Live from New Orleans: The Falcons will lose – but not today
Just another example of how the Saints afford us Atlantans no respect. (Photo by M. Bradley)
New Orleans – Father Peter P. Finney delivered the homily at the 8 a.m. Mass at St. Clement of Rome in Metairie, La., this morning, and here we note: Father Finney is the grandson of Peter Finney, the gentlemanly sports columnist of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, and Father Finney actually gave no homily at all. It’s a St. Clement tradition to do without one during its annual Oyster Festival, which is ongoing this weekend. (There was carnival paraphernalia all over the parking lot.)
Father Finney noted that today’s Oyster Festival session is set to commence at noon – “when the Saints kick off,” he said. Then he noted: “The Saints’ game will be shown on television.”
Our rather roundabout point being: Even when the Saints stink, they’re still the talk of the town. (Metairie is a suburb off Lake Pontchartrain, of which my hotel affords me a half-scenic view.)
I’m on record — if you have three minutes and 32 seconds, you can hear me say it to Bill Littlefield of NPR’s Only A Game — that the Falcons won’t go undefeated. (My quote: “I don’t think anybody really seriously believes the Falcons are going to go 16-0.”) But there’s CineSport proof of me picking the Falcons to reach the Super Bowl and, via the Internet and the print AJC, I’m also on record as predicting that they’ll sweep the Saints.
That belief probably won’t win me many friends among the Oyster Fest folks, but it is, for better or worse, how I feel. I don’t think a lousy defensive team can beat the Falcons, and the Saints are on course to be the lousiest defensive team ever. I believe the Falcons’ first loss will come two weeks hence, at Tampa three days after Thanksgiving. I do not believe it will happen today.
But I have, as we know, been wrong a time or two. Whatever occurs, I’ll be here to watch and comment, and I implore you to join me. And I thank you, as ever, in advance. (Oh, and if you missed it: Read the fine print on the seat card depicted above.)
By Mark Bradley
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1,785 comments Add your comment
MenVsBoys
November 11th, 2012
3:52 pm
Harry lost the ball for a sec, but had possession again laying on his back.
Pigskin
November 11th, 2012
3:52 pm
What good is a FG going to do?
Growler
November 11th, 2012
3:52 pm
Well one way or another, Brees will have time to come back. But if the Falcons score a TD, not going for 2 was the correct call. That’s the type of season it’s been for Mike Smith (which means they’ll score the TD…)
Buckeye
November 11th, 2012
3:52 pm
Damn. Emergency Alert on TV. Child abduction.
ijonathan
November 11th, 2012
3:52 pm
I have a bad feeling about this one…I think he was struggling and his knee never really touched, nor did his back. Question is….is there enough evidence?
phil
November 11th, 2012
3:52 pm
That’s not even close to a fumble!!
Cheating swine!
ijonathan
November 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
phew.
Tom
November 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
No his back was on the ground. lol
Mark Bradley
November 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
Call stands.
And the second replay was clearer. Douglas was indeed down. Right call. Saints just wasted a timeout.
Tommy Nobis
November 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
comcast just blew it……….what is going on ?
dean
November 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
I’m with you ramblin’
Section 212
November 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
Our worse situation for us… Goal line
ijonathan
November 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
too bad they didn’t show us that replay the first time.
Michael M.
November 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
I told you all Falcons going to win this thing
O'Ventbrel
November 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
No fumble. Quizz needs to be the starting running back next season
oldbird
November 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
Hey the replay guys did not screw us this time
Mark Bradley
November 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
The pass to Tony Gonzalez was broken up. Third and goal is upcoming.
Tom
November 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
Damn that was scary.
Mark Bradley
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
Fourth and goal is upcoming.
Mark Bradley
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
The Saints call timeout.
MenVsBoys
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
Broken record.
ijonathan
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
Turner…LMAO
Growler
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
Uh oh……
80sFalcon
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
God he SUCKS
Tom
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
OMG what are they doing???? Turner is awful. Good grief like last year
dean
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
Geez
Michael M.
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
why the he&& they keep running Turner ?
O'Ventbrel
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
That’s so frustrating…
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
O line getting shoved back all day. Bunch of girls
Section 212
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
Our OL cannot block worth a dang!
Pigskin
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
Yeah, lets try that again!
Kissinger
November 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
Gotten beat all day up front.
oldbird
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
You got to be kidding me. Not being able to get 1 damn yard has killed this team for 3 years.
Mark Bradley
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Michael Turner actually lost a yard on that last rush.
Falcons: Play 60!
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Turner is NOT the primary carrier anymore, why can’t they see that?????
The Real Falcon
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
This is the season!
Tom
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
This off play calling is sooo like last year. Pathetic
playmeortrademe
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
This is all because Turner can’t get one flippin’ yard.
Mike
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Cut Turner as soon as this game ends.
Section 212
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Run pitch play to Julio !!!
DawgNole
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Michael M.
November 11th, 2012
3:41 pm
I still think Atlanta is going to Win this game !
___________________
Keep the faith, but we’re on the 1 and going backwards.
Pigskin
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Bootleg Matt!
ijonathan
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Hopefully this game will be the watershed moment, pushing Turner to permanent backup
Falcons65
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
I can’t watch.
Tom
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Can’t score against the worst d in the league. Pathetic
Mr C
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
The Falcons foible…. 2nd and short, 3rd and short and 4th and short
DawgNole
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Another scintillating Turner run.
MenVsBoys
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Damn.
Falcons Weak Secondary?
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Well, we cannot cover many people… but every once in blue moon we make a hit to jar a ball loose or knock it down.
We are the weak link to the Falcons… a suspect secondary that plays with more hype than hutzpah (or chutzpah).
dean
November 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Dayum