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
DSGB
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
4TH & 13 AND THEY SCORE A DAMN TD.
80sFalcon
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
Is there a worse db in the NFL than Owens?
Bonez
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
MIKE SMITH CAN’T COACH
tmc
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
What a horrible defensive call and play.
Bad call, bad execution of the play.
4th and long and you give up a 39 yd td pass?
RIDICULOUS!
Falcons: Play 60!
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
lol these announcers are just burning the Falcons …as they should be
Loserville USA
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
If I’m Blank — this is proof this coaching staff has peaked.
Too many gimmicks. Not enough steadiness. This team has way too much talent for this.
Moronic defense.
JSS
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
You can’t blame that one on Owens… Sanders froze!!!
Falcons Fan
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
Unbelievable! Fire Van Gorder and Mularkey as soon as this games over.
phil
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
Not one first down this half….
72 Million Dollar Bust
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
Falcons elite?
Ryan elite?
Then Ponder the rookie must be a hall of famer…. ha ha.
WTF?
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
There are 2 coaches in Atlanta that need to be released at the end of this season. 1. Paul Johnson of Georgia Tech who obviously cannot beat Georgia and doesn’t really care to try. 2. Mike Smith of the Falcons. The Falcons need more than just winning seasons: they need to win a playoff game, they need to remained focused for 60 minutes, not 30 like they do every single game which is why they’ll never win a playoff game because they are a 50% team. They need to lose to Minnesota today so the fans can start calling for a change before we end up like the bad years which are still fresh in our memories.
Dawgs Man
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
Fourth and 13. You have to be kidding me.
J.J.M.
November 27th, 2011
3:23 pm
at least ponder is taking shots down the field
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
3:24 pm
The Falcons secondary played that like they didn’t believe the Vikings would go deep. Lofton was the only one who said “holy crap, I better follow this guy”
jack bull
November 27th, 2011
3:24 pm
uh, that was Moore’s fault, not Van Gorder,not Owens, not Loftons..at least try and understand what game you’re watching.
oldfart
November 27th, 2011
3:24 pm
Why the long review? He had both feet and an arse inside the end line.
R Brown
November 27th, 2011
3:24 pm
Playoffs? Playoffs? Playoofs? A tale of two halfs EVERY game. Now whose fault is that?
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
And upon further review, that one didn’t appear to be Owens’ fault.
Reggie
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
Our offense has gone into it’s usual shell. Our defense cannot stop a ROOKIE QB with NO ADRIAN PETERSON, and they allow them to convert a 4TH and 13! WTF!
dean
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
Anyone notice Owens’ man was NOT Harvin?
phil
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
I think i agree that the coaching is letting us down…waaaay too conservative coming out of the half. It’s dull, lifeless football that even a corpse could defend.
Hello!!!!
D man
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
Mike Smith needs to start calling the defensive plays. Fire Van Gorder.
J.J.M.
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
This is what week 12? and we cant fix the problesm
Joel
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
Its on Van Gorder for rushing 3 again!
ANDY
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
Grimes would have intercepted or batted down that ball. Owens sucks.
jerry
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
This conservative chicken s— coaching staff.
david
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
BVG NEEDS TO BE FIRED
Dumbo
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
Gotta say this is terrible….will someone please explain to Van Gorder that his prevent D is a lost cause…he’d better off just playing base D…….
80sFalcon
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
Falcons are doing again what they have always done. Play to the level of the opposing team and NEVER put anyone away. Came out flat in the second half as always when they have a lead.
welikebaseball2
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
Well, there it is folks…our beloved zone defense. I’ve watched season games over & over & over & I can’t count the number of times Van Gorder has put Lofton in position to cover a receiver. And just as I was thinking Mularkey was the one that has to go. Make that two pink slips please.
