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
David
November 27th, 2011
3:28 pm
Like always, we get a lead and let our foot off the gas. The play calling goes passive in an effort to run the clock with an entire half left, rather than score and continue to put pressure on the other team. It’s remarkable how passive our strategies are on both sides of the ball with any sort of lead.
The game is 4 quarters, Mike. It’s not decided in the first half, and you need to start acting like it.
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
3:28 pm
Ryan’s slide was pretty comical (not in a good way) but there is now way he was going to make the first down on that run. Looked to me like he could have dumped it off to Snelling, though.
phil
November 27th, 2011
3:28 pm
Poor ole jack bull can’t spell phil…sad. Pitiful. Worse than our D.
Andy
November 27th, 2011
3:28 pm
Take as much time as you need ref. I don’t have anything else to do today.
Kyle
November 27th, 2011
3:28 pm
Only the Falcons could make a team that has won 2 games look like a playoff team.
Eric C.
November 27th, 2011
3:28 pm
And the ball touching Franks on the punt…what can you say about that? Just a big fluke.
JSS
November 27th, 2011
3:29 pm
The Butchers of Centennial Park are back!!!
ohhhhYEAH
November 27th, 2011
3:29 pm
IM AM SO TIRED OF THIS CRAP! Our offensive and defensive coordinators have got to go! EVERY WEEK we build a lead, then our offensive coordinator goes into “take a knee” mode. Our defensive coordinator goes into “let’s not attack” mode. And EVERY WEEK we watch a big lead slip away instead of going for the throat. 17-0 after the half, a Green Bay, New Orleans, New England, and just about anyone else would have come out still attacking. But not us. I CAN’T STAND Mularkey or Van Gorder! GET THEM OUT!
drmaryb (*_-)
November 27th, 2011
3:29 pm
Wassup?
Click-It “or” Ticket! What is wrong with this offense? The defense is fine … But, man – the offense is shaky … very shaky! (she smirks)
Pmc
November 27th, 2011
3:29 pm
1/2 a game every week. Thought you were better Mike Smith?
Jimmy
November 27th, 2011
3:29 pm
This is another example of why you need to keep the offense wide open.
As usual…when we get a lead…we let down.
These guys need to be running wind sprints in practice this week.
You don’t let down.
phil
November 27th, 2011
3:29 pm
Ryan has choked on both possessions this half.
I like the guy but he has to make plays ALL 4 QUARTERS! He isn’t.
BW
November 27th, 2011
3:29 pm
Lofton should not have been covering Percy freakin Harvin in the first place!!!
Toccoa
November 27th, 2011
3:30 pm
Their getting ready to run Turner up the middle on the first play
Dirty Bird Nation
November 27th, 2011
3:30 pm
I said this after the Green Bay game in the playoff last year…………………….BOTH Coordinators SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED and nothing THIS SEASON has changed!
Fire BVG
November 27th, 2011
3:30 pm
Most of you complain about D-Rob play, he isnt the problem, its BVG schemes, they are just ridiculous
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
3:30 pm
I don’t know if anyone has watched any other games, but every NFL team makes bone headed plays. It i not like we got beat by Tim Tebow…..But, we will see what we are made of.
Andy
November 27th, 2011
3:30 pm
Wow. A 5 minute stoppage to confirm that everything is ok. Well done.
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
3:30 pm
Throwing on first down. Ryan hit as he delivers
Dirty Bird Nation
November 27th, 2011
3:30 pm
29 yards in the Fricky Second HALF!
WTF?
November 27th, 2011
3:30 pm
Can we trade Ryan for Tebow? At least Tebow takes hits and tries.
J.J.M.
November 27th, 2011
3:30 pm
Like I said vikings defense now have life
extremus
November 27th, 2011
3:31 pm
Okay Mr. Bradley, THIS is why there isn’t much of a “buzz” surrounding the Falcons. It is now well-established formula that a big first-half lead swiftly becomes “containment mode” rather than pouring it on and putting teams away in the second half. Time and time again. Even as a longtime fan I have to say this makes watching them hard at times.
Somebody BADLY needs to inform these guys that an NFL game lasts a full 60 minutes; I’ve never seen a team let opponents back into football games this consistently (and Heaven forbid they enter the second half TRAILING). Until the Falcons do what it takes to right the ship they will probably be a .500 or above team but will never remotely be elite.
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
3:31 pm
Great, now we woke up the Vikes D.
Jimmy
November 27th, 2011
3:31 pm
Number 63 let that sack happen.
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
3:31 pm
you wouldn’t want to go no huddle or anything. nah
Matt
November 27th, 2011
3:31 pm
Gonna break something if we lose this game.
Sam
November 27th, 2011
3:31 pm
Wow the same ole falcons show up in the second half. Please get rid of Chris owens. He’s a price of junk
Jimmy
November 27th, 2011
3:31 pm
We better get this first down.
Loserville USA
November 27th, 2011
3:31 pm
Clear the Vikes have figured this out.
Dirty Bird Nation
November 27th, 2011
3:31 pm
MULarkey Dink passes is a JOKE!
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
3:31 pm
First down. Ryan to Douglas
72 Million Dollar Bust
November 27th, 2011
3:32 pm
So an elite team lets a 2-8 team on the road with a rookie qb down 0-17 comes back.
Just a thought.
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
3:32 pm
Wow, did Harry not maintain control “through the catch”?
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
3:32 pm
No! Calling it incomplete!
David
November 27th, 2011
3:32 pm
The no-huddle produced 17 points in the first half, and we moved the ball with ease. Why would we continue running that same no-huddle when it worked so efficiently? Let’s instead huddle up, slow down the pace, manage no first downs, and continue going three and out…
No huddle = Ryan calling the plays.
Huddle = Mularkey calling the plays
Unless you’re a Minnesota fan, you opt for the former, not the ladder.
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
3:32 pm
IJon, exaclty, No reason to go no huddle. Naaaa
Loserville USA
November 27th, 2011
3:32 pm
Our best coach coaches for the Vikes — Musgrave.
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
3:32 pm
Was that not a catch?
J.J.M.
November 27th, 2011
3:32 pm
throw in the white flag
keepinitreal
November 27th, 2011
3:32 pm
Mike Smith is the football version of Bobby Cox. He’s great at managing personalities but is always outwitted by other coaches from a strategic standpoint.
Reggie
November 27th, 2011
3:33 pm
OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I COULD SHOOT THE ENTIRE COACHING STAFF!
Baby Ruth
November 27th, 2011
3:33 pm
These chumps are going to lose to lowly Minnesota!
72 Million Dollar Bust
November 27th, 2011
3:33 pm
The funny thing is, if the Falcons lose this game and the dream team and all their problems
will be just 1 game back…………that sucks.
Sam
November 27th, 2011
3:33 pm
So many freaking dropped passes. Hold on to the damn ball!
Jimmy
November 27th, 2011
3:33 pm
CRAP!
Bad call.
D needs to step us NOW
JSS
November 27th, 2011
3:33 pm
Ha ha ha!!! 2-8!!!
phil
November 27th, 2011
3:33 pm
One stupid mistake after another….douglas is as dumb as White….
jack bull
November 27th, 2011
3:33 pm
looked like a catch to me
Falcons: Play 60!
November 27th, 2011
3:33 pm
i might adjust my prediction from a 10 pt (or less) win, to a loss