Live from the Dome: Big D against the overrated (?) Falcons
"Hey! You there! Are you the one calling us overrated? This next one's for you, pal. " (AP photo)
Rob Ryan, brother of Rex and son of Buddy, has predicted his Cowboys — Rob is the defensive coordinator — will beat the Falcons tonight. Falcons fans will probably take offense, no pun intended, but really, what’s he supposed to do? Say, “I’m guessing Atlanta wins by 10″?
For those easily riled, here’s another in the lengthening series of Atlanta-isn’t-as-good-as-its-record stories. (I know a bit about these, having written one myself.) In this one, Gary Horton of Sports Inc. declares on ESPN Insider (link requires registration) that the Falcons have issues running the ball and stopping the run — no news there — and wonders if this offensive line will hold up and if the defense can improve its red-zone efficiency. These are legitimate issues, no question, but still:
About here, I’m waiting for someone to predict that these Falcons are absolutely, positively going to tick off the ‘72 Dolphins by going unbeaten. Maybe I’ll get around to it, assuming Rob Ryan’s forecast doesn’t come to fruition.
While you’re waiting for toe to meet leather, here’s another little serving from ESPN Insider, this from Jeff Gold, in which he states his belief that the Cowboys are a great underdog play tonight. (They’re a 4 1/2-point underdog. They’re also a sub-.500 team.) And yet another from the Worldwide Leader, this from the Grantland imprint, wherein Bill Barnwell claims the Falcons are “a tad overrated” — how, I ask, can they be overrated if everybody’s writing how they aren’t all that great? — but figures they’ll finish as the NFC’s No. 1 seed and Matt Ryan will win MVP. (Barnwell does not, however, pick the Falcons to win the Super Bowl. He likes Green Bay.)
Oh, wait. There’s one more. From Jason York of ESPN Stats & Information, we learn that the Cowboys have beaten a team 7-0 or better three times since 1991 — and all three of those teams won the Super Bowl! So that presents a real dilemma, assuming you’re a Falcons’ fan: Do you root for 8-0, do you pull for history?
I’ll leave you to ponder that metaphysical stumper, but I hope you’ll return for tonight’s festivities. I’ll be watching and commenting, and I hope you’ll join me. And I thank you, as ever, in advance.
By Mark Bradley
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1,048 comments Add your comment
Pigskin
November 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
We’re playing rope-a-dope now. They wanna come…..let ‘em come.
Bill 2
November 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
wish he was alittle faster..
Augusta
November 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
Can you believe Chris C. calling on Dallas to “hang in there…?”
Big Crimson 75
November 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
Should be 12-6 & we put it away here.
Those Danny White ghosts are hanging around!!
kerryb
November 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
If that was Rogers that would have been a TD. Of course he wouldn’t have broken that tackle halfway down the field.
tmc
November 4th, 2012
10:35 pm
i think we can all agree “the burner” needs to be retired.
He got in the open and looked like he had a baby grand piano on his back…
(I can completely relate)
atlfalconsfan0125
November 4th, 2012
10:35 pm
If Turner wasnt fat, thats a TD.
dean
November 4th, 2012
10:35 pm
Drew Davis. Come out come out wherever you are.
homo
November 4th, 2012
10:35 pm
needed turner to run that one all the way.
Augusta
November 4th, 2012
10:36 pm
Time for Tony G. to stand tall in the end Zone…
Big Crimson 75
November 4th, 2012
10:36 pm
Franks, HD & Edwards are our worst players.
atlfalconsfan0125
November 4th, 2012
10:36 pm
We really gotta score here.
atlfalconsfan0125
November 4th, 2012
10:36 pm
1st down!
rj
November 4th, 2012
10:36 pm
MB:
interesting side note. current Dallas punter was replaced at Buffalo by Shawn Powell of Rome and now comes to Dallas to replace injured Chris Jones also from Rome
playmeortrademe
November 4th, 2012
10:37 pm
Need 7 here. Where is Drew D. tonight?
kerryb
November 4th, 2012
10:37 pm
TD!!!!
homo
November 4th, 2012
10:37 pm
HELL YES
Augusta
November 4th, 2012
10:37 pm
Turner deserved to take that one in…
me
November 4th, 2012
10:37 pm
BOOM! Turner was just saving himself.
atlfalconsfan0125
November 4th, 2012
10:37 pm
About time!
