The unbeaten Falcons are about to learn how good they are
Win, win, win: All these boring old Atlanta Falcons ever do is win. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Flowery Branch – The NFL schedule has been kind to the Falcons. They’re 6-0, and that flying start leaves the Falcons all but certain to make the playoffs. That this is a good team is beyond debate: Lousy teams don’t stay unbeaten deep into October. At issue now: Just how good is good?
Here’s where the scheduler performs another valuable service. The first six games were testing without being taxing, and the Falcons aced the exam. But now, having beaten no team that’s above .500, they’re in need of sterner tests. Bang on cue, here are their next four games: At Philadelphia, Dallas here, at New Orleans, Arizona here.
Technically, only one of those teams has a winning record. (And that’s Arizona, the one you’d least expect.) But the Falcons’ next three opponents are Brand Names, and two of those three games will staged on the road. After three narrow victories, it became possible to carp over the Falcons’ capacity to play down to the opposition. That won’t continue, simply because the level of opposition is set to rise. If the Falcons don’t start playing up, they’ll start losing.
“We’re 6-0, but we’ve got a lot of room for improvement,” said Todd McClure, the center. “We’ve got 10 games left, and the NFL is about peaking at the right time.”
The Falcons have bitter reason to know, given that they’ve been beaten in their first playoff game the past two seasons by teams with lesser records that wound up winning the Super Bowl. The 2010 Packers started 3-3 and were only 8-6 with two weeks remaining in the regular season; the 2011 Giants were 6-6 with a month to go. Moral of story: Nobody wins the Lombardi Trophy before Halloween.
That said, being 6-0 has enabled the Falcons to believe in themselves and their new coordinators, which is never a bad thing. Asked Wednesday if he considers this the NFL’s best team, free safety Thomas DeCoud said: “We haven’t shown that we are. We haven’t played our best game. But when we put that game together, it will be evident (that this team is indeed the best). To answer the question: Yes, but it has yet to be proven.”
Someone mentioned that the Falcons’ stats — they’re 13th in total offense, 22nd in total defense – aren’t suggestive of greatness. Said DeCoud: “It’s not how the stat line looks. The other team could rush for 200 yards but you’ll force a fumble and take it to the house. Games come down to five or six plays.”
To date, the Falcons have made all the plays of decision. But even good teams need to be given some indication of their true worth. If the Falcons win three of the next four, they’ll have ample reason to consider themselves the class of the league. If they lose a couple of games, Mike Smith and his assistants will have been handed a batch of teaching tools, which can, in the long run, be more valuable than locking down the home-field advantage.
We flash back to 2010: The Falcons were 13-3 and had beaten some good teams (New Orleans, Green Bay, Baltimore) en route, but a home loss to the Saints two nights after Christmas hinted that the NFC’s No. 1 seed-to-be wasn’t quite ready for its close-up. Sure enough, the wild-card Packers rolled into the Dome in January and exited 48-21 winners. Alas, the teaching tool arrived too late.
These Falcons are in a splendid spot. They’ve started so well they can absorb a loss or two and still win the NFC South breezing, and the road to 6-0 hasn’t been so filled with wonders as to make us wonder if such a run can be sustained.
McClure was likewise asked if the Falcons should be considered the NFL’s best. “I do,” he said. “Right now, I really do. I think everyone in this locker room does.”
Media consensus holds that the Falcons haven’t played as well as their record suggests. With the schedule about to grow teeth, nobody will be able to make that argument if this team keeps winning. Which would leave McClure … sad?
Yep. “I hope we kind of keep everything under the radar,” he said. “I’d rather be the team everybody is talking about in February.”
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
120 comments Add your comment
King Here 680
October 24th, 2012
8:53 pm
Second?
Whadda Ya Know?
October 24th, 2012
8:53 pm
Noisewater, I don’t agree about the Aints having our number. They had those predictable coordinators (Mularkey & BVG) number. This is a new regime and we should see the Falcons play them differently.
Michael "the dynasty" Vick
October 24th, 2012
9:04 pm
I’m waiting………..to cough it up.
