Live from the Dome: A stress-free Falcons’ victory at last?
Matty Ice, shown in an un-holly-jolly mood. (AP photo)
The Falcons have played 13 games. Two have been blowouts: The opening loss at Chicago and the dismissal of winless Indianapolis. In the Falcons’ six home games, all have been in doubt in the fourth quarter, and one beyond that. (Fourth-and-1 at the 30 in overtime. I’m guessing you remember.)
I mention this because we might be about to see an actual Dome wipeout. The Jacksonville Jaguars arrive having already shed coach Jack Del Rio but still lugging the 32nd-best offense in a 32-team league. I also mention this because the Falcons’ head coach has been in the news for having chest pains. An actual runaway by the home side would be the nicest holiday gift Mike Smith could imagine.
I should also mention that the Falcons need only to beat two bad teams here — Jacksonville and then Tampa Bay on New Year’s Day — to reach 10 wins. Ten wins will almost surely book playoff passage and claim the NFC’s No. 5 seed in the process, and you’d rather be No. 5 and have to play the Giants or the Cowboys or the Eagles than be No. 6 and face a Round 1 game in the Superdome.
I could mention other things, but I really don’t feel a pressing need. This one shouldn’t be close, except that the Falcons are pretty good at making games close. Let’s see if they break character tonight.
And with that, the floor’s yours. I eagerly await your comments, questions and submissions for favorite seasonal song. And if anyone suggests Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” that person gets banned in perpetuity. So be warned.
By Mark Bradley
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845 comments Add your comment
katherine
December 15th, 2011
10:31 pm
wth is zocor
katherine
December 15th, 2011
10:32 pm
maybe the starters shouldnt go out yet
AtlNative
December 15th, 2011
10:32 pm
Dammit…..
We just cant ever be perfect in this town… lol
The defense earned a shutout, too bad for us
Groundhogday
December 15th, 2011
10:32 pm
Well, that sucked. Our up-back just got run slap over.
JK
December 15th, 2011
10:32 pm
I kind of agree with FG. It feels like a game against the Saints this Sunday would be a guaranteed win. Ten days, though, the way this season has gone, is alot of time for the Falcons to forget how to win and lay a big egg. I just hope that last week and this week have been transformative and will mean that this is thing of the past.
phil
December 15th, 2011
10:32 pm
Ridiculous.
Fred Macmurray
December 15th, 2011
10:32 pm
Shillinger = speed bump
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
10:33 pm
Shillinger didn’t eat his Weaties this morning. He got ran over.
katherine
December 15th, 2011
10:33 pm
no one is perfect…..and no one expects a shutout
ijonathan
December 15th, 2011
10:33 pm
so…do the starters stay in now??
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
10:33 pm
Schillinger got shellacked.
phil
December 15th, 2011
10:33 pm
Zocor is a statin.
Loserville USA
December 15th, 2011
10:33 pm
Defense actually blanked Indy as well.
ijonathan
December 15th, 2011
10:33 pm
I think we still should put Redman, Weems, Meier, Rodgers, etc. in the game.
phil
December 15th, 2011
10:33 pm
Fire Santa!
Fred Macmurray
December 15th, 2011
10:34 pm
JSS,, I dont recall Dali being that fat…
Reggie
December 15th, 2011
10:34 pm
Well that sucked. But this game is over. Doesn’t really matter. Our defense has still pitched a shutout so far.
Loserville USA
December 15th, 2011
10:34 pm
Too many Montana guys on the team.
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
10:34 pm
Oh, and I’m off doing print duty for the moment. But I’m about finished. Thank goodness for blowouts when it’s an 8:28 p.m. start.
phil
December 15th, 2011
10:34 pm
I knew that would happen when we benched Turner….
Kidding.
