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
Ph.D.
December 15th, 2011
8:51 pm
Amen, Mr. Bradely on the stipulations: becoming hackneyed those three rants. Very much have enjoyed your writing this year. Happy holidays and keep up good work. Excellent article on Munson; anything on Conrad’s farewell….
DONT HAVE ANOTHER HEARTATTACK M.SMITH
December 15th, 2011
8:51 pm
KICK THE FIELDGOAL
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
8:52 pm
Kicking it now. Not the sexy choice, but the correct one.
A 10-0 lead is huge against the league’s worst O.
72 Million Dollar Bust
December 15th, 2011
8:52 pm
@Mr. Charlie
Have you ever made a positive comment about a black quarterback?
Just a thought.
Mr Charlie
December 15th, 2011
8:53 pm
They were never going to run a play, just hoping jax timed to clock and charged the line.
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
8:53 pm
It’s 10-0. Pretty strong start.
Groundhogday
December 15th, 2011
8:53 pm
I’m not trying to cause a distraction here, but this is unbelievable……….
http://espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/7355706/chicago-bears-sam-hurd-arrested-drug-charges
72 Million Dollar Bust
December 15th, 2011
8:53 pm
@Mr. Charlie
I guess the Heismann was a blow to your dreams….ha ha.
Mr Charlie
December 15th, 2011
8:53 pm
72, you ever made a positive comment about Matt Ryan?
Mike.P
December 15th, 2011
8:53 pm
embarrasing…..MB….why oh why havent we seen the rookie rb since his TD catch? wouldnt he be better option for the once in a blue moon screen play?
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
8:53 pm
Thanks, Ph.D.
Mr Charlie
December 15th, 2011
8:54 pm
Nahh, heisman is about politics, I am used to lesser talents getting “appointed”.
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
8:54 pm
Anyone who has ever had chest pains — I speak here from experience, though happily a false alarm — would never make light of chest pains.
katherine
December 15th, 2011
8:55 pm
smart decsion to kick the field goal
Jimmy
December 15th, 2011
8:55 pm
Yes…we want to see the ball go downfield. FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT, let’s say Ryan can only throw the ball 20 yards in the air. There are many, many ways to turn a 20 yard throw into a deep pass. At least with fast receivers who can turn mid range passes into TD’s. Then you have the same effect on defenses as if the ball went 60 yards in the air.
DONT HAVE ANOTHER HEARTATTACK M.SMITH
December 15th, 2011
8:56 pm
3 AND OUT
katherine
December 15th, 2011
8:56 pm
mark…i agree. its a scary thing to see someone having chest pains
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
8:56 pm
They said he had an irregular heartbeat which is nothing to mess around with.
dean
December 15th, 2011
8:56 pm
Semper Fi brother to the jarhead from the Maintenance Bn. (that should be a clue about my Jane feelings)
Jimmy
December 15th, 2011
8:57 pm
Did they ever say what caused Smith’s chest pains?
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
8:57 pm
Joe Montana: Not the greatest deep thrower. Total bust as a pro quarterback.
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
8:57 pm
I like the way they are starting to get the ball into Julio’s hands and let him use his speed.
son's who?
December 15th, 2011
8:58 pm
Whose terrible idea was Thursday Night Football?
katherine
December 15th, 2011
8:58 pm
watching all these other rookie qb’s. its amazing to me how hard they are on tebow.
Mr Charlie
December 15th, 2011
8:58 pm
I have had them, as just about anyone has I am not making “light”, but I have a lot of confidence that Smitty was checked out very well, and if there was even a chance something was wrong, he never would have been allowed to leave the hospital. He had them, he did the right thing, and apparently, all is ok. I trust the doctors.
Jimmy
December 15th, 2011
8:59 pm
I’ve got to tell you…esophageal spasms feel like a heart attack. So does gall stones for some people.
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
8:59 pm
If Mike Smith was in danger, he wouldn’t have been allowed to leave the Charlotte ER
DONT HAVE ANOTHER HEARTATTACK M.SMITH
December 15th, 2011
9:00 pm
OFFSIDES
phil
December 15th, 2011
9:00 pm
Chest pains….
You bunch of sissies.
Kidding.
katherine
December 15th, 2011
9:00 pm
im glad there is thursday night football….regular tv sucks..except for american horror story
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
December 15th, 2011
9:00 pm
uh-oh, 72 bust just threw out the race card…WATCH OUT!!!! a classic, shallow response. coward.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 15th, 2011
9:01 pm
“watching all these other rookie qb’s. its amazing to me how hard they are on tebow.”
Tebow is not a rookie. But yeah, they are too hard on him. He has poor mechanics and below average arm strength but he finds a way to make plays.
dean
December 15th, 2011
9:01 pm
Tebow gets bashed more for being a good guy than the Kardashians get for being trash. Weird.
Mtn Falcon
December 15th, 2011
9:01 pm
Matty Ice is unbelievable. These Falcons, are the Green Bay of last year. They have been maturing and melding together as a team
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
9:01 pm
Gallstones to me — I’ve had that, too — felt like I’d torn a muscle in my upper back.
katherine
December 15th, 2011
9:01 pm
you know what else feels like a heart attack? a panic attack….ive had several since I was a kid…they are scary
bostonbcfan
December 15th, 2011
9:01 pm
Spooon is the man…..he just gets better and better every game
falconsrus
December 15th, 2011
9:01 pm
SPOON good tackle
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
December 15th, 2011
9:02 pm
where has this falcons D been all year??? i’m liking the aggressiveness!!!
phil
December 15th, 2011
9:02 pm
The ground is full of dead people who trusted their doctor…
Think for yourselves some of the time too and be proactive.
Benjamin
December 15th, 2011
9:03 pm
Phil, the ground is where we’re all headed eventually.
[Sorry for the morbid drop in. Commence thy football discussion, ladies and gents.]
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
9:03 pm
Falcons’ D has actually been pretty good this season. Not great, but not terrible.
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
December 15th, 2011
9:03 pm
agreed najeh on tebow. mechanics are whack- watch Denver draft players that fit his system next year
Mr Charlie
December 15th, 2011
9:03 pm
They never said Smitty had an irregular heartbeat. If he had, no way he gets let out of the hospital at 3AM. My guess, Smitty had some pains, was sent to the hospital just to be safe. He took a batter of tests, probably has high cholesterol, not much else. But due to the pains, cholesterol, and job, he has been scheduled for more tests. But, if he had ANYTHING wrong, no way he leaves that hospital the same day.
Big Enos Burdette
December 15th, 2011
9:03 pm
anybody want to see my appendectomy scar?
phil
December 15th, 2011
9:03 pm
If some of you people would lose some weight and get some exercise, perhaps some of these attacks wouldn’t happen.
Just a thought…
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
9:03 pm
dean
December 15th, 2011
9:01 pm
Tebow gets bashed more for being a good guy than the Kardashians get for being trash. Weird.
—————————————————————————————
You are so right. They are glorified for being complete garbage.
Groundhogday
December 15th, 2011
9:03 pm
Nice open field tackel by Spoon!
Malcolm
December 15th, 2011
9:04 pm
Big Enos, no thanks.
phil
December 15th, 2011
9:04 pm
Thank you, Benjamin….i had no idea.