Update: Lifetime QB rating about 80. This season 77. I have alway been a marginal QB.
phil
October 24th, 2012
9:25 pm
We’ve played no one….
We’re doomed.
Big Crimson 75
October 24th, 2012
9:25 pm
This Game will be fun.
Certain Falcon units will be tested.
The O-Line is in for their biggest test thus far.
The wide-9. Babin & Cole @DE.
Jenkins & Cox @ DT.
Philly is still weak at LB & Safety.
Some form of a running game will be nice.
As for stopping the Eagles.
We give up yards to everyone, why would this game be any different?
Philly has one of the weaker O-Lines in the game.
Our front 7 has to win the battle up front & allow us to play cover-2 against Jackson & Maclin.
The Good news….Nolan is capable of making adjustments.
Big Crimson 75
October 24th, 2012
9:28 pm
Phil — Washington, SD & Denver are better than Philly.
dsfd
October 24th, 2012
9:33 pm
Falcons WILL lose on Sunday! Bet my damn LIFE on it!
Kyle
October 24th, 2012
9:34 pm
I wish I could say they were as good as their record but after the first three games the truth came out and now that we are starting to play better teams it will really show. Maybe not as much as the Bulldogs showed they were not as good as advertised but it will show and come the playoffs it will be no different than the Braves and we will all say our usual……maybe next year.
Michael "the dynasty" Vick
October 24th, 2012
9:38 pm
Phil,
And who have we (Philly) played. We could be 0-6 so easily. Yes 5-1 too, but only by meer points. Hardly, what a dynasty is about. 2-4 extremely easy as I fumbled on our last drive against the Browns. Had, I not recovered it we would have lost as time was about to expire.
I am a sham. Always have been, always will be.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 24th, 2012
9:40 pm
“Remember, Denver, Chargers, and Washington are good teams. Two of those three will likely be playoff teams at years end!”
Either Denver or San Diego will make the playoffs by default because somebody has to win the AFC West. But I can guarantee you only one of the teams the Falcons have played so far will make the playoffs. The AFC West sucks and will not have a wild card team, and the Panthers and Redskins are not making the playoffs this year.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 24th, 2012
9:42 pm
Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter
Falcons opponents are a combined 13-24 so far this season, giving Atlanta the league’s easiest schedule through 7 weeks.
Expand Reply Retweet Favorite
6-0 is 6-0 and the Falcons have no reason to apologize for it, but that doesn’t mean criticism of them is invalid or that it’s safe to assume that record will hold up.
Chuck Parker
October 24th, 2012
9:44 pm
BIG hurdle this weekend. A win will show their mettle. A loss will show the weakness in the schedule. RISE UP !
Big Crimson 75
October 24th, 2012
9:54 pm
Hey Blank,
Thanks for the opportunity. But I understand. It was about feeding the black frenzy regardless of his potential to take us all the way.
———
Matt Schaub hasn’t taken anyone anywhere.
We got fair value for Schaub — Remember, in relief of Vick, Schaub put up decent numbers but never won a game as a starter here.
Schaub now has the luxury of 2 things Matt Ryan doesn’t — a running game & a defense.
Whadda Ya Know?
October 24th, 2012
10:00 pm
Where are all these fools coming from? dsfd, be prepared to drop dead then. You bet your life…you’re an idiot.
cloudodust
October 24th, 2012
10:01 pm
‘On any given Sunday, anything can happen’
Ed
October 24th, 2012
10:03 pm
Once again thanks to MB and the AJC can find a negative in being 6-0. Am I the only one who wonders why free agents don’t want to come here? I think not.
7 the Falcon
October 24th, 2012
10:23 pm
Philadelphia and Dallas? get real—they aren’t any good. ATL beats them easily. Mark this down: ATL v. SF for the NFC title!!! ATL by 6!!!!
Tigers Fan in Athens
October 24th, 2012
10:30 pm
The Saints started slow, but seem to have found themselves lately. Playing at their house will be tough, and may come down to who has the ball last in the 4th quarter.
