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
phil
November 27th, 2011
2:19 pm
That FG is arthur blank’s fault.
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
2:19 pm
Remember that stretch a couple of years ago when we couldn’t “find” a field goal kicker who could either consistently hit chip shots or make a FG over about 40 yards. Wow. It is SO nice to have a kicker who inspires confidence.
One-Winged Bird
November 27th, 2011
2:19 pm
Douglas drops easy pass. Awful….
AtlNative
November 27th, 2011
2:20 pm
@WeLike
I agree with you about being objective – however, it is human nature to notice the negatives more than the positives.
That being said, I dont think anyone can argue that Matt does not have a good deep ball ability. In fact, he is in the bottom 3-4 in the league in his deep ball. That doesnt mean that we cant win with him – he has a lot to like, gamer, smart decision, good manager and playcaller (Better than OC in my opinion).
However, I do wonder sometimes if this mentality of “good enough” is one reason Atlanta has seen so many let downs over the years. We seem to settle for “good enough” in this town when other teams are never satisfied and always trying to get better.
So will Ryans lack of a deep arm keep us from winning a Superbowl? I dont know, but I do know that the NFL is a PASS DRIVEN league now, and if you look at the last 15 or so years of SB champs… you see QBs who have good deep arms.
Just an opinion
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
2:20 pm
72, I expect Ryan to be in the league another 10-12 year, will probably have 7-8 trips to the playoffs, and maybe even get a win or two.
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
2:20 pm
Can’t argue with Ryan’s game today. His team is ahead 17-0, and he has been very good.
72 Million Dollar Bust
November 27th, 2011
2:20 pm
Joey Harrington threw well in the 10-25 yard range also.
Just a thought.
JSS
November 27th, 2011
2:21 pm
@ ljonathan…
Been calling for moving Baker inside for over a year…
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
2:21 pm
seriously…who is this kickoff guy and what did he do with Matt Bosher?
phil
November 27th, 2011
2:21 pm
A win today and we pass Detroit for a WC…still behind chicago and either NY or Dallas, depending on that tiebreaker…
Loserville USA
November 27th, 2011
2:21 pm
This is where Van Donatell usually SUCKS!
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
2:22 pm
J S S…yup. Hawley seems to be having a few issues today, and Svitek looks good. Makes sense. And having alligator arms isn’t as important in the guard position. But will the egos of Baker and Dimitroff allow that move to happen?
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
2:22 pm
yea, but Joey Harrington did not win, or get his team to the playoffs. Had he done so, he would still be in the NFL.
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
2:23 pm
Likening Matt Ryan to Joey Harrington is like comparing Chipper Jones to Hound Dog Presley. I mean, come on.
welikebaseball2
November 27th, 2011
2:23 pm
JSS: Good point about Ryan feeding off of sub-.500 teams. His QB rating against teams with winning records this season…76.5, 55.1, 63.1, 81.5. Our hopes of getting out of the 1st round of the playoffs lie pretty heavily on him. I’d say more him than the defense or even the playcalling…because playcalling can’t be blamed for INT’s.
phil
November 27th, 2011
2:23 pm
Atlnative exactly right again….fans of our teams don’t want titles…
Settle too easily for mediocrity….sickening.
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
2:23 pm
I mean, we would have a real bust like Josh Freeman, the guy has not even been able to get his team to the playoffs.
JSS
November 27th, 2011
2:24 pm
This is like the whole Jamal Andersen debacle, they never try to admit a mistake and limit it… He should have been moved inside long before he was let go…
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
2:24 pm
Please. PUtting Ryan and Harrington in the same sentence should disqualify you from any further commenting.
welikebaseball2
November 27th, 2011
2:24 pm
AtlNative: Well-said. Agreed.
Once Recent Reader
November 27th, 2011
2:24 pm
72 mill . . .go back and look at Drew Brees stats before we was 27 and compare them to Ryan’s.
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
2:25 pm
And that’s the half. Falcons lead by 17. Vikings looking good in the Andrew Luck chase.
phil
November 27th, 2011
2:25 pm
Joey Harrington plays a mean piano as I recall…
So did David Robinson….
I guess it means football players are sissy boys if they play the keys…
Loserville USA
November 27th, 2011
2:25 pm
Well… that’s 30 minutes of football. Can they put together an entire 60?
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
2:26 pm
JSS, maybe Baker’s weak back may the the opening to let that happen, gives them some air cover.
phil
November 27th, 2011
2:27 pm
Harrington did manage to beat Carolina in that ill-fated 2007 season….one good memory!
Steve
November 27th, 2011
2:27 pm
Mark is it too early for a UGA/LSU prediction?
