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
Najeh Davenpoop
December 15th, 2011
9:04 pm
“Joe Montana: Not the greatest deep thrower. Total bust as a pro quarterback.”
It’s not about how far you can throw it, but how fast you can throw it. Pointing out the lack of velocity on Ryan’s throws is a valid criticism. It isn’t such a crippling limitation that the Falcons can’t scheme around it, but it has at times limited what the Falcons can do offensively, particularly against good secondaries who can quickly close those windows 15-20 yards down the field. I am also pretty confident that it contributes to the indoor-outdoor disparity in Ryan’s stats.
Benjamin
December 15th, 2011
9:04 pm
Unable to watch tonight; is Grimes in the game, or sitting on the sidelines?
Groundhogday
December 15th, 2011
9:05 pm
That’s 2 punts in a row Weems has made the 1st 2 miss………he’s gonna bust one tonite.
Benjamin
December 15th, 2011
9:05 pm
Any time, Phil. Any time…
Is Grimes playing tonight? I’m not able to watch right now.
phil
December 15th, 2011
9:05 pm
Touch Turner, down he goes like a rock.
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
9:05 pm
On the NFL Network in the pregame show they said he had an irregular heartbeat and had a Doctor’s appointment tomorrow.
katherine
December 15th, 2011
9:05 pm
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…
Here is a thought…people drop dead from heart attacks every day who arent over weight…. and you assuming anyone here is over weight by this conversation says a lot about you
DONT HAVE ANOTHER HEARTATTACK M.SMITH
December 15th, 2011
9:05 pm
MIKE TURNER CANT EVEN OUT RUN A D.END
Big Enos Burdette
December 15th, 2011
9:06 pm
You sure, Malcolm? It’s a beaut. In the right light it looks alot like Elvis
Mr Charlie
December 15th, 2011
9:06 pm
Phil, we all die sometime, and most don’t do what the doctor says over the long haul, and very few drop dead within a few weeks/months of being given a clean bill of health. Not to mention, I suspect Smitty got a little extra attention than the average schmoe.
72 Million Dollar Bust
December 15th, 2011
9:06 pm
Beautiful pass by the BUST!
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
9:06 pm
7. Ryan had White open 30 yards downfield and missed him.
Big Enos Burdette
December 15th, 2011
9:06 pm
or the virgin mary
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
9:06 pm
Ryan has the arm strength to throw deep. He needs to work on the accuracy
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
9:07 pm
Arthur Ashe, one of the fittest men in the world, had a heart attack.
DONT HAVE ANOTHER HEARTATTACK M.SMITH
December 15th, 2011
9:07 pm
WHY CANT MATT RYAN PLAY LIKE (RODGERS,MANNING,BRADY AND BREES)?
falconsrus
December 15th, 2011
9:07 pm
The old twelth man D
Jimmy
December 15th, 2011
9:07 pm
Phil…maybe you need to gain a little weight…
between your ears.
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
9:07 pm
Grimes is inactive.
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
9:08 pm
Why all of a sudden is our line getting run over?
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
9:08 pm
Falcons ball on the Jax 5.
falconsrus
December 15th, 2011
9:08 pm
spoon got it
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
9:08 pm
I saw that coming
katherine
December 15th, 2011
9:08 pm
exactly mark
Groundhogday
December 15th, 2011
9:08 pm
Spoon is the man! Now punch it in.
bostonbcfan
December 15th, 2011
9:08 pm
Spoon again in the middle of it
Najeh Davenpoop
December 15th, 2011
9:09 pm
Matt Ryan, please do me a favor and don’t throw any TDs to Gonzalez today. I am playing against him in fantasy football.
falconsrus
December 15th, 2011
9:09 pm
That was Boscher-iffic
dean
December 15th, 2011
9:09 pm
That running guru (was Fox his name?) also dropped dead
katherine
December 15th, 2011
9:09 pm
oh yea touchdown
Mike.P
December 15th, 2011
9:09 pm
wow
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
9:09 pm
Someone asked earlier about a good player drafted by Dimitroff.
Weatherspoon is good. Ryan is good. Julio is good. Lofton is good.
And it’s 17-0.
Mr Charlie
December 15th, 2011
9:09 pm
Exactly MB, and some people have airplanes fall on them. It is about risk, and if Smitty demonstrated risk, he would not have left the hospital that fast. Nor would the Falcons issue a statement saying Smitty is not experiencing consistent pains, for if he was, I suspect he would be in the hospital right now. I don’t suspect the Falcons are trying to cover anything up.
falconsrus
December 15th, 2011
9:10 pm
WE got Mo and willy Mo
Groundhogday
December 15th, 2011
9:10 pm
Less than stellar offensive series followed up by outstanding special teams play.
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
9:10 pm
Jim Fixx was the runner’s name, I believe.
kerryb
December 15th, 2011
9:10 pm
Weatherspoon is slowly becoming our Clay Matthews.
phil
December 15th, 2011
9:11 pm
katherine
December 15th, 2011
9:05 pm
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…
Here is a thought…people drop dead from heart attacks every day who arent over weight…. and you assuming anyone here is over weight by this conversation says a lot about you
********
Thank you.
bostonbcfan
December 15th, 2011
9:11 pm
Damn Phil, you could have made it through that hole into the endzone!!!! Just kiddin Phil.
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
9:11 pm
Not so slowly, kerryb.
katherine
December 15th, 2011
9:11 pm
i love it when there is nothing for the debbie downers to say
Najeh Davenpoop
December 15th, 2011
9:11 pm
Unlike the Panthers, the Jaguars don’t have the kind of playmaker at QB who can compensate for mistakes like that and keep a game like this close.
I am guessing Redman is going to get some snaps in the second half, maybe even in the 3rd quarter.
Mr Charlie
December 15th, 2011
9:12 pm
Reeves has chest pains, he had clogged arteries and had surgery within 24 hours. Does that mean Smitty will not die of a heart attack? No, does it mean anyone on this blog will not suffer the same fate tonight? this week? this year? No. Risk is part of life.
ijonathan
December 15th, 2011
9:12 pm
that Sack Ryan took is probably avoided by the likes of Rodgers and Brees. To me, all he had to do was slide up and to the right (instead of straight ahead) and he buys himself another 1 or 2 seconds.
katherine
December 15th, 2011
9:12 pm
it wasnt a compliment phil…you are a very negative, judgemental person
Andy
December 15th, 2011
9:12 pm
That looked like some high school stuff there with that punt return. Does that guy normally return punts? Terrible but I’ll take it.
Big Enos Burdette
December 15th, 2011
9:12 pm
Falcons need to lay it on
Anon1
December 15th, 2011
9:12 pm
As long as the Falcons don’t turn the ball over like Tampa Bay did, Jacksonville is in for a long night.
Mark Bradley
December 15th, 2011
9:12 pm
DT Corey Peters has a knee injury. That could be a major deal
phil
December 15th, 2011
9:13 pm
Jimmy
December 15th, 2011
9:07 pm
Phil…maybe you need to gain a little weight…
between your ears.
********
Get you another twinkie, fat boy….