ROD
October 24th, 2012
10:38 pm
I told the guys on my job the FALCONS will start 6-0, and finish at 15-1, and will be back in NEW ORLEANS for a second time. We have to realize, they have been winning,and they are still learning the offensive and defensive plays. It normally takes about 6 games or so for a time to start putting everything together. So I think this bye came at the right time, and everything will all come together. But as I tell my co-workers, “One game at a time”. New England finish the season undefeated, but lost in the SuperBowl. So I’m happy where they are, but I’m not satisfied until they are holding that LOMBARDI trophy. If they are not holding that tropyh, 16-0, 14-2, 15-1, doesn’t mean anything. GO FALCONS!!!!
Kandy Krowley
October 24th, 2012
11:42 pm
09/16/1973, Atlanta 62 – New Orleans 7.
With the Saints terrible defense, the Falcons could challenge this point differential. The Saints gave up 513 yards to the Bucs this past Sunday! Bucs gave the game away.
Eagles are 2 1/2 point favorites Sunday. This game is the Falcons to lose. The Eagles could easily be 0-6. There is a lot of discontent in Philly right now. Hopefully Ryan and company will ratchet up the heat in the Philly media and blogs.
Larry
October 24th, 2012
11:54 pm
Allow me to paraphrase for Najah: the Eagles have a black QB; the Falcons a white QB. Thusly, it is my wish the turnover margin favors the Eagles I’m a Falcon fan, but upon their opponent starting a white QB.
Larry
October 24th, 2012
11:56 pm
“…but contingent upon…”
RMikel58
October 25th, 2012
12:37 am
Yeah now that 6-0 can go to their heads. Not that good eventhough their 6-0. At Phillie yeah maybe but i really do believe we’ll lose in New Orleans even if the saints are 1-6 and we’re 6-1.
I think Dallas beats us at home and we split 4 games with a 8-2 record.
No way we can go 10-0 noway.
Falcons may win their division and its a good thing they have a big lead cause they’ll need it. I think that Atlanta will end up 11-5 and lose their 1st playoff game at home in typical Falcon Football Fashion.
Lucky for them alot of teams they play arent really playing that good yet.
ha
October 25th, 2012
1:13 am
Screw all you hater a$$ hats there is so much parity in the NFL any team can take down any other team on any given sunday. They have won 6 games in a row and hung on in games that might have tripped them up. They are a good team they will make the playoffs and that is that a$$ hat!!
Whopper Dawg
October 25th, 2012
1:16 am
Teaching tools, eh?
I have got a couple that doesn’t have anything to do with the schedule -
Abe remains the only pass rusher.
Unredesigned Oline remains very leaky against the pass rush and run defense of good teams.
Run offense is sporadic.
The rise of Ryan this year, and it has been a rise, has kept some of the sin covered up, but we could easily be 3 -3 right now.
We are not ready for prime time yet, but the team seems to know it.
Sargent Carter
October 25th, 2012
4:40 am
We are all on the same page….show us the victories….and, even more importantly, can we win a playoff game? As Al Davis said, “JUST WIN- BABY” We’ll see if our owner, GM, and head coach are just pretenders…and if so, it’s another day in Falcons’ history…like Dallas in 80 and Denver in 98…..
Scott Anderson
October 25th, 2012
5:43 am
Its a mirage.
Does it take us until the playoffs to be saying ” Same Old Falcons ”
Ryan usually flops against Vick.
Sid
October 25th, 2012
6:38 am
Falcons 24 Eagles 21
Stepchild
October 25th, 2012
6:38 am
Falcons are in for a rude awakening. This team has barely gotten by against some average NFL football teams. They have avoided 3 losses and found ways to win. That should be applauded. However, the jury is still out on these coordinators. The offense is no more potent than it was under Mularkey with a much worse running game. The defense is barely any better but have been able to get some turnovers. We have dominated no one at this point. We were dominating teams in 2010….and look what happened. In 2010, with those “horrible” coordinators we were beating average NFL football teams by 14 points or more!!! The truth serum will be served soon.