FALCONSRUS
November 4th, 2012
10:37 pm
Yes sir buddy
Bill 2
November 4th, 2012
10:37 pm
yes! The bull for TD….
playmeortrademe
November 4th, 2012
10:37 pm
Glad to see Falcons started running to the outside.
80sFalcons
November 4th, 2012
10:37 pm
TD
tmc
November 4th, 2012
10:38 pm
All Right! nice drive and TD…
now, c’mon defense… wrap up and make tackles.
Mark Bradley
November 4th, 2012
10:38 pm
Falcons lead. Because they kept running it.
Also because Matt Ryan and Roddy White are really good.
homo
November 4th, 2012
10:38 pm
I CANT BELIEVE HE MADE THE EXTRA POINT
Jimmy
November 4th, 2012
10:38 pm
In your face RRyan!
Can’t stand the Ryan boys.
Can’t stand the Cowboys.
Mora less Petrino
November 4th, 2012
10:38 pm
Good drive! Need a Romo turnover now.
Bill 2
November 4th, 2012
10:38 pm
damn he made the kick
War Dawg
November 4th, 2012
10:38 pm
Why dose Mike Peterson still play? He misses every other tackle! Daunte ‘The human Torch’ Robinson also. Tackling is horrible!
dean
November 4th, 2012
10:38 pm
Come on D. Protect it now.
Draggin Fly
November 4th, 2012
10:38 pm
“i think we can all agree “the burner” needs to be retired.”
Can we wait til after the game?
me
November 4th, 2012
10:38 pm
Listen to Collinsworth making excuses. Falcons are playing with their best player on D, without their best corner, Grimes and without their starting tackle.
BobDawg
November 4th, 2012
10:38 pm
ME…. Now this is what I wanted to see.. How we reacted to getting punched in the mouth by their lines and how we reacted…We are a well coached team and can play physical now also… Great drive!
FALCONSRUS
November 4th, 2012
10:39 pm
He hit that like bronco bama
homo
November 4th, 2012
10:39 pm
SHOULD BE 19 TO 6 OR AT LEAST 13 TO 6.. GO FALCONS.. TURNER IS THE DIFFERENCE MAKER WHEN HE GETS GOOD BLOCKING
Tommy
November 4th, 2012
10:39 pm
Good plan–rest Matt’s back by sticking it in the end zone.
Big Crimson 75
November 4th, 2012
10:39 pm
Hawks win in OKC tonight without Josh Smith.
Enough said.
Jimmy
November 4th, 2012
10:39 pm
Time for Roma to try to do too much.
Need a pic six D!
atlfalconsfan0125
November 4th, 2012
10:39 pm
Ryans consecutive passing TD streak is in jeopardy.
Pigskin
November 4th, 2012
10:40 pm
Romo can be vulnerable here. Be on your toes DB’s!
jo
November 4th, 2012
10:40 pm
As many have said tonight, with a running game the falcons can be impressive. Not that the falcons will get any credit, the announcers will say Dallas didn’t do something or another…
BobDawg
November 4th, 2012
10:40 pm
Love it! Watch the Romo arial circus start up!
me
November 4th, 2012
10:40 pm
@War Dawg
“Tackling is horrible!”
So if our tackling were good, what would our record be? War Beagle.
Walker the Infant Falcon
November 4th, 2012
10:40 pm
Roddy White is da Bomb
tmc
November 4th, 2012
10:40 pm
i’m talking about the nickname, not the player to retire.
Pigskin
November 4th, 2012
10:42 pm
Roddy White is da Bomb
YES, he is.
atlfalconsfan0125
November 4th, 2012
10:42 pm
Isnt it about time Romo messes up?
me
November 4th, 2012
10:43 pm
@homo
“romo will start to break now.”
This game is far from over. Whitten has been very quite. Scary good.