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
10:34 pm
JK, The way I see it is the Falcons are going to get 11 days to rest up and come up with a good game plan for the Aint’s
Lawton
December 15th, 2011
10:34 pm
guaranteed win against the Saints?? wow. beating the Saints will be tough, especially without Grimes.
katherine
December 15th, 2011
10:34 pm
im not in the medical field so I have no idea what a statin is
phil
December 15th, 2011
10:35 pm
Fire Mike Smith!
JSS
December 15th, 2011
10:35 pm
But Davenpoop…
Gabbert is still > than Jimmy Clausen!
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
10:35 pm
Redman in.
Ryan: 19 for 26, three touchdowns.
Loserville USA
December 15th, 2011
10:35 pm
GOOD: Something to work on.
Loserville USA
December 15th, 2011
10:36 pm
Get Turner the hell out of there!
AtlNative
December 15th, 2011
10:36 pm
Why is Turner still in there at this point. He is the guy who probably needs a rest the most…
Reggie
December 15th, 2011
10:37 pm
Lawton, Grimes WILL BE BACK for the Taints.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 15th, 2011
10:37 pm
“Gabbert is still > than Jimmy Clausen!”
I don’t even know if I agree with that. I haven’t seen a first round QB this bad since JaMarcus.
phil
December 15th, 2011
10:37 pm
Dear lord….
A statin is a medicine that basically helps lower cholesterol.
I’m no doc either but that’s the basic idea.
I don’t trust em not to cause liver damage long term so no thanks for me.
Reggie
December 15th, 2011
10:38 pm
There are no GUARANTEED wins when it comes down to the Falcons vs. Saints. It’s going to be close, it’s going to be a dogfight and the Falcons WILL NOT go away.
phil
December 15th, 2011
10:38 pm
Release Redman!!
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
10:38 pm
I think all the dummies that have come in here over the season saying that we need to play Redman. That’s why we don’t.
JSS
December 15th, 2011
10:39 pm
@ Dad of my 3 Sons…
There was a time in the 30s, he was Paris decadent!
katherine
December 15th, 2011
10:39 pm
yep..if ryan gets hurt we are totally screwed
ls1z28chris
December 15th, 2011
10:39 pm
Falcons demolish another pitiful team with a pathetic record. Brace yourselves. The Super Bowl run predictions are coming.
phil
December 15th, 2011
10:40 pm
That Jax QB, if he would cut that crap hair, he might be able to escape a sack….
Fred Macmurray
December 15th, 2011
10:40 pm
Statin is Cialis
JSS
December 15th, 2011
10:40 pm
Actually, Khan looks more like Pancho Villa…
BillD
December 15th, 2011
10:41 pm
I see the LA Jaguars in the future!!
Lawton
December 15th, 2011
10:41 pm
not a sure thing Grimes will be back next Sunday. I’d guess its probable.
phil
December 15th, 2011
10:41 pm
Super Bowl champs!!
Finally!
Yes we will!
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
10:41 pm
They are not pitiful on defense. They’re ranked 4th. Their offense is what is ptitful.
katherine
December 15th, 2011
10:41 pm
LA needs a football team now that the lakers are going to be the step sister of the clippers lol
bostonbcfan
December 15th, 2011
10:42 pm
Najeh….I disagree on Gabbert. I think in a couple of years he’ll be pretty good. Remember he’s coming from a true spread offense to the pro-style…that is a huge, huge transition, as evidenced by tonight. He doesn’t have much of an O-line or recievers cause they are all hurt. The transition from spread to pro-style offense is huge. Even Cam Newton is struggling at times and so do most QB’s who come from spread offenses….look at the eagles back up who came from a spread offense at Texas….he’s still struggling to make it.
phil
December 15th, 2011
10:42 pm
Fred, Cialis is an ED drug that many of you obese bloggers need.
JSS
December 15th, 2011
10:42 pm
Naw, Clausen is just B-a-d!!! I don’t even count Russell, that was just shameful…
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
10:42 pm
Grimes WILL be back for the Saints. They held him out of this game because they didn’t think they needed him against this offense.