And why are the Eagles a 2pt favorite over our 6-0 Falcons???? What does Vegas know???
richard
October 25th, 2012
7:10 am
Get out of first round of playoff’s before you start flying flags
Confess_Jesus_Now
October 25th, 2012
7:55 am
Actually, this schedule isn’t as easy as people try to make it out to be. The Falcons do not have back to back home games all season. That in itself makes the schedule brutal. No team is doing as much traveling as this team right now and we still managed to remain perfect to this point; the best start in franchise history under such circumstances.
I’m still up in the air about a few things, but if we can pull off this victory after Andy Reid’s bye week accomplishments, then I’ll be sold until the New Orleans game. Every fan knows that inwardly we wanna see the Falcons sweep the Saints.
Escaped from Email Purgatory
October 25th, 2012
8:03 am
I don’t think anybody believes these Falcons will go undefeated. 19-0 doesn’t matter anyway – except to the 1972 Dolphins. Just win your last post season game.
Being considered the best team on paper – particularly before the season is even half way completed – based on some convoluted formula or consensus of pundit opinion – is so BCS.
Stay healthy, continue to do well what you do well, fix areas that need fixing, take care of your on field business (including keeping your off field activities from becoming a distraction) and make the playoffs.
These Falcons are far from perfect, but they’re good and they play with confidence. That statement is no truer than when it’s applied to Matt Ryan. He’s elevated his game this year – so far. The Birds will go as far as he can take them.
Saints R.E.A.M.
October 25th, 2012
8:13 am
If the Falcons win the Superbowl this year but lose two games to the Saints would it be a successful year?? I’m sure for many a Falcon fan it would be awesome ….but a tad bit disappointing…..LOL.
Boise Dawg
October 25th, 2012
8:20 am
Maybe it is all this parity in the NFL now so very few teams are above .500… but let see if I understand this. The falcons have played 6 teams none of whom are currently over .500 and their next four games only 1 team is currently over .500 and that team isn’t expected to make the playoffs. Whoever did their scheduling needs a big thank you.
Jazz
October 25th, 2012
8:22 am
Falcons are what the record says they are 6-0!!!
Falcons will be 7-0 after Sundays game vs an overrated team!!
Falcons know how to ^RISE UP^
Boise Dawg
October 25th, 2012
8:23 am
CJN – Check out the 49ers schedule to date and tell me again that this isn’t an easy schedule so far by comparison. Packers, Lions, Vikings, Jets, Bills, Giants, Seahawks
Mask of False Bravado
October 25th, 2012
8:45 am
Scott Anderson
October 25th, 2012
5:43 am
Ryan usually flops against Vick
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
When did Vick start playing defense? And by “usually” what do you mean? How many times has Ryan faced the Eagles when Vick was their starter? Once? The Falcons won that game.
North FLA Falcon
October 25th, 2012
8:58 am
The Bye came at a good time. We had gotten a little soft, a bit lazy. Pathetic tackling on defense. Turner tip-toeing to the line for 1 yard. Ryan making lazy, predictable throws. Hopefully these guys did some thinking over the break about what kind of team they want to be. This is a tough place to play against a hungry, talented team that also had their Bye last week. The whole world is watching … will the Falcons answer the call.
4DaBirds
October 25th, 2012
9:07 am
The Falcons are for real. They won even when they did not play their best. They win on the road. They play better on the road. They are a group that works well together.
The Eagles are trash, and they will lose in grand fashion on Sunday. Vick is a horrible QB with nothing but raw skills and greasy hands. The Eagles, while talented in some areas, are on the road to destruction with the Coach (and dog) killa driving the broken down bus.
4DaBirds
October 25th, 2012
9:10 am
Scott Anderson said: Its a mirage.
Does it take us until the playoffs to be saying ” Same Old Falcons ”
Ryan usually flops against Vick.
You sir are the “Same Old Ignorant Non-Fan”. Ryan has only faced Vick head to head once, and Ryan won.
Stop the Madness
October 25th, 2012
9:15 am
Stepchild: And why are the Eagles a 2pt favorite over our 6-0 Falcons???? Seeing that Vegas gives the home team 3 pts and Philly is only a 2 pt favorite doesn’t say they’re confident about this team winning at home. What does Vegas know??? That the Eagles is a cluster phuck of a team right now.
