I’ll probably catch a little of the CFL Grey Cup. But other than that…
ejj
November 27th, 2011
3:00 pm
That was sorry, the commentator, said that should have been an interception, and Harvin comes down with it. Cut Owens, now and sign a veteran Cb, if you want to win.
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
3:00 pm
Let me see if I have this right: The Falcons led by 17, and now they lead by 10. And that means they’re terrible?
jack bull
November 27th, 2011
3:00 pm
now we got a game,,,,let’s make it entertaining at least..
phil
November 27th, 2011
3:00 pm
I must say that Ryan’s pitiful throw to TG on third down last possession led to this mess….
Reggie
November 27th, 2011
3:00 pm
Chris Owens has got to go. If he stays, I swear we’re going to suck forever. On defense at least. Now watch the offense come out and not do anything. Put it right back to the Vikes. And the Vikes will make it a ballgame. AS USUAL.
Matt from MN
November 27th, 2011
3:00 pm
Can we, for JUST ONCE this season, put a team away?
musicgeekmusic
November 27th, 2011
3:00 pm
Not playing well in the third quarter has been a Falcons hallmark of the Mike Smith era. They must be letting the team take a nap during halftime.
Jimmy Crack
November 27th, 2011
3:00 pm
Ponder, makes you wonder, who turned this feller on-ter, then you get that look into his eyes…
He finds out that Chris Owens is playing,
And his coaches are all saying,
Owens sucks, let’s throw his way all day guys!
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
3:00 pm
To quote Clink per Owens: WHAT IS THIS MAN DOING HERE!!!!
welikebaseball2
November 27th, 2011
3:01 pm
Ugh, the conservative 3rd quarter playcalling! I wish we had coaches with the guts to call a 3rd quarter that puts teams away when we’ve got them down!
mountain_jim
November 27th, 2011
3:01 pm
foot off the gas is right. It bites us every time we have a lead. Every 3rd quarter we give up part of our leads. So frustrating.
jack bull
November 27th, 2011
3:01 pm
yes Mark, in phil’s eyes, the whole team should pack up and go elsewhere. they all should be fired..
phil
November 27th, 2011
3:02 pm
Far from terrible, Mark, but not a team that goes anywhere in January…
We’re waaaay too consistently inconsistent.
Each week, the quotes say it’s time to turn it on.
But we never do.
Dumbo
November 27th, 2011
3:02 pm
Same old crap….maybe one day this team will learn to kick the stuffing out of a opponent once they get a lead and learn to keep pouring it on..instead the coach nuts up and thinks he can start milking the clock in the beginning of the 3rd quarter,,,same old crap!!!!!!!!!!!
Falcons: Play 60!
November 27th, 2011
3:02 pm
only game this year which the Falcons did give up pts in the 3rd quarter was the Indy game.
J.J.M.
November 27th, 2011
3:02 pm
“elite” teams knows how to put teams below .500 away
72 Million Dollar Bust
November 27th, 2011
3:02 pm
Falcons fans always fall in love with Ryan in the regular season, but crickets in the playoffs.
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
3:02 pm
Exactly Mark, We are horrible, terrible. We should blow up this entire team and start over…..I bet Philly would be willing to talk about a trade…….
Reggie
November 27th, 2011
3:02 pm
Can we FOR ONCE put a team AWAY?!!!!!!!!? Damn it’s so frustrating. I’m so damn mad. Where is the KILLER INSTINCT?!!!! You won’t win a Super Bowl not having one!
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
3:02 pm
As for playing conservatively: They ran on first and second down, yes, but they threw on third to Gonzalez, who was on the ground and couldn’t get the last yard. Smith had to choose between going for it on fourth down — a Smitty hot button topic — and possibly giving a flailing opponent a short field, or punting it deep. I’d have punted. I’d do it again.
The only way the Falcons can lose is if they start giving Minnesota short fields.