DawgNole
November 27th, 2011
2:27 pm
AtlNative: “We seem to settle for `good enough’ in this town when other teams are never satisfied and always trying to get better.”
_____________________
You nailed it there, buddy. Almost a half-century of pro sports in this town–and only one championship to show for it. With that historic level of failure, it’s pretty tough to swallow any criticism of the fans.
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
2:27 pm
Naaa, Colts have the Andrew Luck derby locked up. They are not going to screw up and win, you can bank on that.
dean
November 27th, 2011
2:27 pm
Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! Last of the family just hit the road headed back to ATL. Looks like Falcons are having their way with MN, as expected.
Is Juilio hurt again?
AtlNative
November 27th, 2011
2:27 pm
And to further help Ryan’s good traits so everyone doesnt think I am “hating” on him.
Let’s not forget that our Oline for much of this season has been dreadful. Ryan has been literally running for his life much of the time – and that is not his fault.
phil
November 27th, 2011
2:28 pm
LSU might very well shut us out.
And i’m not kidding.
At least 20-10 or so, if not worse.
JSS
November 27th, 2011
2:28 pm
@ Welike…
Please don’t get that ball started, Charlie will go off on one of his tangents and then he’ll start on a Vick thing, now he’s on Josh Freeman (who beat the Falcons even playing terrible as he has)… Hey, any given Sunday, unless you’re in Green Bay…
Wozzeck
November 27th, 2011
2:28 pm
Jamal Anderson was not this regime’s debacle. They did everything they could with him then cut him when able to. I mean how much crap are you going to throw against the wall and see if any of it sticks. I assume once you start comparing Ryan to Harrington you’ve run out of any cogent point.
WitStream
November 27th, 2011
2:29 pm
Steel canyon: roswell rd/ morgan falls
ejj
November 27th, 2011
2:29 pm
Should have been a TD, instead of FG, penalties, dropped pass, Falcons still have no discpline.
Gregory Moundine
November 27th, 2011
2:30 pm
Our opponent next week Houston Mat Lienert just got hurt. The have Yates, 3rd string in game. May be what ATL Falcons needed!
Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2011
2:30 pm
Safe travels to all, dean. And Julio is fine, as far as I’m aware.
72 Million Dollar Bust
November 27th, 2011
2:30 pm
@ Mark Bradley
What has Ryan Accomplished that separates him from Joey Harrington?
They both have zero playoff wins.
Gregory Moundine
November 27th, 2011
2:31 pm
They have Yates in game now!
ijonathan
November 27th, 2011
2:31 pm
For those of you stat heads, a tidy little 139 QB rating for Ryan at the half.
BTW, if you want to see some mind-blowing stats, check out Aaron Rodgers’ game by game QB rating this year. Wow.
JSS
November 27th, 2011
2:32 pm
Matt Leinart, what the? Talk about a Joey Harrington hex!
Gregory Moundine
November 27th, 2011
2:33 pm
Linert is said to have Head injury instead of shoulder injury
72 Million Dollar Bust
November 27th, 2011
2:33 pm
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
2:23 pm
I mean, we would have a real bust like Josh Freeman, the guy has not even been able to get his team to the playoffs
—–
I thought this was a Falcons blog, not a Tampa blog. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
kevkat
November 27th, 2011
2:33 pm
Hey Mark, what you got against Hound Dog Presley?…lol
Gregory Moundine
November 27th, 2011
2:33 pm
@JSS, yep!
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
2:34 pm
I don’t know if you guys realize this, but for 40 years, our owners have been “not accepting’ losing by firing our coaches, drafting new QBs, and signing free agents, but that has not gotten us ANYTHING.
But, now was have a staff that is going on their 4th winning season, and 3rd playoff berth, and you think that you, as a fan, if you show you are unwilling to accept this mediocre performance, that you force the owners to make changes, and assume the new coaches and QB will undoubtedly win a championship.
And when we get that Championship, we will raise the trophy to you, that Fan who was unwilling to accept mediocre performance.
dean
November 27th, 2011
2:34 pm
I was glancing at the game and didn’t see #11. I can watch 2nd half now and not feel guilty.
Mr Charlie
November 27th, 2011
2:35 pm
72, I am just comparing him to QBs in his division around his age. Ryan>Freeman by your won admission.
Supes
November 27th, 2011
2:35 pm
OK all you stat giving Matt Ryan Haters…Falcons WR are 1st in the NFL in dropped passes with 26 so far this season…FOX threw that stat up and I can recall many MEANINGFUL drops that have either cost us points, killed drives and definitely made Matt Ryan’s “numbers like QB rating – most over rated stat in football” go down.