North FLA Falcon
October 25th, 2012
9:21 am
The Eagles firing their Def Coord is like the Panthers firing their GM. The front office is trying to make an example of somebody, while avoiding the real problem which is the QUARTERBACK.
4DaBirds
October 25th, 2012
9:28 am
This is the weekend that the Coach Killa strikes again. Poor Andy Reid.
sckottt
October 25th, 2012
9:43 am
Hey bamastan, quit hitting the moonshine before posting and let me know when bama plays a real team
Ron Mexico
October 25th, 2012
9:48 am
Hey, what’s up. Coach Reid has put a lot of pressure on me this week. But I can’t stop fumbling. I really want to beat my old team this week but I know Abraham has me in his sights. My ribs already hurt a little and we haven’t even played yet. We will try to run but Babineaux is playin beast right now. I will try to make some crazy azz throws on the run but Asante and DeCoud are ball hawks. Not sure if I’m feelin it this week. Peace out to all my fans in the ATL.
Fulton Kuykendall
October 25th, 2012
9:59 am
Don Shula, Jake Scott, and the rest of the ‘72 Dolphins can go ahead and pop the cork on that case of Dom Perignon, because the Birds are going down this weekend. Of course, Don and Jake probably won’t be celebrating together…..
The Ghost of Norm Van Brocklin
October 25th, 2012
10:04 am
Hope the Dawg Killer is the one sitting in his locker room post-game with a towel over his head…until he goes to the mic and tells the press he is leaving them a suggestion box.
Hollis D
October 25th, 2012
10:29 am
Excellent comment and analysis, Jeff B. Points allowed and Scored are really the only stats that count, and sometimes, that can be misleading if there is a blowout loss or win. 6 – 0 is what it is. One game at a time s the only way to go. These so called big name teams are fickle…….Dallas got embarrased by Seattle. The Giants lost to Dallas. The Saints lost to Carolina!! People give these teams credit for what they’ve done in the PAST. It simply doesn’t matter. Matt Ryan threw three interceptions in the Raiders game and they still won. Glass half full, people!!!
ideas
October 25th, 2012
10:47 am
Hey Big Crimson 75…Matt Schaub was always the better quarterback. If he had a good offensive line in all the years at Houston, before this, he would have been in the Super Bowl. I think Blank made some mistakes at HD but his biggest mistake was bowing to the black pressure by getting rid of a better quarterback so he could pump up the Atlanta crowd with fumble bug Vick. Or should I say OVERTHROW VICK. 90% OF HIS PASSES WERE OVERTHROWS. His only savior was the height of Finnegan or things would have been a lot worse. This is from a 27 year season ticket holder. I know of what I speak.
Ty
October 25th, 2012
12:06 pm
Nice column Mark and the gist of it is correct in my opinion. I do have a problem with the flawed logic used to introduce the topic, however. To use the argument that the schedule has been soft and ’sterner tests’ lie ahead doesn’t fly with your data. You claim “6-0 but now, having beaten no team over 0.500″? Looking at the standings, only 11 teams (including Atlanta) are above 0.500 (less than 33%). If you take away 4-3 teams (1 game over 0.500), the number drops to 7 teams!
Next, you say look at the next four games against “Brand Names” (Philadelphia, Dallas, New Orleans, Arizona). Using your logic, their next four games are teams that are 3-3, 3-3, 2-4, and 4-3, respectively. Thus, if Atlanta should win all of these games, it is likely that they STILL would not have beaten many teams “over 0.500″. Of course, it’s possible that all of the teams the Falcons have beaten will win their next four games (and then, the Falcons would have beaten eight teams over 0.500 and two teams at 0.500. I also didn’t realize that San Diego and Denver were not considered “Brand Names” (and don’t know a lot of teams that look forward to playing them).
Here’s the bottom line . . the NFL has a LOT of very good teams that can win any given Sunday. Yes, the Falcons don’t look invincible (and will lose a few along the way). But, there are at least 25 teams out there that would gladly trade places with our Falcons right now (”weak schedule” and all). If you needed another inch of column filled, just space the words more . . don’t take a flawed position to write an otherwise good article.