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
3:03 pm
JJM, are the Saints “elite”? When what happened against the Rams?
phil
November 27th, 2011
3:03 pm
Jack bull is what i meant earlier….
Satisfied with mediocrity.
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
3:03 pm
Ryan completes one underhanded. Pretty neat.
JSS
November 27th, 2011
3:04 pm
At Charlie, I won’t even dignify your silliness today… It would have been better if Ed Donatell and Jim Mora could have coached and not let the single wing Panthers and Chris Weinke, or Green Bay with a waivers RB not let them look like HS coaches two straight seasons… But like I said, watch Charlie go on one of his tangents….
D man
November 27th, 2011
3:04 pm
Underhand throw… Nice play Matt.
jack bull
November 27th, 2011
3:04 pm
now that was an awesome pass…
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
3:04 pm
But Roddy got clocked
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
3:04 pm
Also, the Vikes gave Green Bay all they wanted.
phil
November 27th, 2011
3:04 pm
Concussion time…helmet to helmet…no flag….
I blame Ryan.
72 Million Dollar Bust
November 27th, 2011
3:05 pm
There is at least one pick in Ryan’s future.
jack bull
November 27th, 2011
3:05 pm
oh, how original…hardy har har…just don’t get it…
Reggie
November 27th, 2011
3:05 pm
MESSAGE TO MIKE SMITH: YOU CANNOT THINK YOU CAN MILK THE CLOCK STARTING THE 3RD QUARTER! You have a damn 4th quarter mindset AFTER HALFTIME!
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
3:06 pm
JSS…did you just throw out a Samkon Gado reference?
mountain_jim
November 27th, 2011
3:06 pm
Falcons play 60: We were outscored 14-3 in 3rd against seattle
DawgNole
November 27th, 2011
3:06 pm
Yes, AtlNative, I’m sorry to saythat I remember all of those regrettable events. Been pulling for this town’s pro sports teams since the mid-60s. It’s always wait ’til next year–or “Hey, it was just an exhibition game” (Falcons), or “Hey, it’s only April” (Braves), or “Hey, this is not a hockey town” (Flames/Thrashers), or “Hey, the team’s heading in the right direction; we made the playoffs” (Hawks). It’s a mentality that permeates this city. Accepting defeat in ANY game–and forever making excuses–translates to mediocrity. It explains our sad but well-deserved monikor (”Losersville”). Can’t take that approach and win a world champtionship.
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
3:06 pm
Might be time to think about play-action on first down. Are you satisfied?
phil
November 27th, 2011
3:06 pm
Terrible line play….
Dawgs Man
November 27th, 2011
3:06 pm
Typical first down Turner run.
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
3:06 pm
Turner seems to have lost his mojo a bit.
jack bull
November 27th, 2011
3:07 pm
i didn’t know hurt elbows could cause a concussion..hmmmm
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
3:07 pm
A screen! (Not much of one, alas.)
veaserva
November 27th, 2011
3:07 pm
” The Atlanta Falcons tend to play to the level of the opposition”
Just when i was about to give the Falcons defense some props they start looking and playing like the usual defensive team that we have gotten so use to seeing .The secondary need a lot of improvement for the Falcons to compete. Not forgetting how conservative Coach Smith get once he think he have a comfortable lead on a team .
Loserville USA
November 27th, 2011
3:07 pm
2 straight weeks with a screen play. Wow.
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
3:07 pm
Ryan slides short of the first down.
J.J.M.
November 27th, 2011
3:08 pm
ponder would have pick that first down up
Dawgs Man
November 27th, 2011
3:08 pm
Good run you noplaying goof.
Loserville USA
November 27th, 2011
3:08 pm
And we’re off the field again. Time for Van Gorder to make it interesting.
phil
November 27th, 2011
3:08 pm
Ryan is a damn sissy….
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
3:08 pm
Needed four more yards. A dive probably wouldn’t have gotten that. He’s not 12 feet tall.