Toccoa
November 27th, 2011
3:25 pm
Harvin is the one player you have to cover. What a joke!! The Falcons can’t put their foot on the throat of anybody and bury them. It is always an adventure. Watch, the first play from scrimage will be Turner up the middle.
falconsrus
November 27th, 2011
3:26 pm
shaub on ir MB?Joe Kapp couldn’t throw a spiral and our secondary is holier than than you’re trip to mass today
72 Million Dollar Bust
November 27th, 2011
3:26 pm
This could have all been avoided if Ryan had taken one for the team and manned up and not quit
on his teammates and go for the first down instead of sliding short.
Elite quarterbacks sacrifice their team – this shows their teammates they are a baller.
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
3:26 pm
Worst is, if Lofton watched the ball, he would have knocked it down. I have to agree, now that was pathetic. Really, we are about to see what this team is made of.
Eric C.
November 27th, 2011
3:26 pm
Everything changed when the Falcons didn’t go for the 4th and 1 at midfield…and Bosher has no touch for punting inside the 20.
jack bull
November 27th, 2011
3:26 pm
i meant Sanders, not Moore..oops, i made a mistake, i wonder if fill will forgive me..
BW
November 27th, 2011
3:26 pm
Man…what is the deal in the second half with this team?? The offense doesn’t adjust and keeps the defense out there too long. The depth on this defense is a little scary. I can’t for the life of me understand why we still have Chris Owens on this team nor why we can’t get any playmakers in the secondary. We should be overcoming this stupidity by this point in the season and we have the fourth easiest schedule remaining…if we lose to anyone other than New Orleans going forward it will be a major disappointment to say the least and at worst, with so many players up for free agency, a re-tool especially on defense.
Reggie
November 27th, 2011
3:27 pm
Well we BETTER score a touchdown here. NO BS! We better get it going! Reminds me of the MF GB game!
phil
November 27th, 2011
3:27 pm
Had Lofton turned his empty head, he still could’ve knocked that ball down….pitiful.
tmc
November 27th, 2011
3:27 pm
that might be the worst defensive play call/execution i’ve ever seen.
and i’m not kidding. 4th and 13 and you give up a 39 yd td pass with you middle linebacker covering the other teams best receiver in the endzone?
THAT IS HORRIBLE!!!
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
3:27 pm
but to my point, it was a heck of a throw and catch, and even a 2-8 team has tons of talent.
J.J.M.
November 27th, 2011
3:27 pm
now the vikings defense will turn it up because the sorry falcons gave them life
fred
November 27th, 2011
3:27 pm
Where was the rush on Qb..he had all damn day to throw the ball.
80sFalcon
November 27th, 2011
3:27 pm
My bad Owens, not on you
Falcons 73
November 27th, 2011
3:27 pm
Glad we rushed 3 on that play. Why not blitz and force a rookie qb to really beat you? Mike Smith is more at fault for the overall passiveness we are witnessing. This will not win in the playoffs. Why can’t he get this?
AtlNative
November 27th, 2011
3:27 pm
@SRF
Well, its not Ryans fault the D has been lousy in the second half. However, lets not forget that the offense has failed to put any more points on the board either
Pmc
November 27th, 2011
3:28 pm
Really Thomas? Really? You were a secondary scout and you took perhaps the worst punter in draft history in the 5th round with THIS talent in your secondary? Try harder next year this group Is Awful.
This team is hot garbage for at least 2 quarters Every game!!!
Loserville USA
November 27th, 2011
3:28 pm
The stupidity this season…. from White….to Peters….to Weems…to Franks.
We don’t have the worst record in the NFL this season. But we are the dumbest team by far.
Really moronic.
4real
November 27th, 2011
3:28 pm
LMFAO.,,,,FAKECLOWNS DEFENSIVE FAILURE!!! 4TH/13..LOL
Once Recent Reader
November 27th, 2011
3:28 pm
Well 72 Mill (Choke?) here you go again. Last week you were raving over the Tennessee backup after a couple of nice plays . . . .now it is Ponder’s turn. Well we’ll see what the next 13 minutes brings.